randywebb |
Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:22 pm |
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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) |
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Phishman068 |
Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:26 pm |
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While you're at it, you'll find that there is another grounding bolt with a few connections on it near the one that resides under the coil. Clean those guys up too, they usually can use it. That's tail lights and turn signals.
I think you've got them all.
I replace the engine to fire wall ones, clean all the rest, and add one from the starter bolt to the frame on all my busses. |
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randywebb |
Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:28 pm |
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I think this braid is only for RFI, tho maybe it could affect the ECU (?)
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randywebb |
Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:53 pm |
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the 2 grounds by the coil; see post by Phishman068
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randywebb |
Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:31 pm |
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some threads on maintenance:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=541773
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=539315
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=461097
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=242116
gnds to painted metal used when new:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=518167 |
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16CVs |
Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:31 pm |
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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 |
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crazyvwvanman |
Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:00 am |
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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 |
Tue May 13, 2014 6:47 am |
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Thanks for posting this- totally needed to know where they all were! |
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jk_eaton |
Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:36 pm |
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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 |
Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:17 pm |
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Good thread!! [/lurking] |
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Canoli |
Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:12 pm |
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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 |
Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:26 pm |
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Canoli wrote: I can find the one in the picture...
Which picture? Or, which ground? |
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Canoli |
Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:36 pm |
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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 |
Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:25 pm |
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randywebb wrote:
3. Ground strap at the nose of the transmission to the uni-body
...
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 |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:02 am |
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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 |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:20 am |
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From the Bentley...... BUY ONE!!!!!! You NEED it.
Automatic ground strap location........
Standard ground strap location......
Dave |
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Canoli |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:37 am |
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Thanks again |
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mr_vanagon |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:26 am |
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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. |
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Ahwahnee |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 2:48 pm |
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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 |
Tue Sep 02, 2014 3:01 pm |
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Ahwahnee wrote: For similar reasons, I added a body-to-starter ground here:
Just a short length of battery cable from the FLAPS.
Whoa! Really big HERE!
Can't see the forest through the trees! Which corner of the engine area is this ground?
Dave |
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