Hello all,
I'm not Linda, I'm Sean.  This is my mom's account.  Even when on spring break I
can't get enough of vanagon@lenti.  Anyway, here's what me and my dad learned
yesterday -- just because the wire coming off the battery is red doesn't mean
it's positive and just because the other wire is black doesn't mean it's
negative.  We also learned what happens to your alternator when you put the
battery in backwards and then turn something electrical on.  We learned that the
interior lights get real dim and that the alternator emits lots of acrid
smelling smoke.  We also learned that the alternator becomes no longer
serviceable.  We learned that it's a bitch to get that alternator out of there.
We learned that rebuilt alternators from the FLAPS are expensive ($124) and that
no one has one in stock.  We are hoping and praying that we didn't damage
anything fuel-injection related.  We didn't try to start the car so things
hopefully will be OK.  Our lesson:  Always CHECK to see if you're hooking the
battery up correctly.  It's an expensive mistake if you do it wrong.

Getting a rebuilt alternator tomorrow morning,
Sean