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I traveled to Mesa, Arizona again Monday night after work, with the purpose of purchasing a new 6-volt Battery for my Bus. Once I figured out that my Yahoo! maps printout had the highways all numbered wrong, I was well on my way in the 98-degree Arizona sun. Eventually, I reached the Gilbert street exit and finalized my theory that if my destination is Mesa, I should assume it will take at least twice as long as planned. Anyway, I found my E Juanita road destination quickly but I was in the middle of a housing development! Ok, remain calm, the Yahoo! street directions are wrong, too. Noticed I was at the 2000s when I was looking for 451 E Juanita. Cruised down to the next main street to drive down to the 400 block when I noticed the fuel gauge was hitting 'R'. A small delay, I thought, the place is probably closed by now anyway - I'll just stop and get some gas. Noticed the brake pedal seemed to be traveling a little further down than normal, maybe the heat causing the fluid to thin out? Fueled up, the car with gas, me with a 32oz Coke. Verified my destination with Mr. Cashier, everything sounded on target. Went to start the Squareback, it wouldn't crank over. Wait, I fixed this problem already with a solenoid bypass switch! All right, the Square is hot, I'll just let it cool a little and try again. Pushed it off to the side, near the car wash, where the overspray will give it a nice misty shower; cool it down; make it happy. Come on, I know you want to start, you know I'm ordering those replacement seat covers and horsehair pads soon, you'll be soooo pretty. How about some POR-15 to take care of that surface rust on your floor? Please, please, please. Waited about 10-15 minutes, still wouldn't start. All right, time to check the starter. But no, I left my tool box in my Bus! All I have is a single 13mm open-ended wrench. Feeling like MacGyver (sp?), I crawled under the Squareback. Luckily I raised up from it's lowered stance, I'd burn myself trying to slide under there. Got the wrench up in there, jumped the poles, why is the starter just spinning? Dang, I'm going to have to push start it. There's a slight downhill grade in the back of the gas station, pushed it over there and started running with it down the slant. Pop! goes the clutch but, no, it'll never start when the engine is this hot. I have to push the pedal slowly to the floor and crank it over, just like the owner's manual indicates. Pushed it back up the grade and tried again. This will never work... Wait, I need to jump the wire from the key to the battery pole, not just the 2 big starter bolts. Tried again, jumping those, it cranks over! But it won't start without getting some gas. Just then, a guy pulls in, dumping radiator fluid out of his truck. He starts furiously ripping parts off his engine, first the belts, then the alternator, then the overflow hose from the radiator, then he pauses to look around. I go over and ask him for help. "I no speak English." I explain to him anyway that I just need him to press on the pedal while I jump it - the car will start. He agrees but I did not explain it correctly, he just starts pumping the pedal, instantly flooding the engine with fuel. I'm sitting under the hot engine, arcing the wires, smelling gas as he continues to pump the pedal and I can't help thinking "This is it, a fuel line going to be leaking, the Squareback and I are going down in a ball of flame." Needless to say, it wouldn't start. Ok, time to get serious, why isn't my bypass relay working? Did it stop working because of the heat? That's the problem it solves! Luckily I wired it to the original wiring so it can be easily bypassed. A move of a wire later, I am returned to the factory configuration. Will it work in the factory setup? Is the car still too hot? Please, please work. My AAA free towing expired when I moved to Arizona and the renewal is sitting on my desk at home. Yes! It cranks over and starts! It's quite weak, I probably ran down the battery a bit. I let it idle for a spell to let the engine return to normal running, clear all that gas out. Finally made it to the Battery place. It's after 7pm now so, of course, they are closed. Forget this, I'm going home, I give up. Hey, there's a freeway on/off-ramp right here! I curse Yahoo! under my breath. Got back on the 60, heading for home. Oh, the 101 highway comes way over here? Cool, that goes right to my house! It'll be a nice leisurely drive to Northeast Phoenix. Wrong... A few miles down the 101, the highway ends, turns out they are still building it! I get off, notice there is a street that runs parallel along the under-construction freeway. Sounds good, I head up the street. Naturally, it turns out to be under construction, narrowing to a 2-lane road quickly. I wind and weave along the road until I am in the extreme Northeast of Phoenix, then head West along another 2-lane road, my 6-volt lights barely illuminating the dark, uneven pavement. The 12-volt nightmares of large trucks come and go from behind me as I travel Westward at 45 mph. The street widens at every main street in order to make a right-hand turn lane and several people decide this is their chance to pass me on the right. Of course, they wait until the last second, cutting me off in most cases. Guess the Squareback is not fast enough for them. At least I'm riding in style... This the 2nd time I've traveled to Mesa, Arizona, my Squareback has broken down both times. I've decided the town is cursed. :) Good times, Everett Barnes The Volkswagen Type II and III Experience ebus@ebus.simplenet.com http://ebus.simplenet.com/Volkswagen