Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 17:45:16 EDT
Reply-To: FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Starter Saga was: 1982 Diesel Intermittent Start Problem
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Ken,
The starter bushing would be a great idea, except that the diesel Vanagon is
different. The bushing is located in the nosecone of the starter and replaced
each starter cycle. As for the battery size, in the dim past (around 1984), I
discovered all the open space around the diesel Vanagon battery case. This
discovery coincided with unscheduled preventative maintenance of the battery
(translate - replace). At that time I found that the very largest of the GM
side terminal batteries would mount in the space. Following and intensive
search, I found that Montgomery Wards sold a lifetime battery as their top of
the line Group 72 product. Little did they know! So I purchased the battery
after demonstrating that fully 0.250 inches remained between the top of the
battery and the engine cover. Over the years, I have comfortably followed the
evolution of battery technology with one ridiculous lifetime claim after
another. Around 1995 the Wards local manager produced an official looking
document that said that with my next replacement (mean time to battery
failure was 2.2 years) my lifetime had been used up, and I would have to
revert to a regular battery warranty. I still treasure this document as it
was quite personal, listed the number of replacements, pointed out how much
money they had lost and suggested that my prolonged ownership was decidedly
un-American! (These lifetime warranties are always limited to the original
vehicle and the original purchaser).
Anyway, I promptly signed up for an 84-month battery and drove away. Every
several years, I get the opportunity to upgrade the battery to the highest
CCA rating battery sold by Exide. So I can't put anything bigger in the
space. I do run an auxiliary battery (behind the diesel battery and behind
the taillight assembly. For a while I was also running group 72's here until
the battery top change in which they added top posts to the style. Needless
to say this battery would take a dive after every extended camping trip. Like
clockwork, I just folded auxiliary battery replacement into my spring
maintenance schedule. Of course, this was unfair, as I was running this one
in a deep cycle mode (radio, fridge, CB, lights, laptop, etc). Smoked a few
VW camper relays as you might expect. Of course, when I read (so carefully)
the Wards battery warranty, I noted no disclaimer for such misuse. Actually,
I have recently found that when I approach the local Wards auto center, the
manager comes out and asks me to take my business elsewhere (sad, sad)!
Anyway, I was giving an Exide battery rep a hard time at the LA Auto show
some years back, and he pointed out that Exide had a gel cell battery for
marine use. Excitedly, I returned home, got out my CAD drawings of the
auxiliary battery space and discovered that they had a real whopper that
would fit if I laid it on its side (top terminals pointing to the taillight).
A little solder, wire, marine relay, modest cutting, and a modified
alternator (8V GTi front pulley, Porsche 944 guts and all the diodes the
alternator shop had) now rated at 140 amps, and I was set. I added an
adjustable voltage regulator to the alternator and then carefully adjusted
full load output to the max that the gel cell could accommodate less a few
tenths (think I set it at 13.96 V).
So, no further loss of the auxiliary battery - 3 years and counting. I will
consider the dual battery setup. Used to use that on a corvair powered '72
Safare Camper I built.
I'm sure that the starters are being burnt. This suggests a low voltage high
current situation. Could be a long standing ground problem. Unfortunately,
after the initial failure, I believe a segment on the stator is damaged and
the only solution is replacement.
Typical battery failure is due to loss of water. Runs too hot in the engine
compartment. Often starter failure is correlated with battery failure but not
always. Have since built a thermal shield for the battery and am into 14
months on this battery with no problem, or low water condition.
Thanks for the suggestions,
Frank Grunthaner
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