Date:         Mon, 10 Mar 1997 06:26:29 PST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         kdlewis@juno.com (kenneth d lewis)
Subject:      Re: rust breaker?

Tonya:
Always disconnect the negative battery terminal when working on the
electrical system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It only takes a second
and could prevent a disaster.

 Drop the starter (two bolts) and work on it on the ground. If you do not
have enough slack disconnect the cables at the battery and alternator. If
the terminals still will not come off you may have to consider/evaluate
the possibility of hack-sawing them off. Check and see if there is
enough slack to put new ends on the cables before you start. Take it to
a alternator/starter repair shop to fix the terminal. Pull the cables
out to have ends put on.
Good Luck
Ken Lewis
kdlewis@juno.com
86 VW crewcab 
85 VW Vanagon GL ( needs engine)
60 356 coupe

On Mon, 10 Mar 1997 00:07:50 -0600 Tonya Pope <galba@premier.net> writes:
>Hi all,
>
>Well the weather was finally warm and dry enough to crawl under the
>vanagon.  To recap before I get to my question:
>
>1)  alt & OXS lights began coming on intermittently	
>2)  about a week later, van wouldn't start & had to be jumped off,
>battery voltage just under 12v.
>3)  after being jumped off, on the way home electrical things acting
>peculiar and van decided to die just as I turned into drive way-- not
>completely dead, just no power really, then died and without enough
>battery juice, had to be pushed the rest of the way up driveway
>
>Someone suggested bad/corroded terminals at alternator or starter. 
>Alternator checked out okay, battery held charge good and started van
>without a problem after I hooked it to a charger.  Alternator light
>still shining.
>
>Well, crawled under to take a look at the connections at the starter. 
>If you may recall, there was a 2 volt discrepancy between the battery
>and the alternator.  I pulled the rubber boot off the large connection
>at the starter and rust flew everywhere.  Apparently the purpose of 
>that
>boot is to hold water in.
>
>Now the question:  the bolt won't budge.  I tried, then I made my
>husband crawl under there and he couldn't budge it either.  The bolt 
>and
>connectors look to be welded/rusted together into one big thing. 
>Considering the enormous amount of room that's available under the
>vanagon (ha) does anybody have any suggestions?  I have no way to 
>raise
>it other than a pair of ramps.
>
>Also, I haven't looked yet at the other connectors.  From the angle I
>had, I felt that it would be easier to get to the other ones, after I
>got the big one off.  Words of wisdom here?
>
>Need to try and get this worked on before the river gets here.  From 
>the
>number of trucks that were going up and down the levee today, they 
>must
>have started the levee-watch.  I have the Mississippi levee in my 
>front
>yard and they're expecting the Ohio floods to get here in about two
>weeks.
>
>Thanks to everyone!!
>Tonya
>87 Vanagon GL Wolfs
>74 S. Beetle
>