Club 80-90 Forums

My coolant level sensor light is on, as the coolant sensor is not attached to the header tank...

The fitting is broken, (like this when i bought it) and the hole is currently bunged up with a bit of plastic bag!

How does it attach to the header tank and do i need a new header tank or can i buy the fitting??

Ta,
Chris

The coolant level sender scdrews into the top of the tank. It may be just the thread in knacked on the sender, or the thread in the tank may be chewed up. Unscrew the sender and have a look. The tank is under pressure when the engine is hot, so be careful of hot water / steam. If the hole is just bunged with a plastic bag it isn`t going to pressurise the system, so it`ll never work properly. I`d budget for a new tank and sender to be sure.

What year and engine type have you got? Try GSF or JK or VW dealer for the bits.

Thanks bud ideal, it's not attached at the mo, the bodge consists of a bit of thread thats knackered wedge in the hole with a bit of bag under it,

So the header tank should be threaded? i.e the insert thats wedge in the hole should be part of the tank that the level sensor fits into?

Its a watercooled boxer.. 1.9 , 1987.

I'll put some pictures up later maybe of the my little project..

Chris

Vw still sell the header tank, much better quality than Just Campers.

Obviously, running the van like this is a bad idea, the cooling system is meant to pressurise, as the water expands.
A poor joint, weak pipe, or buggered expansion tank will pee coolant out,

The coolant system should be filled with a mix of very expensive corrosion inhibitor and water. Using water alone will shorten the life of the engine.

T

Cheers, aware of the inhibitor etc, and not running at the mo as it was a £300 project, hence the bodge no mot etc!

Looks like new header tank then?

Chrissyt wrote:Thanks bud ideal, it's not attached at the mo, the bodge consists of a bit of thread thats knackered wedge in the hole with a bit of bag under it,

So the header tank should be threaded? i.e the insert thats wedge in the hole should be part of the tank that the level sensor fits into?

Its a watercooled boxer.. 1.9 , 1987.

I'll put some pictures up later maybe of the my little project..

Chris

There is a black plastic insert that screws into the top of the tank. The sender is in this insert, the cable connector plugs into the sender. Should have no probs getting a header tank, it`s only the early ones that are obsolete.

after looking just looks like the level sensors thread has broken off so new one for me, the thread in the header tank is ok.

Chris