580 CCA is PLENTY to start a little 2 liter gas motor. My TD starts
reliably all the way down to minus 10 (f) with only 620.

Have your battery checked at the FLAPS... have them run a LOAD test
(they'll hook up a huge electrical resistance and measure the voltage
drop over time). You battery may be crapped from over charging (with
your charger) or chronic under charging.

Also check your charging system to be sure your alternator is putting
out enough current, and that your voltage regulator isn't stuck open
(over-charging and cooking your battery). Finally, ensure that all of
your grounds are solid, particularly any Tranny-to-body ground strap
(don't recall if the '81 had one.), and that the contacts on the
battery, and the MAIN lead to the starter are sparkly clean.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
Alliance: www.ntara.com
Call tollfree: +1.877.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Michael Nichols
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 10:53 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Battery Cranking Amps??

Hello from Atlanta, Ga.  Both  of our  '81s are hard to start on cold
mornings.  The Rated 580 cranking amp batteries in each van are from my
FLAPS and are less than 18 months old.  However, when I put either
battery
on my charger, charge it full and then try to start the van, it cranks
on
the first go--even in 20 degree mornings....
Questions---  Is it that I need more powerful batteries, ones with more
cranking amps?  What else might be the problem?  What are other listees
using for batteries, especially those folks in really cold places?
Thanks!

Regards,

Mike and Christina Nichols