Date:         Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:50:22 -0400
Reply-To:     craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      1.9 problems
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hello In response to my previous post, i charged the battery, and
drove it to AutoZone. Once i got it there, it died. With a jump we
were able to get it going again, but they were unable to test the
battery in the car or the alternator (recently replaced). The car
proceeded to loose power, run poorly, and die multiple times along the
2 mile journey home. Each time, a jump was required to get it going.
We then removed the battery and took it to Autozone to have them test.
after 45 min of testing they proved the battery to be in good shape.

Yet the battery still seems to need to be recharged in order to have
any power, theres a load on it somewhere. However, we cant find the
load. Any ideas upon common areas for this?

Driving the car with a very low battery (that doesnt seem to recharge
as we drive.....) results in very poor running conditions and loss of
power. The idle is very rough and sometimes very high, other times far
to low. If you lay off the gas at any point, you risk the car dieing.

I have the battery with a fresh charge ready to be reinstalled, what
should i test from here?

-Craig Cowan
-85 Sunroof Vanagon


original message:

> I have a 1985 Vanagon GL with a fresher 1.9L engine. Less than 30K on
> the engine. It ran well on a daily basis untill a few weeks ago. I
> left the ligths on. Stupid move. Neadless to say the battery was dead.
> An attempt at push starting did not work, and it took a pretty big
> jump to get it going. Once going it ran poorly all the way home. Once
> home, the battery took quite a charge off a nice charger. With the
> battery recharged, we started driving it again. We drove it out to
> Walmart to get the battery tested, it proved "ok" in their mind. But
> it wasnt running quite right. On the way home, it just lost power
> completely. It then died along the roadside. Needless to say, somehow
> the battery was dead again.We just replaced the alternator about 20
> miles ago with a rebuilt alternator. Its "possible" that the
> alternator belt is not tight enough, though its pretty much as tight
> as we can get it. With a big jump, we stumbled home, where it has
> primarily stayed. When started (after the battery is charged) it fires
> right up. It then tends to idle at about 1400RPM and runs pretty
> poorly. Sounds Rich maybe? So....we replaced the O2 Sensor because it
> would run better with it unplugged. Now with a new 02 sensor, it still
> runs pretty poorly, only marginally better. Runs about the same
> plugged in or unplugged, and still at 1400rpm. The 02 sensor idiot
> light is on (no big deal i guess) along with the battery light which
> comes on and goes off randomly. If stopped at a traffic light, the
> throttle will "jump" around from as low a few hundred up to 3K and
> back/anywhere inbetween. This of course, is completely random and
> sometimes goes away. Any ideas? Where to start? Somewhat, overwelmed.