Date:         Sat, 6 Jan 2007 16:46:36 +0000
Reply-To:     joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Roadside Troubles while on Vacationing
In-Reply-To:  <C1C5034C.2A89%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Outstanding!

Speaking of roadside troubles, I stopped at the liquor store for a Friday
six-pack, came out, turned the key, and got nothing.  The indicator lights
on the dash were lit, but no cranking, no buzzing fuel pump, no lights, no
accessories.  Hmmm.

I keep a couple of screwdrivers, a wrench, and a multimeter in the pocket
under the front seat.  Pulled that stuff out and took the top off of the
battery compartment.  12.5 volts at the battery.  Something's amiss.  Bad
power to the fuse panel?  Did I somehow get in and kick something loose?
It didn't make sense.

So, I thought and thought.  Looked at the fuse panel, no funny smells, no
burnt wires that I could see.  I began thinking about going into the store
and asking if I could leave it there overnight (it was getting dark) but
didn't relish the thought of leaving my beloved Vanagon at the liquor store.

So, as I'm trying to decide whether to take my lumps and go back into the
store, I had a thought:  Wait a second, my '73 Mustang used to do this.  It
had a short in the negative battery cable...

I took off the negative cable to the post, scraped around on it with the
screwdriver, put it back on, and voila!  Power!  Back in business.  I need
to clean those contacts.

Certainly this is not a story of roadside drama, but parked in front of a
liquor store during a snowstorm when all I wanted to do was get to my warm
house, I was mighty glad to get things going again, and to find that it was
something so simple!

The moral for me is, it's good to have a screwdriver, a wrench, and a
multimeter handy.  Oh--and don't shirk on small maintenance items.  They'll
bite you in the butt when you least need it.

Joe T.


>From: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
>Reply-To: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Roadside Troubles while on Vacationing
>Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 07:42:04 -0800
>
>Shades of Unca Joel.
>
>Wish it wasn't so true, now can you add the woes of the syncro clan?
>
>Mike
>
>
>On 1/6/07 2:46 AM, "Nathaniel Poole" <npoole@TELUS.NET> wrote:
>
> > I couldn't resist...
> >
> >
> > The (Wasser)Boxer
> >
> >
> > I am just a poor boy and my story's seldom told
> > I've squandered my money on a watercooled old vanagon, such is dementia
> > All squirts and drips, still a man hears what he wants to hear
> > And disregards the puddles, hmmmm
> >
> > Li la li...
> >
> > When I left my home on a vacation, It was in an 87 vanagon
> > with a Bentley manual
> > It blew out in an intersection, runnin bad
> > In a fury, seeking out the shops where the waterboxers go
> > Looking for the techies only they would know
> >
> > Li la li...
> >
> > Needing only a pair of new heads, I come lookin for a repair, but I get
>no
> > respect
> > Just a comeon from a dealer in the Auto Mall
> > I do declare, you can have this squirting van; I should have bought
>myself
> > an aircooled.
> >
> > Li la li...
> >
> > But the dealer doesn't want it, he isn't such a fool
> > I am older than I once was, and regret my puddle van, that's not unusual
> > No it isn't strange, part after part, it's still a water gusher
> > 3 thousand dollars later it is more or less the same
> >
> > Li la li...
> >
> > And Iım laying out some more cash, wishing it was stolen, chopped and
>burned
> > And the @#$% mechanic isn't bleedin me, leadin me to bankruptcy
> >
> > In the clearing stands a waterboxer, and the owner with his chequebook
> > And he carries a receipt of every part that let him down or stranded him
> > and he shouts out in his anger and his shame
> > I'll get an aircooled an aircooled, as the waterboxer dies
> >  yet again, yet again
> >
> > Li la li...
> >
> >
> >
> > May PS and AG forgive me.
> >
> > Nathaniel
> >
> >
> > On 1/5/07 10:43 PM, "Keith Ovregaard" <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> >
> >> Hey, that's good Nathaniel! Janice use to live a few blocks from here
> >> and is a local legend.
> >>
> >> Keith O.
> >> 90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
> >> Past VeeDubs in the family
> >> 1984 Westy "Brownie"
> >> 1980 PU diesel
> >> 1979 Rabbit
> >> 1963? 23 window Splitty
> >> 1965 Bus
> >> 1969 Bus
> >> 1959 Bug
> >>
> >>
> >> On Jan 5, 2007, at 8:15 PM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
> >>
> >>> Date:    Fri, 5 Jan 2007 16:44:51 -0800
> >>> From:    Nathaniel Poole <npoole@TELUS.NET>
> >>> Subject: Re: Roadside Troubles while on Vacationing
> >>>
> >>> They might last longer, but then you would have to buy more parts.
> >>> Maybe
> >>> it's good they often go with a colossal bang and splash, saves the old
> >>> bank
> >>> account.
> >>>
> >>> Freedom's just another word for having an aircooled van,
> >>> And a van's not worth nothin' honey but it's aircooled,
> >>> And feeling good was easy, Lord, with that aircooled sound,
> >>> Driving one was good enough for me,
> >>> Good enough for me and my main squeeze.
> >>>
> >>> Sung to the tune of Me and Bobby McGee :)
> >>>
> >>> Nathaniel
> >
> >

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