In a message dated 22/02/2004 4:27:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

questions from a Vanagon novice

Joy, I wont get into too much detail here as many  others have already sent
you very good advice.  One thing you could try  with your fridge that no one
has mentioned is to remove the brass, chained drain  plug, bottom left, near the
floor.  Blow compressed air in the orifice for  a few minutes and then try
lighting.  If you do not have access to a  compressor I have sometimes been
successful using a rubber hose of the  appropriate size and blowing with my own
breath.  I do keep a hose for this  purpose on board and it has proven useful
for me and others.  Immediately  after blowing the air try starting the fridge,
if it lights and goes out rather  quickly then repeat the air procedure and
lighting until it stays lit.  I  have started many reluctant to start Dometics
this way.  You have to be  persistent.  In addition to looking for the flame
through the glass you  should see the green LED on the control panel, last one
below the three water  level indicators, light up.  Once the fridge is lit that
light shold  remain on unless the circuitry is defective which is sometimes
the case.   One other method to know when the fridge is lit is to remove the
grill on the  left hand side of the cabinet near the window and feel the exhaust
pipe with  your hand.  It will become warm when the fridge lights.  It will
become quite hot after the fridge has run for awhile so be careful
Now, one more piece of advice, since you will be  out touring around in the
vicinity.  Check out this link >>_EveryBus 2004_ (http://www.everybus.com/) .
It's a VW camper event  and there will be many of us there including myself.
If you don't have  your fridge operational by then and your there I will have
a look at it for  you.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure.
Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2004
'87 Westy & Lionel  Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  & _CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel  Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or  http://frankcondelli.com