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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 2:31 am Post subject: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Unloaded a bunch of items from my April 61 deluxe yesterday. Nice to have the arm chair in the living room. It has been since mid September since I started or drove it, when I drove it south from Washington. The bus has just been parked by the barn. I wanted to get a tall ladder, and the 9 foot hwe rack on the 15 is the ticket. Didn’t unload the garage stereo (with eight track player) and speaker wires.
On the way to Home Depot there was a bit of stuttering or hesitation on the freeway. I thought it odd since that was not usual. And only about 130 miles since filling the tank. Pulled reserve Anyway. Seemed to stop the hesitation.
On the way back, with ladder on rack, I pushed reserve back in anyway. Didn’t seem to affect anything. A few miles later, right before my exit, the hesitation came back. In fact, the engine shut off. I coasted onto the shoulder into the shade of a eucalyptus tree. I smelled something. Smoke? Electrical? Oil temp was 200 F shortly before it stalled. Was cruising about 60-65. 1600sp with big nut tranny. Upper seventies out.
Greg opened the engine lid. No engine smoke. Engine is not hot, looks normal. I looked at the fuses, nothing odd. Looked under the dash. Didn’t see anything odd, except clutter on the tray. And actually the wiring is not pristine.
Honestly, I hadn’t looked at the wiring since the nineties. Some PO did put some hackage under there. But honestly, it worked, and I’d put many miles on the bus without issues. Just not much recently. Felt around. Are there any loose wires? Possibly the headlight switch red wire wAs warm. The white with black stripes wire was cool. one of the ignition switch terminals was warm. I could see which one, it’s a little tight under there.
Starter turned with key, but the engine did not catch. found a test light in my toolbox, the right most fuse was hot, but with key on no other fuse was hot. Hm. Iirc the second fuse should be hot with key on. Asked Greg to check for hot at coil with ignition on. Noticed that the dash lights sometimes did not come on with key on. And smelled some electrical smell with key on, so shut key off.
What did we do to get home? |
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Tizian Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2015 Posts: 383 Location: Hamburg, Germany
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 2:52 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Clara,
seems like your ignition switch died...
But that's just a remote guess from across the pond.
Olli |
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perello Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2005 Posts: 830 Location: where social security comes for free
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 5:43 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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is this a riddle?
In my case I found that the contact switch tends to develop an eroded pit at the contact point as can be seen here (this is a ghia switch)
It can be easily repaired with epoxy glue.
however I don't see a clear relation between this and a hesitating engine. _________________ Aug '58 pressed bumper SO23
1974 German Thing
1978 Bug 1200 |
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type241 Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006 Posts: 972 Location: MOSES LAKE, WA
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:15 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Clara, Are you moving from Washington? |
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Lind Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000 Posts: 9916 Location: idaho
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:01 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Fuel, air and spark are the three things an engine needs to run. Spark is the most frequent culprit.
Did you hotwire the bus and drive it home? _________________ .
Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
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iamdonquixote Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2003 Posts: 2041 Location: M*ssholia
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:57 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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just a hunch but I'm going to guess you ran a wire from the battery to the coil since power to the coil was no good? |
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ToolBox Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 3439 Location: Detroit, where they don't jack parts off my ride in the parking lot of the 7-11
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 10:05 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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iamdonquixote wrote: |
just a hunch but I'm going to guess you ran a wire from the battery to the coil since power to the coil was no good? |
.
Run the wire from a tail or the tag light and you can turn it off with the light switch.... |
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Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13281 Location: Tejas!
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 10:37 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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ToolBox wrote: |
iamdonquixote wrote: |
just a hunch but I'm going to guess you ran a wire from the battery to the coil since power to the coil was no good? |
.
Run the wire from a tail or the tag light and you can turn it off with the light switch.... |
this
unfortunately, also how to steal a vw... _________________ Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Braukuche Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004 Posts: 11005
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:37 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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By pass the ignition switch. _________________ Go Reds! Smash state!
Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now |
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Tizian Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2015 Posts: 383 Location: Hamburg, Germany
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Propably the speaker wires did help... |
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Stocknazi Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 5150
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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WTF is a freeway? _________________ WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).
"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."
Thomas Jefferson |
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Clara Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Yes, moving to California.
And yes it’s a riddle.
It did seem like the ignition switch died, so I ran a speaker wire from the battery to the coil. Using the taillight would have been a good idea, it if I have to do it again I’ll keep that in mind. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22670 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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StockNazi wrote: |
WTF is a freeway? |
It’s a road paid for by others. _________________ .ssS! |
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mandraks Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004 Posts: 7050 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 7:12 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Abscate wrote: |
StockNazi wrote: |
WTF is a freeway? |
It’s a road paid for by others. |
Expressway here in the south. _________________ regards
Uli
----------------------------------------
'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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BulliBill Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2004 Posts: 4573 Location: St Charles, MO
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 7:37 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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"What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway."
Clara's title to this thread kinda cracks me up! I keep imagining a "Dateline" TV expose on a highway disaster and how a Split Bus could have been involved.
LOL
Bill _________________ I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton
Thanks for any help! |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19672 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:11 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Abscate wrote: |
StockNazi wrote: |
WTF is a freeway? |
It’s a road paid for by others. |
"Others"? Check out what taxes are on gas and registration in California for road repairs and construction. If you live here, YOU pay for the roads. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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Lind Samba Member
Joined: November 06, 2000 Posts: 9916 Location: idaho
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:42 am Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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crofty wrote: |
Abscate wrote: |
StockNazi wrote: |
WTF is a freeway? |
It’s a road paid for by others. |
"Others"? Check out what taxes are on gas and registration in California for road repairs and construction. If you live here, YOU pay for the roads. |
I don't live there, but I still pay on the tollways if I want to cross bridges in the bay area. Not that I really have a problem paying for the roads and bridges, etc. _________________ .
Wanted:
Idaho VW license plate frames or other dealership items.
VWoA literature and early dealership or distributor literature/pictures/information
. |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19672 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Lind wrote: |
crofty wrote: |
Abscate wrote: |
StockNazi wrote: |
WTF is a freeway? |
It’s a road paid for by others. |
"Others"? Check out what taxes are on gas and registration in California for road repairs and construction. If you live here, YOU pay for the roads. |
I don't live there, but I still pay on the tollways if I want to cross bridges in the bay area. Not that I really have a problem paying for the roads and bridges, etc. |
That goes to it from what ive been told but we have some of the worse roads in the US so go figure.
Today we can vote to repeal the tax that went into effect a few years back and raised my reg fees an additional +$100. _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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campingbox Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000 Posts: 10196 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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BulliBill wrote: |
"What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway."
Clara's title to this thread kinda cracks me up! I keep imagining a "Dateline" TV expose on a highway disaster and how a Split Bus could have been involved.
LOL
Bill |
I would be surprised it that wasn’t intentional.
You should always include your children when baking cookies. |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20278 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:49 pm Post subject: Re: What went wrong? 61 dead on freeway. |
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Clara wrote: |
Yes, moving to California. |
_________________ nothing |
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