Don't even ask. Just drive with confidence. We hope not to hear about bad stuff for a while.

Stephen

mobile

> On Mar 30, 2016, at 11:10 AM, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> For those following my ownership misadventures -  I finally got  a newly
> rebuilt tansmission installed and a new clutch - only to immediately have a
> severe oil leak appear. This leak I could not repair myself, so off to the
> local guru shop for fix'in. Turned out to be a ruptured oil pump seal.
> Small wonder there was so much oil.
> 
> After the repair, I picked up the van at the shop and started home. I was
> on a county road, and stopped at a service station to check the oil and
> water. I pulled out on I-20 from Atlanta to B'ham, went a quarter  of a
> mile  when suddenly the  alternator light and oil pressure buzzer and light
> came on. WTH????
> 
> I quickly turned off the engine, turned on the flashers, and coasted to the
> side of the road. By the time I stopped I already had my suspicions
> 
> As suspected from the sudden appearance at speed of the alternator light
> and oil pressure light and sounding of the buzzer, the alternator/coolant
> pump belt had failed.
> 
> I checked under the back seat for my spare belt, found it and pulled it
> out. BUT - sitting there in the growing darkness - I had a problem created
> by my own hand!! My tool box was sitting in the garage at home. I didn't
> have tool one in the van. I learned long ago that if you own a vanagon, you
> don't go anywhere without a box of tools. I had taken everything including
> the toolbox out of the van and had the van  tranported by AAA to the shop.
> When I went to pick the van up, being only a short drive, I FAILED to take
> the tool box with me. So there I was, on the side of I-20, in the dark, a
> continous stream of tractor-trailer rigs whizzing by me at 6-8 feet away,
> with spare part - and no tools!!
> 
> My best bet was to call Jim Connell, of Jim's Aircooled VW, help. He had, I
> learned, gone home sick earlier in the day. But, he called on his grandson
> to come to my rescue. In about 20 minutes the lad showed up in a supremely
> tricked out Jeep, with approriated tools. He got right on it and had the
> new belt on in just a few minutes.
> 
> I started the engine, and he checked it and all seemd well, and buttoned it
> up. As I pulled away, I went 25 ft. And the oil pressure warning light and
> horn came on. Once again, I stopped on the side of I-20.
> 
> Jim's grandson pulled up behind me. I told him what happened and he
> immediately reached dowm and felt for the oil pressure switch wire, found
> it disconnected from the switch, and reconnected it. Problem solved. Turns
> out when that particular belt fails, it will knock that wire loose almost
> every time.
> 
> Again, down the road. This time I made it home with no problem. I now have
> Vanagon wheels on which to ride.
> 
> Durst I ask - what next?
> 
> John