[T2] Electrical problems

[Bob Pratt]

Hi all,
I finally bit the bullet and called my friend Mike who came over Sunday to look at the engine and wiring.
He found that the part that sets the idle on the carb and the distributor would not advance at speed.
We found the part we needed for the carb on a parts carb I had.
My friend happened to bring a used distributor and swapped out the old one with it. 
Mike got the engine timed and running smoothly in a couple of hours.
He then tackled the wiring. He found that I was missing a wire that was not in the new wiring loom kit and swapped a couple of wires on the tail lights. I was amazed!
He knows about as much or more about VWs than the engineers who designed them!!
He used to be a research scientist in another life! I'm happy to know him!

Bob

> On Aug 1, 2016, at 10:31 AM, JUSTIN SHELLENBERGER (RIT Student) <jxs8908 at rit.edu> wrote:
> 
> Good morning Bob,
> 
> I was wondering how this was coming along for you.
> 
> I'm going to need you to be a lot more specific in the future, for example I am assuming you are now measuring the front turn signal (M7 & M5) housings and that #58 refers to the grey wire, correct? This is the high side for your marker lights, which go back to the headlight switch and very well could be grounded with the switch in the off position (you could measure the switch it self to confirm this). Depending on how you are measuring this you could also be measuring across the bulb filament, which would give a very low resistance reading. Your problem is with the flashers, right? Not the marker lights? They share the same housing and ground reference, but they have different power supply conditions. I would stay with the flasher circuit until you have verified it to not have an issue. It will also be very helpful if you mention what you are using as a ground reference, there are many options available.
> 
> What is your reading from the side of rear signal bulb (the grounding point of the bulb) to the (-) terminal on the battery (with it hooked up, of course)? What about from the bulb to the metal part of the back of the light housing? If you wiggle the bulb, does it drop its connection?
> 
> With all of the flasher bulbs disconnected, and the emergency flasher activated, what does the supply side read as far as voltage at the different connections?
> 
> Have you verified all of your ground connections on the back of the instrument panel? Note K7 is part of the brake light system.
> 
> Best of luck,
> 
> Justin
> 
> 
> 
>> On 30 July 2016 at 12:20, ka1dza <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>> Hi Justin,
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I let the bus AND weather cool down for while before getting back to the bus. I pulled all the wiring off all the exterior lights and am using a VO meter to check connections according to the Bentley book…
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I get .0000 continuity between the ground and #58 on both parking lights with the battery disconnected. It doesn’t seem like there should be any continuity there at all.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> From: JUSTIN SHELLENBERGER (RIT Student) [mailto:jxs8908 at rit.edu] 
>> Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2016 4:41 PM
>> To: Bob Pratt
>> Subject: Re: [T2] Electrical problems
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Looking at the wiring diagram that Richard Palmer linked to you shows no connection from the rear side marker M12 to the turn signal switch E2 so it won't be part of the flashing circuit. Coming out of the turn signal switch you have a 5 pin connector that connects to your 4 directional bulbs and also has three connections to the emergency flasher switch E3. Two of those connections go to the front turn signal bulbs and the third goes to the emergency flasher relay J2 which then triggers the rear lights through the white wire to go back to the emergency flasher switch before being split to the two rear lights 54F on E3. Likewise 54 goes to the two brake switches others have mentioned. When you press the brake switch it should go between a lower voltage running light and a higher voltage brake light state. I've got a lot of gardening to tend to today, but hopefully that gives you some ideas.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> On 25 June 2016 at 14:30, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>> 
>> BTW.... The brake light still don't work.
>> 
>> Bob Pratt
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jun 22, 2016, at 3:07 PM, JUSTIN SHELLENBERGER (RIT Student) <jxs8908 at rit.edu> wrote:
>>> Ok, can you pull the front turn signal bulbs and then try the 4-way flasher? As I recall you said the turn signals work, correct? I am thinking that with the front turn signals out of the circuit you will get some response from the rear bulbs.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> On 22 June 2016 at 14:10, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi Justin,
>>> 
>>> The '71 rear bulb holder for the brake lights, etc is a single bulb holder on top and blank on the bottom.
>>> 
>>> Here is a photo....<image1.JPG>
>>> 
>>> Bob Pratt
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Jun 22, 2016, at 11:21 AM, JUSTIN SHELLENBERGER (RIT Student) <jxs8908 at rit.edu> wrote:
>>>> Bob, I think the other light in that picture is for the rear fog option. Ignoring the bulb holder on the right side does the left side of the picture look the same? Something like this? Or am I completely off on what the '71 tail light looks like?
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>> 
