Date:         Wed, 1 Sep 1999 07:57:53 -0700
Reply-To:     "Alan J. Flint" <ajflint@ITSA.UCSF.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Alan J. Flint" <ajflint@ITSA.UCSF.EDU>
Subject:      Newbie questions
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Vanagon listers:
        I am very new to the art of Vanagon operation and repair (today
is my 4th day of ownership), so please bear with me.  I'm talking about my
'87 Syncro GL Camper.
        1)  Power sources.  When I am plugged into AC power, obviously I
can run the Dometic on AC (nice cold beer after the evening's engine work
is done).  But my question is: are other (usually DC) items like the dash
radio and the galley overhead light, also running off the AC, or am I
still just running down my Diehard battery?  Or a related question, does
the AC connection actually recharge the battery, or can only the
alternator (while running) do that?  I have a small onboard automatic
charger that I installed in my VW Pickup to recharge the battery when I
plug in the block heater/charger.  Does my Camper already have this
charger ability?  I have no auxilliary battery inder the driver's seat at
this point.
        2)  I like to put block heaters in my winter vehicles, if only to
save the engine the wear and tear of the cold start.  Can the Autobahn
block heater for the 2.1 Waterboxer be installed in a Syncro vanagon?
There is a nice skid plate on syncro vehicles which looks like it might
not clear this block heater that bolts onto the floor of the block.  Have
any of you Syncro owners made this installation?
        3)  Auxilliary heater.  My Bentley manual has several pages on gas
or propane heaters which seem to apply to Canadian Vanagons only.  There
was also a post the other day from a Canadian owner who had his replaced,
I believe.  Has anyone installed one of these systems in a US spec
Vanagon?  How much cutting up is required?  Is the full system available
somewhere today?  From VW Canada?  I generally don't go for aftermarket
accessories (other heaters), so this one which was OE in Canada looks
quite good on paper to me.

Thanks in advance.
Oh, and I'm also looking for a (double) middle seat for my gray Westfalia,
as well as a nice set of original alloys in the Northeast.

Alan
'87 Syncro Westfalia