Date:         Mon, 14 Oct 2002 11:50:27 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Main starter battery
Comments: To: Jeremy Speer <jspeer@POBOX.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Jere,

I lived in Alaska for a long time with both Buses and Vanagons. Prep for
winter always included checking and adjusting as necessary the specific
gravity of the electrolyte in the battery. Next came a load test to
determine the conditions of the plates in the cells. And finally a
thorough cleanup of the battery terminal posts, connectors, and grounds,
including connections at the starter. Then throughout winter I checked
the terminal posts on a monthly basis. During really cold spells - below
"0"F  or lower, I kept a trickle charger connected overnight each night

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Jeremy Speer wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> I tried the archives, but everything i found referred to adding a
> second battery... so i ask, does anybody have opinions on what main
> starter battery is best? Good old DieHard? Top-o-the-line Interstate?
>
> Here in dere 'ol Minnesota the night temps are starting to drop (thud!)
> ... and my battery, like so much of the "Mystery Machine" is of unknown
> age. The cranking speed on Sunday morning was, uh, lackluster.
>
> I'm just happy my intermittent stalling and sputtering has, at least
> for now, disappeared. I swapped out the fuel filter (nasty icky stuff
> came out the upstream end), and re-seated every connector i could
> reach. I have no idea if any of this helped, but the van is running...
> so i guess i'm ahead of the game.
>
> As always, thanks...
>
> -jspeer
> '89 Westy GL, "Mystery Machine"