On 6/12/05, Wesley Alden Pegden <wes@cs.uchicago.edu> wrote:
> SNIP <
>I notice my gauges are all reading low (gas tank and temperature are
both way >below what I would expect), so I pulled into a gas station
see whether the gauge
> Wes
> '84 vanagon (manual)

The gauges reading low shows that the running voltage is too low.  You
have a couple of possibilities:

1) The battery is so dead that even with a functional charging system,
it can't charge the battery AND supply enough power to keep the engine
running.

2) The charging system isn't working and that is why the battery went dead.

It also could be a combination of both 1 and 2!

Pull the battery and have it tested at a FLAPS.  If it is no good
replace it, if it's good charge it (they will need to charge it to
check it anyway).  Once you have a good battery, see if you can get
the van started.  If it starts, check the voltage when the van is
running, if it isn't over 13.5 volts with the engine running at ~2500
RPM, there is something wrong with your charging system (alternator or
regulator - also check that you have good connections and that the
charge wire is connected - your alternator light does come on when you
first turn the key on, right?).

Let us know what you find...

-- 
Don in Reidsville, NC
1986 Kawasaki Concours
1988 Vanagon GL (Sylvia)
"Why do they call it a fixed income, if mine is always broke?"