[Vwdiesel] temp gage

[Shawn Wright]

On 17 Oct 2005 at 20:48, Libbybapa at wmconnect.com <Libbybapa at wmconnect.com> wrote:

> In a message dated 10/17/05 5:41:12 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
> scameron at compmore.net writes:
> 
> 
> > Manifested as guage showing lower temps in hot weather, and higher in 
> > winter.
> > 
> 
> Actually, I had an '86 n/a jetta whose temp gauge would read a good solid 1/4
> higher on the gauge if the running lights or headlights were on.  While driving
> if you turned the lights on you could watch the needle rise, and would similarly
> drop when the lights were turned off.  It was especially noticeable on highway
> driving at constant speeds.  It had nothing to do with the heater or weather.
> 
> I figured it was a ground and never got around to trying to fix it.  Before
> realising that the temp was headlight related, I did "fix" quite a few items in
> the cooling system without helping the "overheating".  :-( All of my testdrives
> were at night.  :-(

One more reason to always drive with the headlights on... ignorance is bliss :-)

(although, for the record, my '85 NA reads just below the LED with the lights on - I've 
never tried it with them off).

Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D 
'88 Westy 1.6TD 5 speed
 (see progress at http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels)
'82 Diesel Westy