Date:         Mon, 10 Mar 1997 00:09:43 -0600
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tonya Pope <galba@premier.net>
Subject:      rust breaker?

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