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Thu May 13, 2004 10:16 pm

Went to Sav-on tonight and had stalled out.
The fuse on the hot line from the battery had melted. Had a few pop b4 on this fuse but the melting is a first. Anyone experiance this?
Can I use a newer type metal and glass fuse with my 6 volt?

I seem to only have fuses breaking at night with headlights on. I still have the original wiring harness, I guess replacing that would solve it but I dont have a spare 100-200 bucks.
Any Ideas on how to troubleshoot the problem?

Thu May 13, 2004 10:29 pm

Dan - which fuse is melting? Numbered 1 to 8 from the left. The headlights are on 4 separate fuses (1-2-3-4) for low beam and high beam. More than likely it is just a multitude of poor connections, especially grounds. Does it blow immediately or just after awhile?

Yes, you can use the glass & metal fuses on 6V or 12V. Just be sure to put in the correct 8 amp or 16 amp sizes where they belong. Fuses 7 & 8 are 16 amp for 66-67, might be the same 62-65, not sure. Good luck, Dave :wink:

Thu May 13, 2004 10:44 pm

I didnt want to number them since the only new fuse box I could find is upside down (theres another problem entirely). the fuse that burns out is the one that is always on, opposite side from the headlights. turn signal, dome light etc fuse. I guess you would call it 8? The one thats supposed to be furthest right.
Thing that bugs me is that the headlight fuses are all fine and it seems like a problem only when the headlights are on.
ugg

Thu May 13, 2004 11:14 pm

Is it blowing a 16 or an 8?

Fri May 14, 2004 10:25 am

can't tell what going on, does it always blow, or just sometimes? I'd take headlights out, and clean up connections & grounds with fine sandpaper, and use dielectric grease onthe connections before reattaching them. Look for any loose or cracked or bare wires... maybe a wire has gotten thin insulation and grounds sometimes, blowing the fuse... meaning the problem isn't the sort of fuse, but something else. also check to see if any wires by the fuse box are grounding anywhere, or at headlight switch. if a push on is loose, you can remove the wire, CAREFULLY squish the push on a *little* closeder with needlenose pliers, and reattach.. only remove one wire at a time, so to not get mixed up. Is the fuse box secured, or loose?

Fri May 14, 2004 2:17 pm

Also try driving with the dash lights turned off (you know the rheostat turned off [sp?]) and see if that does anything. I had a similar problem and it was the headlight switch.

Also, as an elementary idea, see if your headlights are 6 volt or if someone in the past swapped in 12v. Don't laugh, it's happened.

Fri May 14, 2004 3:10 pm

Apparently this happens alot. Follow your hot wire from the headlight switch to the fuse box. This wire should be on the same side of the fuse as the line in from the battery. An easy way to test this would be to pull out the fuse and see if the headlights come on. If they do not, move the hot wire from the headlight switch to the other side of the fuse at the back of the fuse box. That fuse is not large enough to handle the current from it's normal loads, the headlights and the coil. The hot wire from the headlight switch continues on to the ignition switch and thru the switch to the coil. That's probably why you stalled out. See also:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69731
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57387

Fri May 14, 2004 3:33 pm

Damn, that's smart.

Fri May 14, 2004 4:45 pm

Thanks cooler,
this seems to make sence, I will give it a shot.

UPDATE:
The switch WAS on the wrong side of the fuse box. Havent driven at night yet but now the horn is workin better (sometimes only 1 horn would sound) and it seems to turn over alot quicker(is that just in my head?).
Hopefully problem solved. Have to drive at night to make sure but Ill bet this was the prob.
Thanks!