TheSamba.com :: View topic - Ground Locations

Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:24 am

I saw a write up on grounds for the 2.1 and was not able to find one for the 1.9. Can someone point me to that?

I want to find every ground on the van really and clean them up.

Sat Sep 03, 2016 8:56 am

Do you have a Bentley manual? If not you really need to get one. Not great but the best we have. See page 97.60. A list of 12 ground locations for 1985 vanagon.

Edit: 1985 grounds from Bentley:

Sat Sep 03, 2016 1:00 pm

the 2.1L thread has pics; you can run down the list and make pics, then post them here for others

if your threads gets enough hits then people will shower you with beer and pizza at future Vanagettogethers...

Sat Sep 03, 2016 1:14 pm

Merian wrote: the 2.1L thread has pics; you can run down the list and make pics, then post them here for others

if your threads gets enough hits then people will shower you with beer and pizza at future Vanagettogethers...

Well Sh&t I am in :)

Mon Sep 05, 2016 4:20 pm

I am missing one or two perhaps behind the dash. I am not 100% sure.

Here are most:

[Moderator edit 3/2018: These have been numbered according to Bentley's list and put into numerical order.]

#1, PASSENGER SIDE BATTERY BOX:

#2, JUST FORWARD OF THE TRANSMISSION (UNDER THE VAN.) THIS MAY BE UNDERCOATED AND HARD TO LOCATE:

#10 & #16, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WALL BEHIND THE FUSE BOX:

#12, THIS GROUND IS ON THE STEERING COLUMN:

#14, GROUND AT THE HATCH ON BOTH SIDES NEAR THE TOP:

#15, AT THE FUEL PUMP UNDER SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE:

#17, AT THE DISTRIBUTOR:

#18, LEFT SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT LOOKING DOWN FOLLOWING THE GROUND STRAP FROM THE COIL AREA. THIS WOULD BE UNDER YOUR A/C COMPRESSOR IF YOU HAD ONE:

#19, LEFT SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE COIL:

THIS ONE IS BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX:

I FOUND THIS GROUND JUST AT THE EDGE OF THE DASH UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. IT MAY BE FOR A/C AS THE BOLT HAD WAS 1/4 INCH:

I am not sure of the one in the Bentley "Behind Vent" or "Behind Dash"; the glove box location may be one of these, however.

Mon Sep 05, 2016 4:21 pm

Please pm me corrections that are needed and I will make changes to make it easier for folks to weed through it all.

Mon Sep 05, 2016 5:18 pm

you might want 2 threads - one for this title (engine grounds)

and another for other grounds

Mon Sep 05, 2016 5:25 pm

Merian wrote: you might want 2 threads - one for this title (engine grounds)

and another for other grounds

No. Grounds are grounds; keep 'em all in one place. Topic title changed to be like that of the 2.1, and as been added to the FAQ.

Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:58 am

Thanks for this thread ! :D

Fri Apr 07, 2017 1:58 pm

Stephenmarklay wrote: I am missing one or two perhaps behind the dash. I am not 100% sure.

That is one of the cleanest wiring I've seen, it's disgusting. I wish mine looked half that good. You's looks brand new.

Sat Apr 08, 2017 6:31 am

great pictures.

now what is the thread size for the bolt on the engine ground above #4 Cylinder under the air intake.
Working on a friends and it has a different bolt for the Aux. Air Valve and the ground bolt. Thought they would be the same size.

Wed Mar 21, 2018 9:43 pm

Mr Markley,
If ever you find yourself in the Denver area, you have an IPA or 6 waiting.

I have two questions which came up while I was going through my (re-routed to odd spots by a PO) grounds and the Bentley:

1. Where is #12 "-at steering-gear housing" located? Is this the one pictured 9th down b/n the hatch pic and the dizzy pic?

and;

2. In the Bentley diagrams for our unique '85 there is a #16 ground which I can't find referenced anywhere else. It looks to be one of the stars up front behind the fuse box based on what's wired to it, but I'm a total newbie with electrical and haven't yet spent, nor had, the time to figure it out.
The picture above by Westified is the same I see in my Bentley on p. 97.60 and there is no 16 listed, yet it has several wires to it in the actual diagram. Any elucidation is welcome...

