Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 09:29:06 -0800
Reply-To: mike miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mike miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Subject: Re: 82 with hot start problem (long saga)
In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.20011204095301.0079da70@oneota.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Bad ground cable or hot cable from the battery to the starter?
Mike
> From: Laura Olson <laura@ONEOTA.NET>
> Reply-To: Laura Olson <laura@ONEOTA.NET>
> Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 09:53:01 -0600
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: 82 with hot start problem (long saga)
>
> I would guess this subject has been covered sometime, but I flit on and off
> the list as my life allows. This past August, I took a trip from NE Iowa
> to Glacier National Park with three young boys and the family dog in my
> 1982 air cooled Westy. Before I left I had a whole new exhaust system
> installed and purchased a new battery, even though my old one was probably
> fine. I bought the battery because I had had some strange starting
> problems three previous times in the Spring and Summer-had a new starter in
> 2000. The battery did not solve the problem. As soon as I was 5 hours
> away and stopped for a picnic lunch at a rest stop, the van would not
> start. The three previous times this had happened, it started right up
> with a jump. This tow truck driver tried his battery charger and it didn't
> go, so towed me to an import repair shop in Sioux Falls, where we had to
> spend the night as they couldn't possibly look at it until morning. Oh,
> joy. Of course, it started right up in the morning and I let him put in a
> new ignition switch in case that was burning out. He lent me a battery to
> jump from and off we went. This time, we made it as far as Wall, SD (it
> started after the first two stops for gas) and it wouldn't start. We
> wandered through Wall Drug for two hours hoping it would cool down enough
> to start. No dice-so I got a guy to jump it who sent me to a place in
> Rapid City with German mechanics. The next day, they fixed it!!! They
> checked the drop voltage on everything and replaced the voltage regulator.
> I was wary and didn't turn it off that day until parked for the night in a
> state park outside Thermopolis, WY. I tried to start it again and it
> worked! I was overjoyed. For the next 10 days, the Vanagon was once again
> in my sons' good graces and we drove all over Wyoming and Montana without
> fear of turning it off for gas or hikes or lunch. It was always in the
> 90's on this trip. Feeling somewhat cocky, we started home and it started
> happening again, not far from Billings, Montana. I had to have it jumped
> at a gas station, but not in the morning after setting all night. The next
> morning, I thought a short drive (1 hour) to the Little Bighorn Battlefield
> would not cause a problem, but it wouldn't start there either (probably our
> hottest day). The bikers returning from the Sturgis rally were helpful.
> Anyway, I was determined to get back to Import Services in Rapid City. I
> drove without turning it off until the Black Hills, where we spent two
> nights waiting for Monday morning. Took it in Monday morning and they said
> they couldn't look at it until Wednesday so I said screw it, and drove
> home. I didn't turn it off until I was parked for the night. Except I
> stopped at the first repair shop in Sioux Falls so I could drop off the
> battery he had loaned me, and I had three guys out there stumped. They
> tried to start it and checked the voltage on the battery (12 something),
> then tried to jump it with a charger pack (12 something, a little higher),
> then jumped it with a car and cables and it started with 13 something. It
> has started faithfully since but I haven't driven it for more than an hour
> at a time. My mechanics here in town are confused; of course it never
> happens in town where they can observe it. Any ideas on whether this is
> fixable. It is frustrating because I bought the Westy for long trips-I
> live to drive around the country-but am planning our Spring trip to Phoenix
> and summer trip to Seattle in our trusty Honda wagon with a tent strapped
> to the top. Help. Thanks, Laura
>
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