Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 20:43:02 -0700
Reply-To: Ward Smith <wsmith@SAN.RR.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ward Smith <wsmith@SAN.RR.COM>
Subject: Re: 1990 Syncro GTI w/ Dead Battery
In-Reply-To: <NFBBJNNPJEDBENEJIJMJKELJCDAA.blackburn@codenet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Ah, a good old batt. light question to sink our teeth into.
Mike,
It seems like your alternator is fine. If it wasn't putting out enough juice
to charge the battery (and the light was coming on), it would most probably
not be putting out enough juice to fire the plugs, injectors, lights, etc.
An easy way to check the alternator without any testing equipment is to pull
the negative clamp off the battery post while the engine is running. If the
engine dies...bad alternator. (or possibly bad ground attachment between the
alternator and frame). If the engine purrs right along, probably a bad
battery. When they go bad, they can sometimes draw more juice than the alt
is putting out, so they strand you even though the bus will run.
If you don't like this answer, stop by your local FLAPS, and they will test
your charging system and battery while you wait. (wear nice clothes and they
will usually even install the offending part).
Hope this helps,
Ward
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Michael Blackburn
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 2:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 1990 Syncro GTI w/ Dead Battery
Hello All,
Well, I knew it wouldn't be long before I had something to fix... I just
bought a 1990 Syncro Adventurewagen with a Eurospec GTI engine conversion.
I was driving along today for work to visit a construction site and noticed
the battery light would flash on and off every now and then. I then after a
while the light just went completely red and stay on. I then turned of the
stereo and the light went back to its intermittent flashing. I was hoping
that this was only a loose wire or the like but I don't think this is the
case.
After my meeting I jumped back in the van to run to the next meeting and....
Nothing, the battery was dead. Oh, #@$%! Luckily I was at a construction
site and borrowed some jumper cables. (I had mine in the garage still,
duh!) Anyway, I just jumped myself from the second battery and was on my
way.
Now, is would appreciate some list knowledge... It seems to me that this
means the alternator is not charging my battery. Since even a fairly bad
battery would not make the light go off while running unless the alternator
was not putting out enough juice. Anyone have any thoughts... How can I
test the alternator to see if it is cranking out enough amps? Thanks for
any thoughts or ideas.
Michael Blackburn
1990 Syncro Adventurewagen (GTI)
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