What failed on the alternator Jim? 

Alistair 

> On Jul 1, 2019, at 12:41 PM, Jim. Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
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> One thing Pirsig never factored in was the spiraling disaster that is rebuilt assemblies. Tomorrow I will pay $140 for a rebuilt alternator for my diesel Vanagon. The problem is that I paid one of the list vendors that much for the item originally—exactly 11,678 miles ago, a Bosch Premium Rebuild.    When you are on the wrong end of the life cycle curve on starters and alternators, preventive maintenance becomes catch-and-release. As soon as you install the thing, start looking for the next one.   
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> Jim
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>> On Jul 1, 2019 at 10:37 AM,  <Jack Elliott (mailto:pdaxe2gto@gmail.com)>  wrote:
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>> I just see my van as entropy in action. Also an engineer (though  
>> electrical, not mechanical) I view it as a system of parts that are  
>> imperfect, a kludge of things that will work for a while. It's gonna break.  
>> In a big way, or a small way, the oncoming heat death of the universe makes  
>> itself known. I stay alert for signs of weirdness and try to understand  
>> them, see if they are significant or not, and address them accordingly to  
>> the best of these guesses and the best of my ability. I rely on the  
>> knowledge of others whenever I can. Adding a passenger, a SO for example,  
>> who does not share my willingness to accept the inevitable, will greatly  
>> reduce the sometimes pleasurable aspect of dealing with a breakdown and  
>> solving the problem creatively. IOW, if getting someplace on time is  
>> critical, if there are others with me that will not get a kick out of being  
>> stuck somewhere because an oil filter blew off (it happened to me due to my  
>> ignorance of filter threads, another story), then it's gonna have a Bad  
>> Time. Masochism in action? To paraphrase my son, "any d*****bag with a  
>> credit card can have a reliable car." Sometimes just getting somewhere  
>> without trouble is in itself accomplishment enough.  
>> 
>> That, plus people think these vehicles are totally cool and wish they could  
>> get one.  
>> 
>> 
>> On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 8:02 AM kenneth wilford (Van-Again)  <   
>> kenwilfy@comcast.net>  wrote:  
>> 
>>> I look at the van as a never ending restoration project. You start with  
>>> the things that affect your safety and reliability first like brakes,  
>>> steering, suspension, the engine, the transmission. Once these have been  
>>> inspected and repaired, then you can move on to creature comforts like AC  
>>> and cosmetics. The problem is most folks focus on the creature comforts  
>>> and cosmetics first and expect the mechanicals will be fine as long as the  
>>> van looks good (new paint or wheels), and has a great sounding radio (I  
>>> guess it is fun to rock out while you wait for the tow truck).  
>>> 
>>> Also one of my customers chants this mantra, "Don't let perfection get in  
>>> the way of good enough." You have to know when to say when on any  
>>> project. If you are seeking perfection you will never find it. But if you  
>>> are seeking functionality and safety you should find it in enough measure  
>>> to feel confident in your Vanagon. I use Progressive insurance which  
>>> includes a nice towing and roadside assistance plan, which I think every  
>>> car owner should have no matter what they are driving.  
>>> 
>>> That is about it. I know the aircraft mechanic, engineer, etc. tends to  
>>> over analyze and over think the repairs or restoration of the van. Usually  
>>> this leads to lots of great plans, ripping everything apart to do a  
>>> "proper" restoration, and then abandoning the project when life gets in the  
>>> way. Avoid this. Instead, do the basics, get it running and safe, and  
>>> then enjoy it for the summer or two before doing the "full monty" on it.  
>>> That way you can decide if you really want to do that, or if you want to  
>>> sell it to someone else, or if you are "gasp" satisfied with the van even  
>>> with the quirks and imperfections. Some of them came from the factory...  
>>> 
>>> Ken  
>>> 
>>>> On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 10:28 AM Alex MeVay  <alex@mevay.org>  wrote:  
>>>> 
>>>> I've also been interested in exploring this, and I think Richard S  
>>>> gave some great points.  
>>>> 
>>>> I'm 5 years into my Vanagon, and it's given me the highest highs and  
>>>> lowest lows of any vehicle I've owned. Some of the recent trip  
>>>> reports have done a good job capturing the highs. As for the lows:  
>>>> after endless weekends and evenings of work, sitting there staring at  
>>>> a half-busted van and a to-do list that never gets any shorter... Rod  
>>>> sticking through the oil pan (I-4) one day before your long-planned  
>>>> trip down the CA coast with your SO... You know the routine.  
