No lights on dash, no crank, no start.

[459032]

I did something dumb. While trying to set timing and idle, the afm touched the B+ on the alternator. Now no lights on the dash. How bad did I mess this thing up?
_________________
1978 VW Beetle convertible w/ FI
1978 VW Bus w/ FI

[jeffrey8164]

Probably just popped a fuse or two.
_________________
Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.

“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1)

[ashman40]

The red wire connected to the B+ stud on the alternator has a direct path to the battery positive terminal. If you shorted this to ground you may have overloaded this wire. It is not fused.

Using a VM test the red B+ wire for 12v. If you don't get a voltage reading you need to trace this wire back thru the junction below the left rear seat (white rectangular junction) and then the wire that runs from the junction back to the positive battery post. Check for voltage at each junction. Look for signs of the wires or terminals overheating and melting insulation. If you see signs of over heating wires you may need to replace the wires.

Post pics of what you find.

The white junction below the left rear seat is also the point where everything up at the dash gets power from. If you don't get a 12v reading here it means no power is making it up to the front.
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[459032]

I found that junction. In my car it's just the red and white wire wrapped around each other then taped up. Is that how it's supposed be joined?

I started to take the tape off that junction and the car started to work.
_________________
1978 VW Beetle convertible w/ FI
1978 VW Bus w/ FI

[Cusser]

[459032]

How is it supposed to go? How is it normally connected?
_________________
1978 VW Beetle convertible w/ FI
1978 VW Bus w/ FI

[Cusser]

[ashman40]

Found a pic from the gallery that shows the under seat wiring from a late model Beetle that came with an alternator.

You can see the large white rectangle. This is the junction for 4 wires...

Battery positive terminal
Alternator B+ output
Main #30 wire running to the front of the car
#30 wire to rear window defroster relay

The stock junction uses larger terminals than the normal 1/4" ones. The male spades inside are 3/8" wide. If your wires still have female terminals on the end you will need a junction that supports 3/8" wide terminals.

If you don't have this white junction or the ends of your wires have been stripped you just need a good junction to bring 3 or 4 higher amperage wires together. Something like this would work just fine:
4-8 AWG Distribution Block
If you decide to add a power distribution block below the rear seat you may also want to consider adding a 60-80A re-settable circuit breaker on the wire coming from the battery. This is extra insurance in case the circuit ever shorted directly to ground... as you apparently did.

These wires carry a rather large current (up to 55A from the alternator) so must have a rock solid connection to each other and must be insulated so they can never touch ground. Just twisting them together won't be good enough.

If you really want to do it on the cheap, you could look to your local hardware store and find a ground clamp that uses a threaded bolt to clamp a ground wire securely to a copper pipe/stake. This firmly clamps the wires together. You will need to carefully insulate the junction so it can never touch ground.
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[459032]

That’s exactly what I need. That whole white junction is missing.
_________________
1978 VW Beetle convertible w/ FI
1978 VW Bus w/ FI