Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:57:15 -0500
Reply-To: David Boan <dboan@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Boan <dboan@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Council Bluffs Update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Thank you for all the suggestions on my alternator problem, it was all very
helpful.
The rest of the story..
The next morning the van started fine and the battery light was out, but as
soon as it warmed up the battery and OXS lights were back on (Does anyone
know why they go on and off together?)
On a suggestion from list serve member Andrew I contacted Cram Foreign Auto.
This was a parts place, and he referred me to Euro West in Omaha. Euro West
got me right in. They tested the system and said the alternator was not
charging. They got a Bosch alternator from Cram, and replaced the
alternator for $200, parts and labor. The old alternator was more than ten
years old.
Then it got interesting. I left Euro West, got less than two blocks and the
battery light was back on plus the steering got very stiff. I knew at least
one belt had broken, so made a U turn and pulled back into Euro West. In
that short time the engine was already very hot. The power steering belt
was shredded it and the alt belt was off. Looking closer, the PS pump was
loose and missing a bolt. The A/C compressor was also loose. Euro West did
not touch either of these, but I had both worked on before I left. The PS
system was flushed and an A/C line patched and the system charged. I also
asked my mechanic to check over everything before a long trip. I suspect
that both the PS pump and A/C had been this way for awhile, and when the new
alternator was added, and tightened, it pulled the other units out of their
tenuous balance.
Euro West tightened everything, replaced 3 belts, $64.
Made it back without further events.
Trip Summary: Chicago to Oregon and back by way of Boise. Averaged 19.5
mpg with A/C off. Kept engine between 2200 and 3800 rpm entire trip (3800 =
66 mph on flat). My original engine with 215,000 burned a qt of 15-50 every
800 miles. At home I get about 1200 miles to a qt. I see a Suburu engine
in my future.
Thanks again to all the kind people who offered help.