>>>> 
>>>> At first, I approached the van like I would my other projects: as an  
>>>> engineer (my day job). I would think through each repair and upgrade  
>>>> to make sure it would last at least 1,000 years (or say at least 30),  
>>>> and add to the todo list anything that might ever fail ever. This was  
>>>> a recipe for negative thoughts and feelings about the van. I  
>>>> struggled, even to the point of having impure thoughts about  
>>>> Sprinters. At some point, I stumbled across this article, which I  
>>>> found extremely helpful:  
>>>> 
>>>> https://worldpowersystems.com/PROJECTS/wabiTekSabi/index.html  
>>>> 
>>>> Among other points, it encourages thinking about objects as processes  
>>>> or situations, not perfected Platonic ideals. Instead of thinking  
>>>> about the van as an object I have thus far failed to perfect, it's  
>>>> better to think about the process and context: the exchange of driving  
>>>> the van, doing maintenance. A van by itself is meaningless...add a  
>>>> driver, a 2-lane road, and that exchange of energy, and now you're  
>>>> going somewhere. Instead of asking myself, "Is it perfect?", I  
>>>> learned to ask, "Will it get me to the desert and back in relative  
>>>> safety and comfort?" This is a much lower standard, but it gets more  
>>>> to the heart of why I think we all do this. It acknowledges that,  
>>>> even before you tighten that last bolt, the process of decay and  
>>>> failure has started. All is flux, but that's OK.  
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Turning to more concrete matters, I think what Richard said about your  
>>>> eyes and seat being the OBD hits the nail on the head. Being  
>>>> mercilessly vigilant about understanding every creak, drip, vibration,  
>>>> and smell is the best way to avoid big problems. You don't need to  
>>>> fix it all, but I feel you need to understand it. For every issue or  
>>>> warning sign, I ask:  
>>>> 
>>>> What is the root cause?  
>>>> 
>>>> How bad is this if it fails? (annoyance, or end of trip?)  
>>>> 
>>>> Is it likely to fail all at once, or slowly get worse? (Will I have  
>>>> some warning that a repair is required?)  
>>>> 
>>>> Is there a possibility of cascading failure? (i.e., bad engine  
>>>> mount->trashed exhaust)  
>>>> 
>>>> Can it be repaired in the field?  
>>>> 
>>>> Running through these questions for each issue helps me prioritize  
>>>> repairs and understand the risks I am taking (or lack thereof) each  
>>>> time I head out on a trip.  
>>>> 
>>>> What other philosophies or mind-tricks have helped you enjoy Vanagon  
>>>> ownership, or simply get out and back safely?  
>>>> 
>>>> Alex  
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Sun, Jun 30, 2019 at 10:32 PM Richard Smith  <smirby@gmail.com>  wrote:  
>>>>> 
>>>>> On reliability:  
>>>>> 
>>>>> I commend everyone who works on reliability, and I think it is  
>>> something  
>>>> we should all be mindful of. Without the "RE" you have a liability. __  
>>>>> 
>>>>> On the "my wife/husband hates my van because it is unreliable" theme, I  
>>>> like to approach that problem from three directions:  
>>>>> 
>>>>> 1. Manage expectations. I start every (longer) trip with a reminder  
>>> that  
>>>> we could get towed, and that it shouldn't be seen as a disaster. This may  
>>>> appease the karma gods - I haven't been towed yet - but it also sets the  
>>>> tone for whatever calamity arises.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> 2. Live in the moment. If our cars didn't falter from time to time, and  
>>>> we drifted along in uncaring bliss, would get get to meet those  
>>> exceptional  
>>>> people who rise to the occasion? Every breakdown that I have had has been  
>>>> just as interesting as the rest of the trip.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> 3. Invest in your ride. Do the things that need doing, when they need  
>>>> it. Replace the fuel lines. Make sure the brakes, tires, suspension are  
>>> all  
>>>> in good condition before you set out. This won't make it never break  
>>> down,  
>>>> but it will remove some of the failure points. We don't have a lot of  
>>>> sensors telling us what is wrong, so your ears (and seat) are your "OBD"  
>>>> system.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> We often mistake the reliability that we see in others' vehicles for a  
>>>> completely trouble-free experience. They, too, have had their share of  
>>>> breakdowns, its just that we don't see them. In my time owning Vanagons  
>>>> (and a '73 bus before that), it has been no worse than lots of other  
>>> cars,  
>>>> and better than many.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> For most of us, our vanagon is  >30 years old. This carries with it a  
>>>> weighty responsibility in maintenance but also the need to embrace the  
>>>> uncertainty that it brings with it.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> Despite all this, it remains a joy to own, and if that comes with a  
>>>> frisson of excitement because of the chance of breakdown, I'll take it.  
>>> Not  
>>>> for everyone, to be sure, but that's how I am dealing with it.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> ...r  
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 2019-06-30, 5:37 PM, "Vanagon Mailing List on behalf of Richard  
>>>> Koerner"  <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com on behalf of rjkinpb@SBCGLOBAL.NET>   
>>>> wrote:  
>>>>> 
>>>>> Which brings me to a last point. A few months ago someone  
>>> mentioned  
>>>> reliability as their main goal with their Westy. I am very interested in  
>>>> ideas about reliability that anyone might share.  
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --  
>>> Thanks,  
>>> Ken Wilford  
>>> John 3:16  
>>> www.vanagain.com  
>>> 
>>