I started out with my own 85 Adventurewagon..with 2.1 engine ( had a 1.9
originally of course )
it sort of chronically had hard starter cranking ..
starter was new, tried a couple different ones..
battery ..new, and I use the diesel vanagon one for more CCA's ..
somewhere in the process I found out the 86 and later vanagon has a much
bigger cable ..
so both for getting juice to the starter from the battery ..
and for getting charging voltagefrom Alternator to battery ..
I added a fat wire in parrallel to the battery cable ..
seems to work just fine.
Been a year or two since I did that.
I never have that hard cranking syndrome now.

I also tend to use a starter booster relay for aftermarket IMI starters ..
or subaru conversions ..like any time I think there's more than ideal
load through the starter contacts in the ignition switch.
For sure an IMI gear reduction starter likes that..
even if cranking a stock waterboxer engine.
scott
turbovans

On 3/7/2013 10:06 PM, Jeff Palmer wrote:
> Hi Scott. Why did you add an extra cable rather than use the larger cable from 86+?
>
> Thanks
> Jeff
>
>> Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 15:15:20 -0800
>> From: scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM
>> Subject: Re: 1991 digital clock
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>
>> I'd say a lot of waterboxer vanaogns are not getting 14 volts to the
>> battery.
>> I'm checking an 85 right now ..
>> it's got 13.8 at the alternator, only 13.4 at the battery.
>>
>> on m own 85 I added an extra battery cable ...that helped get
>> measured-at-the battery charging voltage closer to the voltage measured
>> at the alternator.
>> VW made the main battery cable bigger in 86 of course..bad habit of
>> theirs ...upgrade to what it should have been in the first place as the
>> year models progress.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 3/6/2013 3:09 PM, Stuart MacMillan wrote:
>>> It is low, but not unusual if measured off the cigarette lighter in our rigs
>>> with all the old connections.  Best to measure voltage right at the battery,
>>> where it should be at least 14v (with engine running of course). If less,
>>> your alternator isn't up to snuff for the work it's being asked to do.
>>>
>>> Stuart
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>>> Larry Alofs
>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 1:02 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: 1991 digital clock
>>>
>>> Always nice to have a SNZ function when you"re driving.  11.7 volts seems
>>> kinda low tho.  Just saying...
>>>
>>> Larry A.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 2:22 PM, ANTONY MARSH <apetermarsh@me.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> For your info,
>>>>
>>>> Would this be too modern for my 91?  I mean, kinda hi-tek right?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-LCD-Digital-Car-Vehicle-Voltmeter-Thermome
>>>> ter-Monitor-Calendar-Clock-/160926499744
>>>> ?
>>>>
>>>> Keep smiling
>>>>
>>>> Peter Marsh
>