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StickerBus Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject: I broke the terminal off of my ignition coil. Can I fix it? |
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Hello Samba!
After having been a lurker on this amazing forum for the past year I have finally joined and am hoping that you can help me along as I am doing my first rebuild. I bought the "Baja Princess" a few months ago. She has been plastered with stickers by the PO and was neglected for about 4 years before I purchased her.
Here she is on the day I picked her up:
Now I am doing major rust repairs and am about halfway through my engine rebuild...we'll see how much longer until I will get to hit the road!
On to my question/problem, today I was cleaning some of the engine parts and took the terminals off the ignition coil to clean some of the oil and gunk off. When I went to fasten the nut on the + terminal however, the thread broke!!! Please see image below:
I am on a tight tight budget and as this build has already cost me a lot more than expected and will continue to do so, I would love to not have to buy a new coil! Especially as this is an original Made in Germany blue Bosch coil.
Is there anyway of repairing this terminal? Could I solder or even weld the 3 male terminal connector piece to the broken off bolt? Has anyone experienced this before?
Thank you for reading my post. I hope someone can help me out
Victor |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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kreemoweet Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2008 Posts: 3899 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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Jeebus, guys who are into ghetto hacks usually just DO it, they don't ask the Internet for advice about it ... _________________ '67 bug: seized by the authorities
'68 bug: seized by the authorities
'71 kombi: not yet seized by the authorities
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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alman72 Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2014 Posts: 2573 Location: MICHIGAN
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder how deep the broken post goes. maybe you could drill down into it a quarter/half inch, then use a self tapping bolt? just putting my macgruber out there. then when that dosent work, order the 20$ one |
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StickerBus Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the link, Tom. As I'll be ordering a few parts this week anyways I suppose I'll just throw in a $30 coil.
However I will also attempt to repair the broken bolt while I wait for parts. Even if it just becomes my backup coil.
Cheers! |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51145 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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The studs are cast into the cap when it's made, they are hollow and the wire from the windings goes into it and it's soldered, there's not a whole lot you could do to repair that reliably unless you soldered on a wire that led to a remotely mounted insulated junction block.
You're a brave one taking on that project, it had more than enough terminal rust when I saw it last 10 years ago, the stickers were kind of structural as I recall. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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scrivyscriv Samba Electrician
Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 2922 Location: Memphis
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: I broke the terminal off of my ignition coil. Can I fix |
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StickerBus wrote: |
...Is there anyway of repairing this terminal? Could I solder or even weld the 3 male terminal connector piece to the broken off bolt?... |
No. Don't waste your time. You're asking for intermittent ignition problems, overheating and burning up the coil, points, and/or condensor. I know it sucks to toss the coil, but seriously, don't waste your time. _________________ Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help. |
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StickerBus Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your help guys. Definitely getting another coil. I imagine I could just solder the wire from inside of the bolt directly to the little 3-terminal plate and somehow secure it all, but it seems like a waste of my time.
Quote: |
You're a brave one taking on that project, it had more than enough terminal rust when I saw it last 10 years ago, the stickers were kind of structural as I recall. |
Hahaha, yeah it has been a lot of rust work. Do you know the PO personally or when did you come across this bus?
I already removed the floor and have to replace/repair much of the metal framework underneath. The stickers are most certainly structural along with the inch of bondo I discovered! This is a good first bus though as I can only make it 'better' and don't really have to worry about anything not being done proper/original/stock. [/quote] |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50350
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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If you had a Hot Spot soldering machine available then you could probably solder it without doing much harm, but if you could afford such a machine you would likely not consider wasting your time trying to repair an old likely worn out coil. |
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Steve22 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2004 Posts: 1389 Location: the wild unknown
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 6:54 am Post subject: |
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do a search in the early bug section, I saw where a guy had fixed a similar broken coil there. _________________ '65 Karmann Ghia 'vert
'73 Super Beetle
'59 Beetle ragtop
'73 Sunroof Transporter |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51145 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:22 am Post subject: |
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StickerBus wrote: |
Do you know the PO personally or when did you come across this bus? |
Sorry, no afilliation with the PO, I saw it parked infront of a skateboard shop just south of SE Marine drive, 1/2 block east of the Knight street bridge about 10 years ago, had to stop and check it out. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12722 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Is this the same bus??
The prodigal son returns!
Good luck with the coil. I hate throwing away good German parts.
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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Bala Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2003 Posts: 2613 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:54 am Post subject: |
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asiab3 wrote: |
Is this the same bus?? |
Rear vents. I wonder how many "sticker buses" there are out there (please no one start a new thread )? I've seen a few splits too.
Any work in progress pictures? I bet every one of those stickers just peeled right off leaving only beautiful OG paint behind. _________________ 1976 Westy
1966 Beetle |
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rusty busty Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2015 Posts: 310 Location: Vancouver BC
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:58 am Post subject: |
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asiab3 wrote: |
Is this the same bus??
The prodigal son returns!
Good luck with the coil. I hate throwing away good German parts.
Robbie |
Hey I saw that bus at a music festival this summer. Not the same bus though. OP's bus is an earlier tin top. This one is a 72 pop top.
_________________ 1978 CEII Get-away hightop |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51145 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:59 am Post subject: |
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Interesting, that one's a 72 camper, the one on the trailer is a 71. Apparently there's more than one
There's some pics of one in my gallery that I jacked from a Craigslist ad a few years ago (the dazed looking dood rings a bell). There was a tintop Westy parked in the weeds near the skate shop, maybe the PO went through a few of them?, I got the impression the one I saw up close got ridden hard and put away wet, the road where it parked was rather umm....oily and it didn't look like maintenance was high on thier priority list. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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rusty busty Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2015 Posts: 310 Location: Vancouver BC
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:09 am Post subject: |
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rusty busty wrote: |
Hey I saw that bus at a music festival this summer. Not the same bus though. OP's bus is an earlier tin top. This one is a 72 pop top.
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I didn't even notice that there was a bus on a bus at the festival. I just saw it in the pic after I posted it!
_________________ 1978 CEII Get-away hightop |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12722 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:13 am Post subject: |
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Ahhh I didn't catch the differences on my phone. Hopefully the OPs bus is in better shape! _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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Dana Champion Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 633 Location: Ventura County, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:05 am Post subject: |
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" Prodigal son returns "..... classic.😲 I about fell over!
Not to mention that "that" bus has a poptop
So we've seen a '71, '72, and '73. Anybody got a sticker ed '74 ?
I thought the " son" was Bart Simpson incarnate.......
Good luck with your coil |
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mikedjames Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2012 Posts: 2743 Location: Hamble, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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The screw thread on the connection has snapped but the wire is soldered on still. If you are short of cash, wrap another piece of wire round the broken stud and solder it on, or lay one of the tags down on top of the coil and solder that to the stud - then you will have a spade connection.
Will not be the best fix, there will always be questions and worries, but if the bus runs then its cash available for fixing something else in the meantime. _________________ Ancient vehicles and vessels
1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.
1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy |
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StickerBus Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
The screw thread on the connection has snapped but the wire is soldered on still. If you are short of cash, wrap another piece of wire round the broken stud and solder it on, or lay one of the tags down on top of the coil and solder that to the stud - then you will have a spade connection. |
That's exactly what I had planned. Don't know why it wouldn't work as long as engine vibration doesn't cause the spade connector to come loose from the coil...thanks for being supportive of my "ghetto" approach |
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