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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:22 pm Post subject: Ground Locations - 2.1L |
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Can we list all the ground locations needed for a 1986-on Vanagon to start, and run properly?
Everyone says "clean the grounds" but without explaining where they are.
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Moderator edit: The following are numbered/labeled according to the Bentley Service Manual lists (photos provided by numerous Samba members):
#1 Battery to body (starting battery)
#3 Battery to body (auxiliary battery, 1986-1989)
#5 Battery to body (auxiliary battery, 1990)
Passenger battery box (starting battery) shown
#2 Transmission to body
#18 Near fuel pump (1986)
#9 Under instrument panel (cruise control – auto trans)
#10 Under instrument panel (central locking)
#11 Behind instrument panel (Heated driver's seat & power mirrors, 1986)
#14 Under instrument panel (cruise control – manual trans, 1986)
#12 In engine compartment, left
#15 In engine compartment, under ignition coil (cruise control – 1986; Syncro diff lock, 1986-1989)
#19 In engine compartment, left (cruise control – 1987-1989)
Braided strap at #12 connects to #18 on engine.
#16 On left cylinder head (crankcase ventilation heating element)
#18 On engine block, left
#19 On cylinder head (1986)
#19 In balance control wiring harness (radio, 1986)
#20 In instrument panel wiring harness (1986)
#7 On steering rack
#23 Above steering gear (aka on steering column)
#10 Behind instrument panel, near fuse/relay panel (power windows, 1986; 450-watt radiator fan, 1986-1989; air conditioning, 1986-1988)
#10 Near relay panel (1986)
#30 Near relay panel (1987-1991)
#12 On left front crossmember (1986)
#12 On left front crossmember/On sub-frame, LF (cruise control – auto trans, 1986; shift lights – auto trans, 1986-1989)
#29 Near fuel gauge sending unit* (1990-1991)
#67 On left front crossmember (cruise control – auto trans, 1987-1989)
(Chassis, driver's side, above the fuel tank)
*This appears to be a mistake in Bentley; should read "Near Digifant control unit"— see #29 below
#45 Under instrument panel, middle
#11 In rear decklid (1986)
#52 In rear decklid, left
#53 In rear decklid, right
(aka Rear hatch, upper corners)
#13 Near rear washer bottle holder (1986)
#56 Near rear washer bottle holder
(behind panel)
#18 Near left rear pillar (air conditioning, late 1986-1988)
#57 On left rear pillar (air conditioning, 1989-1991)
#58 Near rear window wiper motor
(behind panel)
#63 On left tail light bulb holder (cruise control, 1990-1991)
#64 On left tail light bulb holder (cruise control, 1990-1991)
#79 Near left rear decklid (hatch) hinge
#81 Instrument panel wiring harness
(This is a multi-point connection in the dash wiring harness that leads to the ground trees/stars above the relay panel.)
#14 Under rear seat bench (1986)
#17 Under rear seat bench (1986)
#29 Near Digifant control unit (1987-1989)
Above photo shows ECU location in a non-camper, which is where the ground is located on all 2.1L vans (buried behind cabinet in the full-campers).
#24 Near Digifant wiring harness(1986)
#26 In Digifant wiring harness
#94 In Digifant wiring harness
(This is a multi-point connection on the left side of the engine bay -- white wires in above photo -- in the fuel injection wiring harness that leads to ECU pin 6; ECU is then grounded locally under the rear bench seat and/or in the engine bay.)
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Some critical components have their own ground wire (Oxygen Sensor has a small dia. coaxial cable with the braid being grounded somewhere I suppose; the Hall Effect sender seems to have its own ground wire) _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.
Last edited by randywebb on Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:27 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Phishman068 Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007 Posts: 1865 Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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I think this braid is only for RFI, tho maybe it could affect the ECU (?)
_________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.
Last edited by randywebb on Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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the 2 grounds by the coil; see post by Phishman068
_________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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16CVs Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2004 Posts: 4014 Location: Redwood City, California
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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So has anyone found the Syncro fuel sender ground ? I have an 89 and an 87 .
I've looked and could not locate them .
Stacy _________________ 1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread. |
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9888 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:00 am Post subject: |
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Sure, it goes to one of the 2 ground bolts under the ignition coil. Same as the locker switch grounds. There is a notation about the Syncro fuel sender ground on Bentley page 97.109 of 87 diagrams, an obscure place for it to be mentioned but better than no mention like in the other years diagrams.
Mark
16CV's wrote: |
So has anyone found the Syncro fuel sender ground ? I have an 89 and an 87 .
I've looked and could not locate them .
Stacy |
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blaze80 Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2013 Posts: 150 Location: Farmville, VA
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting this- totally needed to know where they all were! _________________ /// '89 Syncro Sport Joker, Reimo Hightop, mTDI
/// '90 Carat (SOLD)
/// '06 Audi A4 Avant S-line (SOLD)
/// '92 mk2 Jetta GL 8v (SOLD)
/// '89 'Bluestar' (SOLD)
/// '04 Audi S4 (SOLD)
/// '99 Jetta GLX VR6 (SOLD)
/// '84 Vanagon GL (SOLD) |
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jk_eaton Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2013 Posts: 3 Location: Ottawa
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:36 pm Post subject: RH ground? |
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On our '91, there is a ground on the RH side of the engine compartment, just to the right of the power steering reservoir - I was checking fluids last year and found it completely adrift. Is this only on later vans? |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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Good thread!! [/lurking] _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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Canoli Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2014 Posts: 47 Location: Rockford Il
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:12 pm Post subject: Where on the uni-body? |
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I can find the one in the picture but I cant find the other end on the unibody? |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9769 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:26 pm Post subject: Re: Where on the uni-body? |
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Canoli wrote: |
I can find the one in the picture... |
Which picture? Or, which ground? |
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Canoli Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2014 Posts: 47 Location: Rockford Il
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:36 pm Post subject: Ground |
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The very first picture, I know where that one is but it has been cut so i cant find where the other end is. |
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Merian Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014 Posts: 5212 Location: Orygun
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Engine Ground Locations - 2.1L |
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randywebb wrote: |
3. Ground strap at the nose of the transmission to the uni-body
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this is the 1st pic - is it what you mean?
if so, I think there is also a diagram in the Bentley besides the text above
you DO need a Bentley manual |
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Canoli Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2014 Posts: 47 Location: Rockford Il
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:02 am Post subject: Yes, the first picture |
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Yes it is the first picture, I thought maybe someone would have a picture of where the other end is located to. I know where the one in the picture is. |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32367 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Canoli Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2014 Posts: 47 Location: Rockford Il
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:37 am Post subject: Thanks |
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Thanks again |
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mr_vanagon Samba Member
Joined: March 31, 2005 Posts: 589 Location: Southern Illinois (GO SALUKIS)
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:26 am Post subject: |
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My dad was an electrical engineer by trade with a lot of experience in aircraft radio design. After a series of Digifant problems he decided that the VW grounding system was not good enough so he added a #8 wire from the battery to the engine bay with stops at all the stock ground locations. Since then, no ground-related issues. This would be pretty easy to do, especially with a lift. _________________ '68 Autostick Bug Mom bought new
'89 Tintop Vanagon Dad bought new |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9769 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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For similar reasons, I added a body-to-starter ground here:
Just a short length of battery cable from the FLAPS. |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32367 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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