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Jim Clark
Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2004
Posts: 138
Location: Lincolnshire U.K.
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 Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 4:15 am Post subject: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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I have an electrical fault.
Driving along, then all of a sudden all engine dies as if the battery positive has come off, turn the ignition key off then on again and she starts up again.
Very intermitant.
Just wondering where to start.
Cheers
Jim |
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:05 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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I'd look for loose connections at the coil first.
What year? Early ignition switches can have problems but my experience has been that it usually does it when starting, not really when driving along
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Jim Clark
Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2004
Posts: 138
Location: Lincolnshire U.K.
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 1:30 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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Hi Erik,
Checked all wires to the coil and all ok.
Its a 1968.
Cheers
Jim |
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vwjetboat
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017
Posts: 1732
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| id replace ign switch ... |
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Erik G
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Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:35 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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Jim, is it fuel injected or carbs? If carbs, also look around and make sure the choke wires aren't grounding, the condenser wire isn't grounding, etc.
How does the ignition feel in the column? Does it feel nice and tight as always, or is it starting to feel loose in the column?
Do you have the plastic cap on the opposite side of the key switch? If yes and you remove it, does the ignition seem looser in the column?
You could disconnect your coil from your ignition, run a temporary wire from another source and see if the problem goes away. The switch is expensive and kind of a pain to replace, but at least they are available nowadays (aftermarket, not 100% correct)
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vwjetboat
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017
Posts: 1732
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 7:29 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| Erik G wrote: |
| vwjetboat wrote: |
| id replace ign switch ... |
No you wouldn't. It's a couple hundred bucks  you would at least diagnose it... |
SOrry.. sometimes I forget.. people will actually pay that kinda money for something.. so simple.. |
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raygreenwood
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Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21519
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:13 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| Erik G wrote: |
| vwjetboat wrote: |
| id replace ign switch ... |
No you wouldn't. It's a couple hundred bucks you would at least diagnose it... |
Really?...I mean...yes...for sure i would diagnose before spending a penny.
But...yes...the 68-70 switch IS unique....but do none of these switches work or is there a problem with how they are made?
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,1968...witch,4700
Rockauto has five models for 68-70...the most expensive of which is $45....the least is under $12.
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC-311-905-865-A
Or this one from CIP1...$24
Or is it that none of the late re-pops will work with FI...or something similar?
Granted...they may all be junk....just wondering where the $200 price tag comes from. Ray |
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vwjetboat
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017
Posts: 1732
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:21 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| I would run a hot wire with switch to the coil... right off battery - fuse- switch then to coil.. and problem is gone after a few weeks or how ever long you know it is or is not fixed... if it fixes it.. then I would hook the wire you had going to coil to the IGN ON wire as close to ign switch and try that.. if it dies hooked up like that. its not the switch |
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| vwjetboat wrote: |
| Erik G wrote: |
| vwjetboat wrote: |
| id replace ign switch ... |
No you wouldn't. It's a couple hundred bucks you would at least diagnose it... |
SOrry.. sometimes I forget.. people will actually pay that kinda money for something.. so simple.. |
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Last edited by Erik G on Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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vwjetboat
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017
Posts: 1732
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:23 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| installed quite few in my time ..but it was a long time ago.. |
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Erik G
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Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| raygreenwood wrote: |
| Erik G wrote: |
| vwjetboat wrote: |
| id replace ign switch ... |
No you wouldn't. It's a couple hundred bucks you would at least diagnose it... |
Really?.. Ray |
No, I'm saying he personally would not. He's a cheap ass and would find a way to rig it. Nothing wrong with that, I went for a long time with mine bandaided in my '64
I also don't know that 68 is definitely the cut-off year for early vs late ignitions. My 68 for sure had the early column, and those are $200+ and not what's available at rock auto
It was not an American car, it was a 68 with factory carbs...
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Erik G
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002
Posts: 13280
Location: Tejas!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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| vwjetboat wrote: |
| I would run a hot wire with switch to the coil... right off battery - fuse- switch then to coil.. and problem is gone after a few weeks or how ever long you know it is or is not fixed... if it fixes it.. then I would hook the wire you had going to coil to the IGN ON wire as close to ign switch and try that.. if it dies hooked up like that. its not the switch |
agreed
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raygreenwood
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Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21519
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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No, I'm saying he personally would not. He's a cheap ass and would find a way to rig it. Nothing wrong with that, I went for a long time with mine bandaided in my '64
I also don't know that 68 is definitely the cut-off year for early vs late ignitions. My 68 for sure had the early column, and those are $200+ and not what's available at rock auto
It was not an American car, it was a 68 with factory carbs... |
Ray |
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TommyBoyGomes
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2005
Posts: 1531
Location: L.A./Dublin, Irl
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| Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Engine keeps cutting out... |
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All the above advice is good. If none of it solves your problem though, couldn't hurt to check the head-end of your spark plug wires. I had a similar problem as you for almost 2 years that left me stranded many times. I never suspected it would be the spark plug wires.
As it turns out, newer spark plug cables (even the bosch ones) seem to warp and/or melt easier over time with heat and you may get intermittent cut-out problems as a result. Not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but I've had to deal with it a few times.
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