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coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 29 Dec 2015, 11:22
by bhagatsingh
Hi,
My coolant gauge needle is not moving - took for a 1.5 hour drive, the warning light flashes intermittently, everything else is working, coolant levels are good, fan switches on...in a bit of a rush as am driving london-wales tomorrow, any quick-fix advice would be great - as per, i have no clue

and feel like I am pulling things out and jamming things around in blind hope! I know its not an urgent one as long as the van is running fine, but given previous experience i don't want to test fate.
thanks in advance.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 29 Dec 2015, 19:10
by kevtherev
Have you checked that th gauge works.
(Earth the sender wire on the engine)
This should send the gauge to max
This shows you that the sender is shagged if it does.
Please put your engine type in your signature.

Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 10:59
by bhagatsingh
Apologies its a 1.9 petrol t25 - just had a new engine put in so it may well be that some wiring went mad during that...OK thanks ill have a go at that...anything else I can try while I'm routing around?
I take it I can't make a fix at the dash if the gauge has gone?
Thanks for your help
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 13:52
by bhagatsingh
ok strange, just turned engine on - having not yet tested out your previous suggestion - and the gauge shot up to the top, staying there, while the light constantly flashed? any idea what's going on?
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 15:19
by kevtherev
Wiring fault.
Disconnect the temp sender. They are in different places depending on the year.
Does the light stop flashing now?
Is the coolant in the header tank full to the brim? (not top up tank)
You don't mention the year of your camper..put that in your sig line too.
You can E D I T your sig line in your profile settings.
It helps folks know what you have.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 17:54
by bhagatsingh
Ah sorry 1986, vw t25 1.9, petrol.
After fiddling with wires around the thermo housing - pullet out and back in the 43 relay fuse- right now the needle is back to normal but the light no longer flashes even on ignition. Which one is the temp sender on the 1986?
Yeah the coolant tank is full to the brim (on cold).
Thanks for your help.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 18:45
by kevtherev
Relay 43 is responsible for the light flashing.
If the gauge is working now then it was just a poor connection.
Red/orange wire, brown is earth to the sender on the rear of the housing
Flashing on ignition is a self check.
There's a more detailed post about that in the wiki.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 30 Dec 2015, 18:47
by kevtherev
bhagatsingh wrote:
Yeah the coolant tank is full to the brim (on cold).
.
Should be full to the brim hot as well.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 04 Jan 2016, 13:16
by bhagatsingh
thanks for your help, got to Snowdonia and back no problem. Will take a look at the Wiki.
Re: coolant gauge not moving
Posted: 04 Jan 2016, 18:05
by kevtherev
https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Co ... ht_on_dash" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;