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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Been
a LONG time since the 71 has let me down in any way, but last week it was a
drenchingly rainy morning, on the way to work<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Halfway
thru the turn on the busiest intersection in Clifton Park in rush hour, and
sitting there in the middle of the intersection<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Waiting
for the traffic to move again the car just shut off, like you turned off the
key and disconnected the battery, NOTHING, NADA,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>NILL!
No lights, no starter NOTHING and no way to move it out of the middle of the
intersection! Now to make matters worse I have<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Only
1 useful arm as my broken wrist was still in a cast, and the stack of
Moron’s behind me was too close to sneak out and roll back from!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>OK,
worst case so far… finally after losing 2 light changes (which added
about a half mile to the backup) the moron stack weaseled back<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Far
enough that I could roll it back (singlehandedly, its raining too hard for
volunteer help) to the side of the road at the corner and I got a <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sherriff
to sit behind me lit up keeping me safe. I had him call a tow.. but wait,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>IM
DRIVING A 71 VOLKSWAGEN!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>What
is there that I cant fix to the point of getting it going again? I had no
power, NOTHING… and No flashlight or volt meter…D’oh!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>But
ONE thing did work, the Gas heater! It’s the ONLY thing that
doesn’t go thru the Ammeter! WALLA! The shunt in the Ammeter
has opened up!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>So
with my non-dominant left hand in good practice from 6 weeks of exclusive use I
managed to get myself into a position to open up the side of the <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Center
console and get in there with an adjustable wrench and (after disconnecting the
battery!) put both terminals on one stud and Walla! The power is back!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Took
45 minutes working in the dark with only one hand but it also took 45 minutes
for the tow truck to arrive and he was so busy he didn’t even<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Charge
me for coming out!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I
later did FA to the Ammeter and found that the shunt had not opened but one of
the studs that’s pressed into it at the end had developed a high<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Resistance,
melted the plastic a bit and opened the connection as the stud started to move
around. It was sitting there at idle with nothing coming<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Out
of the generator but all the lights and wipers on, and rear defogger so the
ammeter had some serious current going thru it and I guess<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>After
27 years the cheap aftermarket part had seen enough. Cant blame that on
VW!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>And
do you know that in the 27 years since, at some point, these little 2”
chrome ammeters had the polarity of their studs changed?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>D’oh!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Keith<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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