Flashing water temp light

bbail2x2 · Post by **bbail2x2** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:17 am

I have a flashing water temp light on my '89 Jetta Diesel that has been going on for about a month now. I just got the car with 250K mi 3 months ago and started using BD right away. couild it be a clogged filter or some other problem? also I have had a flashing glow light but it went away. I think I read it was something to do with tail lights(??)

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:41 am

The flashing coolant light indicates either low coolant in the air separator jug, or high coolant temperatures at the head. Investigate this before you toast your engine.

On the flashing glow plug lights, you will need to troubleshoot this to see if your glow plugs are in fact on or off when your light is flashing. Could be a bad relay, short, or anything else. Without investigation, you will never know.

woodrat · Post by **woodrat** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:33 am

mine used to bug me too, because it would flash when the temp gauge showed normal temps. i finally realized that another inch or so of coolant in the reservoir was all that it was asking for.

bbail2x2 · Post by **bbail2x2** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:39 am

You are correct, the fluid (whatever it is) in the separator is low and gunky. it could be water, antifreeze or a combination of that and oil. pretty ugly in there with black stuff.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:50 am

bbail2x2 wrote:the fluid (whatever it is) in the separator is low and gunky. it could be water, antifreeze or a combination of that and oil. pretty ugly in there with black stuff.

Does your coolant tank look like the pic in this thread? viewtopic.php?t=6738

You're going to need to do more digging to see if you're getting combustion gasses in your coolant, which would lead to higher coolant temps and possibly the flashing light you're experiencing.

bbail2x2 · Post by **bbail2x2** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:30 pm

yep! without the finger

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:13 pm

I'd suggest you use the search feature on this site and search for headgasket and replacement, this is something that you'll be looking into fairly soon.

bbail2x2 · Post by **bbail2x2** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:45 pm

well there wasn't as much gunk as I thought. it was a little rust and debris but it hosed right out and went back on ok, topped it off and - voila! the light is no more.
is there anything I can pour into the tranny to replace the syncro for 2nd gear?

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:59 pm

I don't think anything out of a can is going fix your syncro. Someone must have not used the clutch enough when running from Gators.

tylernt · Post by **tylernt** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:31 am

Actually a General Motors product called Synchromesh supposedly works wonders for worn VW synchros.

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