TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:38 pm

So I've been lurking a bit and just picked up my first baja bug it's a 69 with IRS and a 1600cc paint is ok. Wiring is rigged. Steering is messed up(turning radius do not match lock to lock). And it leaks like and ice cold beer on a hot day.

Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:54 pm

Looks good! Check the tie rods and make sure they are straight, and anything loose in the steering. Can't remember if these have "stop bolts" on the spindles, but one may be adjusted out more than the other

Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:01 pm

Welcome to the club. Interior is really nice!

Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:37 am

Philthy-Yea I'm thinking about taking it in for an alignment but just today the starter went out on me. I've got a spreadsheet that I put together for a parts wish list, looks like I'll have to add a few things to it. I was also thinking of ordering a new steering box, thoughts?
Nuke- I heart fallout, just had to get that out of the way. The interior looks better than it actually is. The carpet is held down by self tapping screws and the seat is just bolted to the floor pan and sits a little low for my taste( I'm 5'4") it needs some work but it's 75% complete.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 1:32 am

I'd get a starter for a autostick bug. It doesn't use a bushing and you don't need to remove your old bushing plus it has a little more torque. Just my 2 cents

Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:51 am

I dobut the box is the issue. If it's not leaking, and doesn't have much slop- I'd leave it alone. Take a gander at your tie rods- should be straight as an arrow. Wiggle your tie rod ends, there should be no sloppyness at all.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:48 am

There is quite a bit of slop when turning the wheel, I already tried to get rid of it via the adjustment screw but if i go any farther then I can't thread the lock nut on....
I didn't know that the auto stick and manual staters are interchangeable

Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:10 am

Replaced starter and all I get is the big clunk so I think I have a compounding issue. Any ideas?

Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:31 am

Hmm, could it be the starter gear is binded up? IIRC Muir said to put it in 3rd, ebrake off, and give it a good push from the front to rock it back and forth.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:26 pm

Just tried that and no change

Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:11 pm

Ok so tapping on the solenoid while turning the ignition starts it. Would it help me to have a hard start relay? Oh and I think I already have an auto stick starter( there is no shaft on the starter gear)

Mon Jul 13, 2015 7:57 pm

If you have the right meter, you can measure the voltage at the small wire to the solenoid. If you have good voltage at the battery, and less voltage at the ignition switch, but too little at the solenoid, that will tell you if you need a Ford starter relay. If your voltage is good all the way, then you need a solenoid.

Last time it went out on mine about 5 years ago, it was going to be $165 for a solenoid and 2 weeks for the special order solenoid to arrive. Or $39.99 exchange for a lifetime warranty starter motor with solenoid at Pep Boys, in stock. For some strange reason, I chose the whole starter and solenoid deal, even though the starter itself was good. That was for an autostick no-shaft starter like what came out of it. The one I was replacing was new in the 1970s.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:48 pm

Interesting, I'll have to do some additional voltage testing but the battery is @ 12.5v.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:05 pm

At the ignition switch I get 11.57v. At the starter small wire I get 6.5v

Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:47 pm

Yup...That'll do 'er,
Yup. :roll:

Sounds like some re-wire is needed between the ignition switch and the solenoid. Even IF you add a Ford relay. The Ford relay would still want 9 volts or so.

Probably most of the wire is OK, but there is certainly a bad connection (or 2) or section of wire (or 2) somewhere in between. Did you check at the ignition switch battery side and output side both? It SHOULD be pretty close, but could be dropping inside the switch. If it IS at the switch itself, replacing the switch is the EZ fix.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:16 pm

The wiring and ignition switch aren't stock, PO ran a wire going straight back to the starter from a push button ignition that's spliced into the fuse block. So in theory and for trouble shooting I could run a wire from battery through switch to starter (closer to the starter) with an inline 20a fuse. That's basically recreating the circuit. Or (correct me if I'm wrong) I could run a thicker gauge wire to the starter in an attempt to decrease resistance thereby increasing voltage. Sound about right? What voltage does the solenoid need to operate?

Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:43 am

Non-stock wiring and switches still need to work the same as stock. If the PO wired it properly, it should be in as good of a condition as original or better. No guarantee though.

An older solenoid tends to require a bit more voltage and amperage to operate than a new one. But around 9 volts, you will hear the solenoid click when you actuate the switch. That's the solenoid pulling the gear into place. But that's generally not near enough to crank the engine.

Some good info in this article:
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/ChargingSystem.html

What gauge wire is run from the push button to the solenoid now? VW used 12 gauge.

Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:21 am

I'll have to verify but I want to say that the wire going to it now is 14 gauge. I still have yet to check both posts on the push button to see if that's where the voltage drop is occurring. I'll check the link out when I get the chance ( next coffe break)

Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:11 pm

So I just bypass the ignition circuit by making a jumper from 12gauge wire and she starts no problem i.e. Solenoid is good wiring is definitely the issue. The current wire is not 12 gauge(short term fix), off to autozone for 12 gauge wire and adding a new ignition switch to my spread sheet( long term fix)

Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:27 pm

So I think I'll just bite the bullet and re wire the whole thing, can anyone suggest a good harness to use? I also want to change to ato fuses and have more circuits for stuff like fog lights, offroad lights, gauges any suggestions?