TheSamba.com :: View topic - 58' likes to shut itself off, please help! (searched)

Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:48 am

So i recently picked up a 58' beetle which has been nothing but great. just over the past week or so its had this problem where the turn signal light goes on and remains steady and the engine just shuts itself off, sounding almost like i was turning it off. from there, everytime i try to crank it the light glows steady and itll crank but wont turn over. eventually it will start up after a while. its got a good battery and the coil wires seem clean and the connectors are tight.

any ideas as to what should i be looking for?
sorry i didnt snap any shots, im at work already

thanks!

Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:05 am

Do you have a tach installed? I had a tach lead wire ground out before when I would push the brake pedal. It would kill the engine, but then would crank up fine.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:33 am

interesting, now that you mention it i do remember it stalling out once when that happened just by hitting the brake. i dont have a tach installed, though. what else could that be ya think?

Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:22 am

Check voltage at the battery and how much of that is getting through the wiring to the coil.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:06 pm

Sounds like an electrical short to me. My '58 'vert went through a tantrum phase where would die if I stepped on the brakes, and for the life of me I can't remember where the short was, but I tracked it down.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:23 pm

My 60 bug did the same thing and found a short in the hot wire to the coil from the front ignition. The break was where the wire came around the fan housing.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:31 pm

looks like i have some wire-cleaning up ahead of me (yesss) :?

thanks folks, i really appreciate the helpful replies

Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:36 pm

Probably be a good time to rebuild the headlight switch (see type2.com library), and solder all the riveted connections in the fuse box!

Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:33 am

so, a little update here. i replaced all the fuses, replaced wires at the shroud where there was several old connectors from past wire replacements, and used all new connectors after cleaning all the contact points with electrical cleaner. the car ran great last night and i took it for a drive (no lights or wipers, etc) on.
i go to start it this morning, starts right up as its idling in my driveway i started wiggling the key around (changed nothing), started wiggling the break pedal side to side and pressed them several times. the light came on and the engine shut off just as i described earlier and did not turn back on. i tried moving the pedal around and starting it but had no luck so im not sure if its the brake pedal wire or not. im going to hit it with the multimeter after work, any other wires i should check?

Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:49 pm

I would solder the rivet connection on the third fuse over... I bet it's not making a good connection. (Soldering them was mentioned above)

Make the engine start, then wiggle this fuse / fuse holder and see if it dies...

Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:08 pm

good call, ill try that once i get outta work.