Hmm, two votes for temp 2 sensor.  Drat, I was hoping it was more trivial.
Even _I_ can deal with a new battery.

When I first start it in the morning it starts fine.  Then within say a
minute it finds an excuse to die.  Then it cranks but doesn't start.  Then
after a couple of minutes it starts okay.  When it is about to die, the
battery light flickers on and off - if I rev it gently, it doesn't die and
comes back to life.  Then if I sit for a bit and rev it gently and let it
purr a bit, it drives fine.

This has only happened first thing in the morning - hasn't happened when
I've left it parked for a few hours in the afternoon.

Joy

****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://www.joyhecht.net

****************************************************************

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:dhaynes@optonline.net]
:::Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 8:37 PM
:::To: 'Joy Hecht'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: RE: battery going?
:::
:::When you say it doesn't start, does that mean it is not cranking or that
:::if cranks but the engine does not catch? If the problem is that it
:::cranks, but does not catch, that is related to why it is stalling
:::problem. No start after a short run could be a temp 2 sensor problems.
:::Most likely is a bad connection at the sensor plug or a bad ground. If
:::the problem is cranking, than it could be bad battery or battery
:::connection. Weak batteries will usually have the most difficulty at
:::first start. A battery problem after a few minutes of charging could be
:::what I call the Die Hard failure. There is a failed inner cell connector
:::in the battery.
:::
:::Dennis
:::
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
:::Of Joy Hecht
:::Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 10:27 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: battery going?
:::
:::Hey, now that's I've wasted the airwaves with drivel for a few days, I
:::have
:::a technical question!
:::
:::Matilda has been having some trouble getting going in the morning the
:::past
:::few days.  I'll start her up, but then if I have to stop in the first
:::few
:::minutes of driving (stop sign, need to back up to get out of my parking
:::space, that kind of thing) the engine will die and I have trouble
:::getting
:::her to start again.  It happened yesterday and then again today.  If I
:::wait
:::a few minutes then she'll start, but I'm careful to rev the engine
:::gently
:::and make sure she's running okay before I drive again, lest she slip
:::back
:::into inaction.
:::
:::After that she's fine, and I haven't had trouble later in the day at
:::all.
:::Just first thing in the morning.  It's not too cold here - maybe 40 at
:::the
:::lowest.  And I'm at somewhat high altitude - 7000 in the Grand Canyon
:::yesterday, and whatever Gallup, NM is this morning.
:::
:::I seem to recall similar symptoms eons ago when the battery died of old
:::age
:::on my Honda.  Does that sound like what's happening here?
:::
:::
:::
:::Joy
:::
:::
:::****************************************************************
:::Joy Hecht
:::and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
:::
:::For musings about life and the vanadventures:
:::http://www.joyhecht.net
:::
:::****************************************************************