Vangoneers,

After fulfilling all holiday family commitments, I decided I deserved
an overnighter in the Maryland mountains Monday. My '84 Westy went
dead at the gas pump on my way out of town.

I turned the key, heard a 'snap' from somewhere, and lost all power. I
pushed the van away from the pumps, and spent time checking fuses,
relays, wiring, ignition switch, connections, etc. as best I could in
the cold, wind, and waning light. Once, power returned, but
disappeared on turning the key. I heard the 'snap' sound coming from
the battery compartment.

I removed the battery cables and wire-brushed them and the terminals,
and re-connected everything. The VW started right up, and was fine the
whole chilly trip.

So, did cleaning the terminals and cables fix the problem, or did I
just get lucky? I' d like to prevent this from recurring. Suggestions?

Thanks.

Kevin
'84 Westfalia - 21 years of (mostly) reliable travel