Blinking LED???

[Kathy Teulie <104372.1061@compuserve.com>]

The string with my input.:
I took out some of Tim's running HOT stuff. I put it in this format to
reduce the number of messages.
This LED problem is strange because most of the water stuff on my car is
kinda new.
The littel blinker has only done this one time. I have answered most of the
questions.
Thanks for your help. 
Doug

MESSAGE 1 ******************************************
>>Help? This morning my water light started blinking so I pulled off and
>>stopped the motor. Then it stopped blinking. After starting up it went
back
>>to normal operation. The motor runs cold and my belts  and water pump are
2
>>months old. The rest of the day it worked fine? It was about 70 degrees
>>outside and I was not in stop and go traffic. I got about 110,000 MI on
the
>>motor. What should I do????????????
>>
>>Doug
>>16v Silver Scirocco.

MESSAGE 2 **********************************************
>The LED will blink when the sensor tells the guage the engine is
>overheating. Could be a bad/intermittent
>temp sender..

>What did the guage say? Mine runs just under the middle of the range
normally.

>A while back, I had the thermoswitch on the radiator go bad, and the fan
did
>not come on. The engine
>started getting hot - so I put the heater control in 'defrost' and turned
on
>the fan. There is a relay
>that forces the radiator fan on when the defrost or air conditioning is
on.
>Assuming you have A/C,
>of course. The engine may run a bit cooler than normal this way, but you
>should not overheat.

>Chuck Kuecker

MESSAGE 3 ************************************************
The gadge was below center.
 Most of the time it runs close to the white.
 I have a 9 month old  thermoswitch on the radiator.
 I did not see the fan come on this time.
You may be right about a  bad/intermittent sender.

Doug. 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 4 ***************************************************
>Replace the sending unit at the top of the coolent expansion tank.  
>The tank is on the drivers side, near the strut tower.  It's got 
>a two wire plug, and it just unscrews.  I had the same problem, and
>replacing this sending unit fixed it.

>Let me know if you need any more info.

>==Brett


MESSAGE 5 ******************************************************
This is what I thought it could be. 
Thanks
Doug 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 6 ****************************************************
>For whatever reason, the fan is not able to cool the coolant for you 
>around town. I had a bad fan motor and after throwing in a used motor 
>from a 79 rabbit, temps returned to normal. your problem may be one of 
>needing a system flush, bad temp sender, low coolant level or even 
>just a simple thermostat replacement.>

>Hmmm, come to think of it, I have yet to hear the cooling fan go on 
>after I stop my car.  The '86 does it, but the '88 doesn't.  Guess I 
>need to check the fan motor (and probably replace that thermostat 
>while I'm at it).  Thanks!
>Tim

MESSAGE 7 ***************************************************
My  coolant was flushed out in December and My radiator is 3 months old.
Doug. 16v silver Scirocco


MESSAGE 8 **************************************************
>>Speaking of temperature gauge worries, is it normal for the stock 
>>temperature gauge to almost be pegged (but no LED on) when stuck in 
>>traffic after driving for a while at highway speed?  Mine does this 
>>(an '88), and my other Scirocco ('86) does it too.  I've heard that 
>>these cars are just prone to run hot, but I'd like to hear from other 
>>people about this too.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Tim

>Not really normal. You probably have the stock 192 degree thermostat in
>there, and that is really too hot. 
>I got a 180 degree and put it in when i flushed the system. And found that
i
>had been running a 160! 160 is a little cold, (the colder, the less gas
>mileage you get) and 180 is just about right. I'd get a new thermostat if
i
>were you

>Kevin

MESSAGE 9 *****************************************************
I agree that Tim should make some changes.
I have a 180 degree  thermostat that is 9 monts old.
My car runs like an iceburg (in the white and just above the white) most of
the time according to the water gadge.
Doug. 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 10 ***************************************************
>Did you check the coolant level?  Thats what that light is for.  Alot 
>of people think that light is to tell you the water temp is 
>overheating but its not.  It tells you when your water level is low.  
>I had a in depth relationship with that light last summer when my 
>radiator fan broke.

>        Jay

MESSAGE 11 ******************************************************
The coolant level looks good. That was the first thing I looked for. I have
not seen the fan work after this happened.
It is not hot and I drive fast, not stop and go. I need to check it out.
I did push the wires around on the sender before it went back to normal
operation.
Update: Day 2 and the water blinker is not blinking except at startup. Like
normal.

Doug. 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 12 *************************************************
>At 02:20 PM 3/4/97 -0600, Shawn C. Meze wrote:
>>I dont care what anybody says about our motors needing to run hot to
perform. 
>>Thats only for the emmissions testing reasons, the fuel burns cleaner
when the 
>>engine is hot. As far as performance, I think the heat hurts the motor. 
>>Period. I dont buy into that hotter engine concept. I like mine to run
around 
>>180-200. To me, that is optimum for about any motor.
>>
>>
>Not to mention, ok here goes... the fact that even 100% anti--freeze will
>probably expand and cause damage to hoses, etc. if you're running TOO
>hot.

>Miles Lott (http://www.insync.net/~milos)

MESSAGE 13 *******************************************
I agree Cold is the way to go!!!!!!
Doug. 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 14 *****************************************
>I had this problem many times, usually after changing  the thermostat,
>regardless, top off the coolant, drive, top off, drive, etc.  I always had
a
>air pocket in the head that causes the sensor to go off.  If that doesnt
>work, (it takes a while) loosen the clamp for the upper radiator hose. 
while
>the car is hot and running, loosen only a little bit.  push the hose down
>crooked to let air and steam escape, this helps any air trapped in the
head
>out.

>I have never seen a sensor be bad but there is always a first.
>Kyle 

MESSAGE 15 ****************************************
I spent 2 hours getting out all the air when I put in my new  radiator . I
did just what you listed.
Do you think an air bubble could show up 2-3 months later? It sounds like
that is what happened to you. 
When I stopped my car, because of Mr blink blink piss me off LED, I pumped
the watter hoses, whithout disconnecting them, 
checked the OIL it was about 1/2 Q down and pushed on the sender wire.
Then it stopped blinking. 
 
Doug. 16v silver Scirocco

MESSAGE 16 ****************************************
>Just for fun, check if you have enough brake fluid.  I knw this 
>sounds weird but it worked for me.
>Frank

MESSAGE 17 ****************************************
Just did my breaks 3 weeks ago. I should check to see if everything is OK.
Doug
16v Silver Scirocco.




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