[Vwdiesel] battery

[travis gottschalk]

I still don't know what algae growth looks like and haven't ever had an issue that I know of but there is a chance of it. The mine had an issue before I started here and they "bombed" the tanks with something and I came here at one of the last treatments. As far as the battery. The car takes lots of shorter trips. We try to keep it plugged in but that stupid recall last year meant a lot of cranking to get the cylinders warm enough from the compression to start the car. I actually had the air bag light trip it started so hard with such a low battery by the time it started. It tripped a few times. I didn't want to trust another winter on a 6+ year old battery (original on an 04 golf). I do have battery tenders on the things I don't start. I have one for the parked rabbit (rotate them through since the golf needs to stay insured because of the loan) and on the two motorcycles. My 1997 sportster has a 12 plus year old battery in it. Summer 98 it was replaced when my mother left the key on and we are firm believers in the battery tenders on parked things (parked for more then a month and more so when cold). 

As far as the glow plugs on my golf I "think" the issue may have been solved not through the dealers unofficial recall (which involves $3500 worth of parts including new injectors from the latter style BEW engine and back to the 7 volt glow plugs only a different style). Since my nearest dealer is 150 miles away and I have little trust in them and they aren't open when I am off work I will wait till at least the one that is 130 miles away opens (Billings MT is opening one this spring). Kermatdi's Q-loader is one of the few places that can tweak the glow plug settings to get the car to start. Only time it wouldn't start was below zero and now that is it below zero I can't start the car due to other reasons as I wanted to test the tune to see if it did fix it. 

Update with my car, lift pump showed up today but I had to go back to work night shift one last time. It is very different then the previous one that was in the car.Even the wire colors are different. Nothing could be transferred over from the old pump. I don't thing the fuel gauge sender even would transfer. The battery had to be ordered a different way as the normal truck didn't pick it up so that added $25 more to the battery bill. I called the place I ordered the hood latch from and they said that I must not have seen the thing saying they didn't have the part but will by tomorrow and then they will ship it. So I canceled that order and put an order through a different place that added even more shipping (about $25 more then the other place) So now my total bill is close to $600 just to get to see family. Thankfully I was able to get a load from Uship.com to haul back to pay for the fuel for the trip at least. I don't mind pulling a trailer even in bad weather. Only weather that scares me is drift as the car won't plow through those like a truck but ice, wind, non drifted snow, slush is all manageable even with a trailer and good tires and plain common sense while driving. 
Travis G


> Algae growth. This can happen when the temperature rises above 93 degrees F if there is any moisture or water in the fuel tank. Learned this the hard way back in the early 1980's with my 1979 Rabbit diesel. Cure: add a few drops of Biobar JH or similar biocide for diesel fuel. Don't know if Biobar is still around as I bought a can of Biobar JH over 20 years ago from a marine (boat) supply house when I was living in LA. The can is still almost full. Guess I have a lifetime supply.
> Batteries: Want your batteries to last a long time? Over 10 years? I put my cars that are driven infrequently on  a "Battery Tender" or similar float charger. I have had my diesel pusher motor home (which is for sale) on a battery tender & the batteries are over 12 years old, & will still start the motorhome! I wonder how long they will last?
> Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA
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