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Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:12 pm

I looked all over the forums, but everyone is talking about a 4 wire ignition switch and how it is wired (for '72 +). I have a 69 bug. the local bug shop only had the 4 wire switch and i have 3 wires going to the switch. I spent a week working on it and triing to find some info here but i had to hot wire it.
There are 3 wires going to the ignition from the fuse box. where do these wires go on the switch? and where does the coil wire go to from the coil. i have it on a toggle switch right now. if you can just give me a straight forward wire diagram of the switch i should be able to figure it out. Also, what are the wires on the switch for? (constant power, power, ground?, i dunno)

Thank you for your time.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:31 pm

Your car does not have SU for the buzzer or X which is power that goes on with the key but off when cranking. More power to the starter if the lights go off when cranking.

jim

Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:40 pm

The '69 ignition switch (electrical) is rather simple. It should've originally had three wires (Red+Red/Blk+Blk).
The thick Red wire (#30) is the 12v constant source coming from the fuse block via the headlight switch. The thick Red/Blk (#50) is the output to the starter. The Blk (#15) is the output to the ignition circuit at the fuse block. From there it goes to the coil. Check out the wiring diagram for your year here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_6869.jpg

Your switch may look something like this:

http://www.eisparts.com/311905865A.html

Don't be surprised if your replacement part has more wires than the original. The above switch looks like it comes w/ an extra Grey wire (maybe a key sensor for the door buzzer?).

Hope that helps.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:52 pm

Yes the gray wire is for the buzzer but you can use it, with a relay, to create an accessory position so you can listen to your stereo with the engine off and have it go off only when you pull the key out.

I posted a diagram how to do this. Very easy.

jim

Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:16 pm

jamesdagg wrote: Yes the gray wire is for the buzzer but you can use it, with a relay, to create an accessory position so you can listen to your stereo with the engine off and have it go off only when you pull the key out.

I posted a diagram how to do this. Very easy.

jim

Is that the one above, or is the diagram in reference someplace else?

Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:27 am

yes it is. thank you very much for the info. i really hated having to hot wire the car, it pisses me off everytime i get in. because everything else is tits in it.

aight, so looking at the fuse block with the hood popped, i see the wires attaching to it, some from the top and some from the bottom. the Black (#15) from the ignition switch conects to the TOP(?) of the fuse block?

I think i got a good understanding of the rest. I amy need more coffee. i dunno.

Thanks for your help guys.

Sat Jun 07, 2008 12:42 am

I always forget whether it's top or bottom but it's easy to tell. The hot unfused side has several of the connectors "twinned". The fused or downstream side has none twinned.

If you are using an inline fuse attach to the hot unfused side, either with the heavy red wires (always hot) or the black (hot with key) wires.

Here is how to use the gray wire for accessories.(sorry about the pic quality, I don't know how to make it better)

jim

Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:31 am

Quote: The thick Red wire (#30) is the 12v constant source coming from the fuse block via the headlight switch

#30 is an un-fused hot wire that comes almost directly from the battery!

Also while looking at the link for the wiring I noticed that the filiments in the sealed beam headlight are wrong. :shock:

Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:16 pm

On my 71 Ghia I have 4 wires from the switch to the fuse box but I would like to use a replacement switch that has 6 wires... Will that work?

Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:12 am

You really only need 3 wires. Hot, on, start.

Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:27 am

runamoc wrote: You really only need 3 wires. Hot, on, start.

Thanks for the info. I thought I needed a new ignition switch but I found yesterday that if I move the fuse box around a bit a connection of some sort was made and I am now (at least temporarily) able to start her with the switch. Maybe it wasn't grounded properly ????? I think I am going to buy a new fuse box and work the issue that way.