OK, so I realized I have a third question and that the above was not really a question, but anyway:
The #17 ground "-near ignition distributor" is, I'm assuming, the one going from sheath to shaft of the distributor in the above pics. I don't have said 'shaft' around my dizzy and therefore no ground here. Is my van suffering for this lack?

Thank you TheSamba, you make vanlife livable!

Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:15 pm

snatchcat wrote: 1. Where is #12 "-at steering-gear housing" located? Is this the one pictured 9th down b/n the hatch pic and the dizzy pic?

It is on the steering column. Remove the plastic lower cover and you should see it. :wink:

snatchcat wrote: 2. In the Bentley diagrams for our unique '85 there is a #16 ground which I can't find referenced anywhere else. It looks to be one of the stars up front behind the fuse box based on what's wired to it, but I'm a total newbie with electrical and haven't yet spent, nor had, the time to figure it out.

Based on later year diagrams, I would surmise that #16 was inadvertently left off the list and that #10 and #9 were potentially mixed up. In other words, #10 and #16 ground points are "behind dash near fuse/relay panel". To confirm where #9 actually is, someone with an '85 will need to trace the e-brake light switch ground.

I've numbered most of Markley's ground points and put them in numerical order so that they line up with the initially-posted Bentley list. If anyone can confirm the 9, 10, 16 and "behind dash/vent" locations, I'll edit/change them accordingly. :)

snatchcat wrote: The #17 ground "-near ignition distributor" is, I'm assuming, the one going from sheath to shaft of the distributor in the above pics. I don't have said 'shaft' around my dizzy and therefore no ground here. Is my van suffering for this lack?

Does the orange distributor cap have the black grounding cap on it? If so, no, your van isn't suffering.

Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:37 am

on the subject of grounds, does anybody happen to know the size and thread pitch of the bolt for the transmission ground strap that attaches to the frame? I've lost mine and none of the bolts in my "bolt bin" fit.... hoping to go to the store to pick one up soon Thanks in advance

Sat Jan 25, 2020 11:08 am

It's an M8 x 1.25.

OFF-TOPIC,,, sorta....
....you should delete that short ground strap from the trans nose to the chassis anyway.

To ensure proper ground path (across the five or six 35-year old magnesium transaxle case 'connections') is not contributing to starter problems, it's advisable to replace it with a new cable coming directly from the starter bolt to the chassis.

A new cable is a small price to pay to remove the ground path from frustrating phantom starter gremlins.
The van is old, and the ground may be high-resistance (under high amperage).
Better to renew it and employ a direct ground path at this time.

Here it is on Amazon, but probably available at your local FLAPS for a similar price. $20?

00 Gauge 2/0 AWG Battery Cable - USA Made All Copper Flexible Stranding - Black - 30 inch with 5/16 & 3/8 Anti Corrosion Copper Ring Terminal Lugs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0767MYTJR/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_TNilEb86MXNRN

It's about 28 inches from your 10mm (= 3/8") starter mounting bolt to the original M8x1.25 chassis ground bolt (=5/16").

It's feasible and could be better to use a shorter cable from the starter to a closer location on chassis, if you are able to do so. But the 30 inches of new copper is definitely more certain than the "five or six resistance-additive transaxle case 'connections' that have been in the outdoors, un-inspected and un-inspectable for 35 years.

Sat Jan 25, 2020 3:05 pm

That's a good suggestion, Sodo. I might try replacing the two transaxle nose grounds with a starter bolt ground and see what happens.

Thu Jul 23, 2020 4:49 pm

Bently 1985 water cooled electrical diagram shows a no. 16 ground which is not listed in the list of grounds. Any idea where this one is?

Circuit 36, right-most ground on bottom.

Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:21 pm

I don't see it on the 1984 diagram so perhaps a clue is that it may be something that different between those two years (not much difference there).

What does the diagram show is being grounded?

Fri Jul 24, 2020 11:02 pm

Wow the OP created a helpful thread with pictures, used this thread today to find the grounds by the fuse panel.

Sun Jul 04, 2021 10:03 pm

Bump to add one that I found above the fuel tank with 2 wires going to it. I was doing all of the fuel lines, etc and was surprised to find it.