Temp warning light flashes intermittently on the 82 Westy

[82Caddy]

There are no coolant level sensors that I know of or can see. The van has always done this and now it's driving me crazy. We're about to take a long trip as well. Van temp runs normal (1/2 way). When you first start the light flashes (normal?) then stops. Then every once in a while when driving it will start flashing again (10 seconds or so) then stop. Today it flashed faintly and faster, then stopped. I have a small coolant leak at the block heater fitting but the expansion tanks are full. Funny thing about that leak, it still leaks green coolant after I swapped it out for the good pink stuff! Ain't life grand?
Thanks for your help

[rsxsr]

Sounds like a bad connection somewhere. From memory the 82 diesel did not have a coolant level switch that would activate the warning light. My light does flash when starting. I believe that is part of a bulb check. I'd have to look at the cluster wiring diagram. From memory, the light does have a tiny stud with a nut on the printed circuit board. In normal operation, I have to believe it is the gauge position that would turn the light on. I have since transplanted a cluster from an 86 vanagon. VW had a nice varialble reostat tool for checking the fuel gauge and temp gauge. You could dial in resistance to verify the sweep. You could unplug the coolant sensor and ground the wire through a test light with the key on and watch the gauge. The circuit board on my 82 had turned to dust. That was the reason for replacing the cluster. Plus I was able to ge the Cruise Control and Tach working with the TDI ECU. If you are taking a trip and have anxiety. Perhaps a optional gauge could be added for peice of mind.

[82Caddy]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to ad that to the list of issues. It's flashing all the time now. I put in a new starter because the old one was hanging up slightly. Well , at least it started the car! The new one just spins and doesn't engage. It started the engine one out of three tries though. Oh I just love doing things twice.

[Fatmobile]

Does the temp gauge read high when the light is flashing?

[Josh]

If you were having trouble with your starter hanging up, and the "rebuilt" one is similarly not engaging, it could be that the rebuild isn't a quality job, and the bushings weren't replaced.

Some people have had alignment issues between the starter and the flywheel, and have used small metal shims to angle the starter's gear ever-so-slightly away from the flywheel. I wouldn't try this until verifying new bushings in the starter, however. It's just a trick I remember reading about years ago for the '82 diesel vanagon.

[82Caddy]

Thank you for the info. The new starter is working fine now. The Bendix drive was probably sleepy from sitting in a box! I put a new battery in for good measure as well. All is good for now. Thanks

[stopping]

You might have somehow damaged the wire from the head temp sensor when working on your strarter (if the bendix does that again and repeats, change it right away... I had mine rebuilt for $25-30). You should try disconnecting it and pressing it to electrical ground (the block or body). You should get a continuous flash at a regular speed. If not you don't have the right wire in the right place. You should wiggle it and if possible locate it in you instrument cluster so you can test for wire continuity. If it doesn't flash you should replace or somehow repair the wire.

If the electrical checks out and it is still flashing you need to go deep into thought about the coolant and various large problems.

[82Caddy]

Thanks Steve. The light always had a mind of it's own. It did the same thing before the starter work. I think you're right about a continuity issue. I was driving it today and in the morning for the first run it was flashing all the time from start up for ten miles. Stopped and went into a store. Re started and no light. Temp is in normal range on the gauge. I know this does not tell me real temp but it's all I have to go on for now. On a long hill climb the temp gauge started to rise and the light started flashing again, then stopped when the gauge dropped. That kind of behavior would seem normal to me but since this is the only Diesel Vanagon I have ever been friends with I'm just guessing. I'll start trouble shooting the wires in my SPARE time but I think it will take a back seat to my Big Brake upgrade which I deem more important. Thanks to all for the help.

[stopping]

does you heater work? Do you hear water and air in the hose that goes in the heater in the front dash?

You might want to deal with this light thing before you sink money into a fancy brake job. It will not take long.

[82Caddy]

The heater works fine. Of course I have to open the valve by reaching over to it! The cable was broken when I bought the van. No sounds of bubbles or air when turned on and it gets nice and toasty.