Date:         Mon, 23 Jun 1997 07:16 -0600 (MDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         BLAINE_BACHMAN%PL-01M3@ccmail.plk.af.mil
Subject:      Thanks and a "Service Bulletin"

     First, thanks to all who have helped me in my quest to find the jack.  
     It's obviously not in the car.  I was pleased to learn (while checking 
     the spare tire area) that my spare is also mounted on an alloy wheel.  
     I guess I'll go out and buy a matching fifth tire (they're almost new) 
     and do the complete five-tire rotation pattern.
     
     Second, a warning.  The dealer (accidently, I'm sure) caused me an 
     almost meltdown over the weekend.  I had the car in for the F.I. 
     recall ("SV", I believe) last week along with other work needed to 
     pass the smog check.  Some of you may have noted that the large red 
     wire from the alternator passes under some hoses and then over the 
     throttle body inlet on its way to the terminal on the starter (and 
     thence to the battery).  The wire is strapped to the throttle body 
     with a nylon wire tie.
     
     When I picked the car up last Thursday, the accelerator pedal seemed a 
     bit stiffer.  I dismissed it as just an illusion caused by the 
     different feel of the pedal vis-a-vis the '66 bus I had been driving 
     while the Vanagon was in the shop.  It wasn't.
     
     Yesterday, while accelerating from a stoplight, there was a loud pop 
     and the van died (and the dashboard died too).  I coasted through the 
     intersection and tried to start the car.  It started, but died 
     whenever I pressed the accelerator too far.  At "idle", the revs 
     easily peaked past 3500, so I put it in "D"rive and headed up the 
     hill.  I had to ride the brake to maintain the speed limit.
     
     At home, I started looking into a possible F.I. problem.  Then I saw 
     it.  The wire tie was broken and 3 inches of the red cable was fried.  
     Evidently the throttle arm had been slowly eating into the insulation 
     over the last three days (aha! that's why the pedal was stiff!) , and 
     had finally struck pay dirt.  Disconnecting the battery ground, I took 
     the cable off the alternator end so I could rerout it and temporarilly 
     repair it with about five layers of electrical tape (it was too late 
     to look for a suitable after-market replacement - and besides, I'm 
     gonna try and get it out of the dealer - rotsa ruck!).
     
     So, a warning, and a question (or three).
     
     Keep an eye on this cable and the wire tie that's supposed to keep it 
     out of harm's way where it passes next to the throttle body.
     
     Why was this routing chosen anyway?  Has anyone moved their cable to a 
     "safer" location?  Are their different perils to be encountered along 
     other possible routings?
     
     As always, TIA.
     
     -Blaine