I like that ...'van-agony' ..
how about 'van-ornery' also ?

love/hate at times for sure .
but worth it !
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Lambas" <twlambas@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 2:43 PM
Subject: Re: Electrical Fire in the Engine Bay

> Oops, one "been" would have been enough.
>
> On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 4:36 PM, Tom Lambas <twlambas@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Oh no! Sometimes I think these vans should have been been called
>> Vanagony.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 3:21 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
>>
>>>  Well, if it's not one thing, it's another.
>>>
>>> I was tooling down the road, enjoying my newly opertional air
>>> conditioning, and my smooth running engine, when of a sudden - the
>>> engine just quit. I immediately put it in neutral, turned off the AC,
>>> recycled the ignition switch, but nothing happened. None of the panel
>>> lights came on. It was like the battery had been disconnected or
>>> something. I left it out of gear and pulled to a stop off the road. Then
>>> I realized that with the ignition off, the engine was still running,
>>> rough, but still running. I jumped out, popped the hatch, and smoke was
>>> everywhere. Engine was kicking over, but barely, and roughly. I pulled
>>> the coil wire out of the distributor cap and the engine stopped. At that
>>> point I saw a wiring harness that had really gotten hot and melted the
>>> insulation.
>>>
>>> The wires in question came from the high voltage electronics box on the
>>> left side of the engine bay that has the two relays in it. The
>>> insulation was melted and fused on the wires on the relay marked 53
>>> PN#141 951 2538 and PN# 321919505A. From there, the wiring cover - the
>>> long flexible plastic cover through which all those wires go, was melted
>>> along the bottom, all the way from the ignition box across the front
>>> (towards the front of the van) over to the the point it disappears down
>>> and behind air filter box and AFM. I moved the wire harness where it
>>> passes over the top of the box with vacuum line layout, and got a click
>>> over where the starter is. Sounded like the solenoid clicking. I
>>> immediately went and disconnected the battery. Got AAA to come and get
>>> the van and take it home. That is as far as I have gotten. I'll spend a
>>> bit more time later today when it cools off. I have no idea what may
>>> have cause this, but to be sure - it will take some time to trouble
>>> shoot and fix.
>>>
>>> I haven't yet started tearing it apart to troubleshoot and fix this.
>>> Haven't even looked at Bentley yet.
>>>
>>> But has anyone any ideas??
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>> --
>>> John Rodgers
>>> Clayartist and Moldmaker
>>> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
>>> Chelsea, AL
>>> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>>>
>>
>>