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Date:         Wed, 28 Jun 95 13:10:11 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      RE: Embarassing moment: '79 westy on fire

On Wed, 28 Jun 95 13:06:37 CDT Wagner Michael said: >>I was lucky don't let this happen to you. Several lessons learned here: >>Keep a fresh fire extinguisher in your VW always. > > [making note to buy a couple jumbo boxes of baking soda and keep > them next to the spare oil in the campmobile...]

for whatever reason, that reminded me of another embarassing moment ... when i tried to replace the voltage regulator in my 71 bus. without disconnecting the battery ground strap. :(

a word of advice to ALL the bus folk: DISCONNECT THE BATTERY whenever you do anything with the generator or alternator or fuel pump!!!

anyway, i didn't, and sure enough,i dropped the voltage regulator, and sure enough, its positive terminal hit the body and sure enough, it made a GOOOD connection.

you guys ever seen an 8-gauge wire evaporate in front of your eyes?? that big red/white wire that goes into the generator?? POOF!!!

and that Loud CLANGING noise ... wow, i didn't know something slamming shut could be that loud!!

luckily, it did NOT do any damage to the regulator NOR the generator. i replaced the wire (VERY CAREFULLY!! After Disconnecting the Battery!!!) and it kept right on running for many years to come.

joel (alias Lucky Pierre)


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