Date:         Thu, 9 Jan 1997 14:47:01 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ctfisher@students.wisc.edu (Christopher T. Fisher)
Subject:      Sear's Battery

Hey all
        Just a small beware.  I had Sear's battery fail while under
warrenty and they replaced it with the new model.  After a week of
intermittant non-starts and other strange electrical/voodoo problems I
discovered that the new model battery was roughly an inch higher than the
old.  When the cover is closed the pressure on the plastic safety insert is
so great that it cracks and eventually the posts contact the cover causing
a short.  I took it back in and after an hour of waiting and farting around
the local mall (they insisted on allowing their mechanic an opportunity to
find a solution to the problem or a battery that would fit -- I'm just a
dumb car owner, right?) I had to show the mechanic where the posts had left
burn marks on the metal cover.  His solution, new plastic insert over the
positive post, I said no way.  I tried both the "Weather Handler"?? and the
"International", both of which are listed for a Vanagon application by
Sears.  Neither of these batteries really fit well and the posts will
contact the metal cover if the plastic insert slips off (a possibility if
you use the compartment for storage) or cracks or breaks (which occured in
my case) -- not real safe.    After much tribulation they agreed to refund
my cash.  Now off to find a new battery.

Hope this helps someone out

Chris

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