>>>> On 22 June 2016 at 10:52, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Justin,
>>>> 
>>>> No I don't have the same rear light housing. It's got one bulb.
>>>> 
>>>> Bob Pratt
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Jun 22, 2016, at 10:20 AM, JUSTIN SHELLENBERGER (RIT Student) <jxs8908 at rit.edu> wrote:
>>>>> Hey Bob,
>>>>> 
>>>>>  
>>>>> 
>>>>> From what I can recall from doing tail light troubleshooting a few years ago there were a few problems that I ran in to. Firstly, your bus has holders that look like this yes? It looks like your ground connection is riveted to the housing. Have you ensured that this has not come loose and you are getting increased resistance to ground there? Do you have a multimeter? You could pick up a cheapie, but I would recommend a quality unit as wiring issues are going to be a fairly common maintenance item on any electronics of this vintage.
>>>>> 
>>>>>  
>>>>> 
>>>>> I also would like to point out noalox seems to be an anti-oxidation surface treatment for aluminum, I think all of the connections here should be steel-steel so a regular dielectric grease would have sealed the connections just as well.
>>>>> 
>>>>>  
>>>>> 
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> 
>>>>>  
>>>>> 
>>>>> Justin
>>>>> 
>>>>>  
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 21 June 2016 at 19:58, Harris Pat <sammler.permanent at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Joining this late - hope I'm not repeating.
>>>>> My 71 has factory wiring which is not 100% correct according to Bentley but has a minor bit shown for 72.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Check the number of terminals you SHOULD have on key switch as well as the headlight switch. DPO may have replaced it with
>>>>> an incorrect one.
>>>>> 
>>>>> For easy access you can remove the 4 screws from the instrument panel and disconnect speedometer cable. Panel can be pulled out a bit for access. Will see if I can send a pic.
>>>>> Good luck,
>>>>> Pat
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> > On Jun 21, 2016, at 18:14, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I have a '71 bus with the two filament bulb. The dimmer side is the taillight. Yup, the taillights work. The turn signal switch is new.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Bob Pratt
>>>>> >
>>>>> >> On Jun 21, 2016, at 2:45 PM, dchase2001 <dchase2001 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I misspoke - it depends on what year you have. My 75 has a separate turn signal light. So the tail and brake work together in a 2 filament bulb. But the turn and 4 way are there own bulb.  Older models had combined tail/brake/turn
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>> On Tue, Jun 21, 2016 at 1:10 PM, dchase2001 <dchase2001 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >>> Do the turn signals work in the rear?
>>>>> >>> My recollection is that the brake, 4-way and turn signal all use the same filament in the bulb - tail uses the other less bright filament.
>>>>> >>> The brake, turn, 4-way circuit goes thru the turn signal switch.
>>>>> >>> Assuming you have dual filament bulbs installed.
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>> On Mon, Jun 20, 2016 at 3:43 PM, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>> >>>> Yup, the tail lights work. The indicator light on the flasher works too.
>>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>> Bob Pratt
>>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>>> On Jun 20, 2016, at 3:27 PM, Richard Palmer <richard at teamspatula.com> wrote:
>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>> >>>>> do the tail lights work? That should help narrow it down...
>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Jun 20, 2016 at 3:25 PM, Bob Pratt <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>> >>>>>> Here is an updated list of things I've done to get my bus inspected. I've repeated things for those who have not seen this befor.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> The 4 way flashers only work in the front. I've replaced the bulbs in the rear. I've replaced the 4 way flasher switch. And I've cleaned each ground connection down to bright metal, cleaned the screws on a wire wheel, and applied "Noalox" on all of the electrical connections.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> 2. The brake lights don't work. Along with some the things I did in #1, I bled the master cylinder, and checked the continuity across the pressure switch. I get continuity. I've ordered new switches just in case.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> 3. The oil light on the dash won't work. I've replaced the pressure switch and light bulb on the dash. I don't know how to check the circuit. I know it's one wire from front to back.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> If anyone has a clue, or knows of anyone who had a clue that can help, I'll mention you in my will!!!
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> I miss driving Myles and I'm envious of those I see driving their "babies" around the area.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks in advance for any help.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> Bob Pratt
>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >>>>>> type2 mailing list
>>>>> >>>>>> type2 at type2.com
>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.type2.com/lists/type2/listinfo
>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> >>
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