Date:         Sun, 12 Jun 2005 21:47:46 -0500
Reply-To:     Wesley Alden Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wesley Alden Pegden <wes@CS.UCHICAGO.EDU>
Subject:      stranded... '84 won't start (after exhuast work??)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi all,
I just finished replacing my entire exhaust system... a lot of blood, sweat, and cash, and now my van won't start:

A battery that I've had a bad history with wen't dead on me---no surpise there.  The alternator is good, I'm pretty sure---it's new, and last time this battery wen't dead, I tested it, and it checked out.  I think the battery is a dud.  (probably from sitting around for a couple of months)

Anyways, I did a rolling start to get the engine going.  This is 42 miles after filling up for the first time after the exhaust work is finished (and after the van had been parked for a few months). I notice my gauges are all reading low (gas tank and temperature are both way below what I would expect), so I pulled into a gas station see whether the gauge was right.  I left it running while a filled up It only took 3 gallons, even thought the gauge was showing less than a half a tank.  Then, as I start to worry about my mysterious gauge issues, the engine starts to sputter.  I run around to the drivers side and put my foot on the gas to keep the engine going... which works for a few seconds, but then it sputters and dies anyways as I try to back up.  Then, of course, it won't start, since my battery is dead, but it won't take a jump either---I tried for a long time a number of different times, and the starter motor was turning over quite quickly.  I waited 30 minutes (for a tow truck) and tried again... no luck.

I'm getting spark, and my fuel pumps good (and I have gas).  What else should I check?  I towed it to a repair shop that works on some vws, and I'm going to go in the morning and see if they can look at it soon---Our goal was NJ tomorrow (we're in Pittsburgh).  Does anybody have any suggestions for what to check?  Thanks very much for any help.

Wes
'84 vanagon (manual)