Date:         Mon, 3 Jun 2002 23:22:01 -0500
Reply-To:     James Fritz <jfritz@WILLINET.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James Fritz <jfritz@WILLINET.NET>
Subject:      I'm back......
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii"

Volks,

I've been off-list for the last 2 years as I doubled the size of our house.  I'm down to the short list of little things to do and have just gotten out of school (I'm a teacher) and should be able to finish them this summer.

First I'd like to say hi! to old friends whom I haven't bothered with a lot of silly questions during this hiatus.  I'm back.......with several more silly questions!

Secondly, its time to turn my attention to my Westy, which has gotten somewhat ignored during this time.

During the past 2 years I have had to replace the gaskets as it started leaving an anti-freeze trail on the driveway.  (BTW, has any of the wisdom on anti-freeze changed in the last two years or do we need to keep paying VW prices?)

My AC leaked and I needed to switch the freon over.  Took it to a local who does this stuff all the time.  He switched it over and it promptly lost its charge.  You could hear it hissing out of the compressor.  Now I need to ask: should I just replace the compressor and be down with it?  I can't seem to find any kind of a o-ring/gasket kit from the FLAPS.  Will just replacing the compressor be enough or does it require changing out the evaporator and all other vital parts (*$ cringe*).

Additionally, the 8 year old Autobahn battery is toast.  I'm sure that sour smell in the Westy is from the battery gassing out and it grosses me out to think I might be breathing that crap.  I've looked into the red top Optima and read as much as I could off the archives (although info on starter batteries is limited, there's a ton of stuff on aux. batteries but not a lot on starters).  I went to a local NAPA dealer and he says their sealed coiled/gel battery is a copy of the Optima.  One model (the biggest) is CA 1000/CCA 770 w/24 mo. free replacement and 84 mo. pro-rated replacement and measures 10 3/16" long, 6 3/16" wide and 8 1/8" high for $124.99.  The smaller model is CA 850/CCA 690 and measures 8 1/8 long, 6 3/4" wide, 8 1/8" high for $119.99.  Any list wisdom on this alternative to Optima.  I can't get any Optima in town and most of the mail order prices I've seen are around $139.95.   I like the idea of buying in town but only when its a suitable product.  Does the dimensions of the bigger one come close to the red top Optima?  Have any of you bought one and if so, what's been your experience?

Your advice is always appreciated!

Jim in Iowa
91 Passat Wagon GL
89 Westy
66 Beetle