Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 11:01:34 -0500
Reply-To: "Pal, Robert" <RPal@CHW.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Pal, Robert" <RPal@CHW.ORG>
Subject: Maiden Voyage (sorry - long)
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
> Here is my story of our '84 Vanagon GL. I do have two questions after all
> of this.
>
> We purchased an '84 GL in April for $650. It needed an exhaust system and
> I slowly saved the money and spent the $325 for the parts. I found a
> mechanic here in Milwaukee that would do the install for $60/hour labor.
> It cost me $254 for labor and a couple bolts + tax. I picked the van up
> on Friday (7/16). Just in time for a trip to Detroit to visit some
> relatives. We didn't drive the van from the time we got it until the
> exhaust was done. So, this trip was her maiden voyage for us as the new
> owners. The PO confirmed that he hadn't even started the van in 3-4
> months prior to us buying it in April. He probably hadn't even driven it
> regularly in the last 2-3 years. So, I would venture to say that this
> trip to Detroit was going to be longest ride it has had in quite some
> time. Especially at highway speeds.
>
> We left Milwaukee Sat. morn about 3:30 am. Drove through the biggest
> storm I've ever been in. It was in the southern part of Milwaukee and
> Racine. Pretty much drove through it by Kenosha. Hated every minute of
> that. Tooled through Illinois at a pretty good clip. Took I94 through
> downtown and picked up the Skyway over into Indiana. Got back on I94 in
> Indiana just before it heads up into Michigan. Took it all the way to
> Detroit. It handled nicely and drove well. I was following my dad and
> was able to keep up with him at 75-80 mph. With stops for breakfast, gas,
> rest area (for the kids) it took about 10 hours to get to Detroit. We got
> to Detroit and as we were going through Detroit up to Bloomfield Hills, we
> got stuck in a serious traffic jam. The van just died right there on the
> highway. On a bridge. Bummer!! Since we were in stop-and-go traffic, My
> wife got out and ran up to my dad's car and told him we were stuck. My
> mom pulled their car off on the shoulder and my dad came back and helped
> me push the van down the highway till we got off the bridge and could pull
> over on the shoulder. Nothing. Just dead. We loaded up the necessities,
> kids and us into my dad's car and finished driving up to Bloomfield Hills.
> Dropped my mom, wife and the kids off at my uncle's and then he, my dad
> and I went to this local Amoco station there in Bloomfield Hills and had
> them tow the car to the Amoco. $35 hook up fee, plus $3.50/mile. Total
> towing bill was $77. They were closing for the day (Sat.) and wouldn't be
> able to look at it until Monday. It still didn't start after they towed
> it to the station. I stopped back by later Sat. night and it started
> right up. Hmmmm. So, I drove it over to the hotel where we were
> staying. Sunday morning it started up fine and ran Ok. We were going
> somewhere with my uncle and didn't want to trust the van, so we left it.
> Later that night it started up again and would idle just fine. But, when
> ever I put any pressure on the gas pedal it would die instantly. After
> about 20 mins. of warming up it wouldn't die instantly, so I tried to
> drive it around the block a couple of times. It jerked and kicked like it
> was trying to buck me off. Then all of a sudden it would take off and
> drive fine. Everytime I had to come to a stop it would buck and kick like
> mad when I started off and then eventually run fine. So, I ended up
> taking her back in to the station on Monday morning.
>
> They figured that it was the alternator and alternator belt. $347 to put
> in a new one. That's going with a $199 "rebuilt" alternator instead of
> the $711 new one from the local VW dealer (which would have taken 4 days
> to order from TX). That seems to have been it. Drives good again. We
> got on the road leaving Detroit around 4:30 pm and stopped in Battle Creek
> for some dinner and let the kids run around. Get back out to leave and
> the van won't start. Nothing. Not even turn over. Just "click." I
> thought possibly a loose wire. I jiggled every wire I could see and made
> sure they were all connected. Still nothing. Then, I just thought I'd
> try anything, I stepped on the brake....nothing. Put it in neutral and
> back in park....nothing. Jiggled the parking brake.....started right up.
> We took off and stopped around 10:00 pm at a hotel and the same thing
> happened Tuesday morning. Wouldn't start for anything. I jiggled the
> parking brake again and it started right up.
>
> Two questions:
> (1) Does this deal with the parking brake make any sense? Since I only
> have to wiggle it a little, it seems like there is a loose wire somewhere,
> but why would the parking brake have anything to do with starting the
> vehicle?
>
> (2) Does what I describe about the van dying on the highway,
> kicking/bucking furiously and then all of a sudden run smooth sound like
> the alternator? I couldn't say anything to the mechanic because it
> worked. After he replaced the alternator/belt it ran fine.
>
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