I started my van and drove about 50 ft when I noticed my temperature gauge light up and the needle had moved all the way to the right. I immediately parked it and checked the belts and coolant level. Everything is okay there. On the advice from the Samba forum I'm going to order an oil pressure gauge and see if I can diagnose the problem problem with the light. But, while I was looking at the engine I noticed what looks like a fuel leak. Can anyone tell from this picture what the problem might be? Could the engine light and this leak be related?
I've never worked on the engine before so any pointers would be appreciated.
Issues not related. Diesel leak almost certainly from the rubber hoses on the injector. Trim piece off end.
So that's not the original engine?
From standing overnight, start engine and peer through the oil filler hole. Are the cam lobes awash with oil? If so less need to worry.Faulty sender unit could be your problem, or loose wire perhaps.
"I'm not here to help... I'm here to Pro-Volke"
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD )
I trimmed both rubber hoses on the injector where I saw the leak.
I'll see how it looks after I've driven it.
Peering into the oil filler hole would be great because I wouldn't have to
wait for an oil pressure gauge to arrive. I opened what I think is the oil
filler hole on top of the engine, but I don't really see anything inside. It
just looks like a domed surface covered with oil. Am I looking in the right place.
This engine is not original. I was told when I bought the car that it's a 1.9L.
Easiest method of testing real oil pressure is to buy a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge and temporarily install it. The cheap mechanical gauge type is the one that connects with the small hose to it. That will give you a real number to go from and remove any issues with any sender or wiring or anything else on the car.
If redoing the lines on the injector didn't solve your problem, it could be the injector line fitting as well. Cleaning the injector and looking really close should tell you where it's leaking.
Everybody else lists their cars here - but not me.
libbybapa wrote:That's not the original engine, it's a 1.9.
Why are we discussing oil pressure when the symptom is that the coolant temp gauge registered all the way to the right and the coolant light came on?
Probably a grounding temperature sender wire.
Indeed
My point was that it probably is only a sender problem. As long as there is a good oil supply, I guess I should have added no water loss too, thenprobably safe to drive whilst resolving the problem... It was late in the day
"I'm not here to help... I'm here to Pro-Volke"
Be like meeee...Drive a Quantum TD
...The best work-horse after the cart...
Quantae grow on you...but Rabbits are like roses...
... girls like em ;o)
Only one Darwin, Einstein, Poe and Verne.
That is why if you listen, you will learn:
From the one and only Quantum-man,
Who sees the worms from outside of the can.
7 Quantae in 20 years; 4 dead and 3 TD's still alive [2 wagons & 1 fastback] oh and a GTD )
Yeah, it's an '83 Vanagon with a 1.9 Diesel engine.
It sounds like the first thing I should do is replace the coolant temperature gauge sender. Seems unlikely that this could be anything else given that my coolant level is good and the engine wasn't hot when the gauge lit up and registered all the way to the right. Also, belts are good and oil is good. Don't know about oil pressure, but it sounds like that is irrelevant at this point.
Although, after all of this discussion I'm very tempted to install an oil pressure gauge for the fun of it.
Thanks everyone. I'll pipe up again if this doesn't resolve the problem.
I would disconnect the temperature sensor first. Bear in mind that there are two, one in the coolant flange at the end of the head and the other in the flange in the center of the head. One drives the glow plugs (usually in the end of the head) and the other drives the gauge (usually in the center), although they are interchangeable and so might be wires opposite. If the gauge still pegs right off the bat, then it is not the sensor itself but rather a wiring issue.
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