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Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:12 pm

Hi all,

We are on our way for a 3 week trip and 4 hours in our 74 dual carbs 1800 we are broken down. Still new to a bus, but here is what happened. Moving along at 50mph no problems for an hour and half, suddenly bus loses power. Pull over and it wants to start but will not turn over. I changed coil, condensor, and points just too see. Even put old wires back son to see. I was getting spark at the points so good there. No fuel leaking. Tried to jump, no luck. Checked power to everything, then tried starter by using screw driver, now nothing.Battery still has juice but have no four ways or power to fuse box. Could it be voltage regulator, did I screw up starter (but would that cause no power to box). I am being towed right now into London On and will look over everything again, I just need some help. Like I said, still new and need some suggestions. It has ran awesome for the past 3 weeks since new install.
Thanks so much for any suggestions to get us back on vacation.
Wilbur

Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:40 pm

Sounds like there's more than one issue going on, telling us a few more things about your bus like if it has an electric fuel pump and just what you've recently replaced would help.
No power to the fuse box or even the starter says dead battery or a loose terminal or ground strap.
As for why it quit get the electrical figured out first, could be a bad ignition switch or a fuel feed or venting issue, or maybe tight valves, a rundown of all your repairs and maintenance will help rule some of those out.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:50 pm

I just did 3 week in ours and we made it so don't give up.

I live 1.5 hrs from London but work much closer during the week. I'll have to see what my wife's work schedule is but I may be able to come take a look after work tomorrow. Sounds a bit like starter connections or a loose wire.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. It is a mechanical pump. Cables to battery are all tight. I had the engine out but did not do any work on it. When it went back in, I tuned it up, new wires, cap, etc and adjusted timing and carbs. For the last 3 weeks it has been running like a gem. I did adjust the valves 3 weeks ago as well. If I messed the starter up, would that cause me to lose all power. Battery reads lots of juice and had it tested 3 weeks ago. Thanks all, I will look over a few more things but it is now raining. What fun.

Wilbur

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:09 pm

Mtbbiker wrote: If I messed the starter up, would that cause me to lose all power.
No, something's loose or dirty and not making contact (assuming the battery is still good).

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:10 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. It is a mechanical pump. Cables to battery are all tight. I had the engine out but did not do any work on it. When it went back in, I tuned it up, new wires, cap, etc and adjusted timing and carbs. For the last 3 weeks it has been running like a gem. I did adjust the valves 3 weeks ago as well. If I messed the starter up, would that cause me to lose all power. Battery reads lots of juice and had it tested 3 weeks ago. Thanks all, I will look over a few more things but it is now raining. What fun.

Wilbur

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:15 pm

measure the voltage between battery posts then measure it again with the head lights and key on for a few seconds.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:23 pm

Battery reads 12.79 but I have no power to headlights. Just looking over all fuses again.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:27 pm

Test for power at the fat red/white wire coming into the bottom of the fuse box to fuse #8&9.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:33 pm

Okay, messed around a bit checking fuse, test light burnt out. Multi meter shows power coming from red wire reading 5 and into fuses 8 and 9. Great, thunder storms. So glad in the bus though.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:36 pm

OK, now you have to see why it's not getting to the hazard switch or the ignition switch, and we still haven't answered the question of why won't the starter even click when you do the screwdriver trick?
Try the meter again and turn on something like the headlights and ignition and see if the voltage dissapears.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:42 pm

I put the meter on the battery and tried lights and igintion and nothing changes. Starter wires are tight.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 6:05 pm

Thanks to JerryMCarter1

Sun Jul 27, 2014 6:15 pm

Well If it had a bad connection on one of the battery cables. Either one. The Positive Either end. The Neg ground strap either end. Even the one on the Trans, A loss of Amps from the Battery due to a open battery cable could explain everything. Get out a steel brush to clean battery connections with and If you don't have one Use your tooth brush, Just be careful not to re-use it to brush your teeth!

Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:58 am

Mtbbiker wrote: Okay, messed around a bit checking fuse, test light burnt out. Multi meter shows power coming from red wire reading 5 and into fuses 8 and 9. Great, thunder storms. So glad in the bus though.

So you only have 5V at the fuse box?

Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:33 am

The terminals don't need to be tight to work, they need to be clean. Remove the cables and scrape all the dark gray/black crap off of the inside of the cable ends and from the posts. Also clean the connection between the ground strap and the body. Dose the terminals well with vasoline to keep them clean.

You need to put a good load on things when checking for voltage, on a VW this means having the headlights on. Reading voltage with no load on a circuit tells you almost nothing.

Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:48 am

Hi all! Thanks for all the great advice. You guys were bang on and we are now on the road. We had Bryan & his gang at the BugStop in London fix us up. We had a bad ground, a loose wire and a float issue with the carb. Thanks again all! Wilbur

Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:55 pm

this is good news buddy. we had "christmas in july" yesterday and got in too late to call. hopefully the rest of your trip is fairly uneventful