Date:         Tue, 29 Jun 2004 14:28:23 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject:      Re: One Step Forward, One Step Back
Comments: To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <B7B20CF7-C9E4-11D8-9A80-000A95D4810A@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Don't know about the TIICO, but with the WBX 2.1 L, if a water pump belt
is thrown or fails, it will  often take out the oil pressure switch
located at the end of the case by the crank pully. You will get all
kinds of flashing lights anf buzzers. Happened to me, scared hell out of
me.crusing down an interstate hwy near here. The oil lights and buzzer
came on before the engine began to heat up. As soon as the belt came
loose and hit the switch, breaking off the sending wire, the oil lights
and buzzer came on. I stopped because of that. The engine didn't have
time start to over heat becasue I killed the engine and stopped so
quick, thinking I had an oil problem and not a cooling problem.

Just for  your info.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Kim Brennan wrote:

> So, I drove the GoldBrick (Tiico conversion) to work Moonday. Nothing
> special. On the way back from work, I noticed that the gas gauge was
> reading awfully low (like near the red area, but with only 132 miles on
> the tank). The water temperature was reading low (cool) and the LED was
> blinking. Odd. I stopped and checked the water level, which was fine.
> So I continue on home...well, not really.
>
> Suddenly the engine died in the midst of traffic. I turned the key to
> start it and had no juice from the battery. I had a thought, and sure,
> enough no alternator belt. I'd been running on the battery for a while.
>
> A friend came by and I hitched a ride home, picked up a battery and
> went back to the GoldBrick. Got the rest of the way home. About 1/2
> block away from the house  I saw he remains of a belt in the road.
>
> So a battery will drive the van 20-30 miles (no lights, but with AC
> going and stereo blasting.) Just something to add to vanagon lore.
>
> FWIW, the guages will read lower than normal if the voltage to them is
> too low.
>