Date:         Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:18:48 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: flickering lights '86
Comments: To: mike barker <mariner4@SNET.NET>
Comments: cc: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

mike barker wrote:
>
> My '86 Vanagon's ox and battery light flicker at speeds of 65mph and
> above.  They don't stay on, just flicker.  This does not happen at low
> speeds. Am I wrecking anything?  Will I get stuck in the middle of
> nowhere? Is it just another Vanagon quirk? Thanks for any insight...
> -Mike

  You will likely suffer a failure ! I have seen this problem on a
couple of vanagons. This is caused by the brushes floating above the
armature at high rpm. At lower speed the brush springs are able to
maintain  better contact. The root problem is an irregularity in the
surface of the armature. I have seen this when the brushes have just
been changed. When the brushes are changed the new brushes don't contact
it in exactly the same grooves that were worn smooth by the old ones.
The failure will come when one of the wires attached to the brushes
breaks off from the constant flexing.
Mark Drillock