Crazy Electrical Problem

Bob63 · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:28 pm Post subject: Crazy Electrical Problem

I am losing my mind. I ended up replacing the oil cooler seals a week ago on my 78. Everything went well and i no longer have that oil leak that was driving me crazy.

Now my next problem. For some reason i now have a crazy electrical problem. Started the van up and went for a drive. When i turned on the head lights my horn came on and would not shut off. I pulled back into the drive and turned the ignition off and it kept running until i turned the lights off.

That's just one of the situations that is happening. It seems like everything is acting crazy on me. Not sure what the cause of it is. Any suggestions?

Tcash · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

Make sure the light switch did not pop open like this E-switch did. If it did pop it back together an put a type wrap on it.

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Bob63 · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

The only problem is that it is not just the lights. Sometimes when I start it the wipers come on or the horn comes on. It seems all the electrical just went crazy on me.

Tcash · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

So what do you think?

Bob63 · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

Electrical is not my strong suit but I can't imagine what changed from me changing out the oil cooler seals to all the electrical issues I am having now. Unless there is a grounding issue?

Tcash · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:05 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

You did not connect the battery up the wrong way did you?

1967250s · Samba Member Joined: May 02, 2007 Posts: 2137

Bob63 · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

No. Just removed the positive cable when I was doing the irk. I did remove the ground wire where it attaches next to the Ecu connector but put that back also.

Tcash · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

The one thing that comes to mind when weird electrical things start happening is the Headlight switch or the Emergency switch popping apart.
Tcash

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 52763

Tom Powell · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 12:58 am Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

I had electrical gremlins that were breeding in the headlight switch of my '69 camper when the rheostat disintegrated. Another problem when the emergency flasher housing came apart. They leave their eggs everywhere and leaving the key on will incubate them.

Aloha
tp

Bob63 · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

Getting to the point of pulling all my hair out now. I have checked the emergency switch and headlight switch and can find nothing wrong there. Not sure what direction to go now.

sjbartnik · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

Um, how exactly did you check them?

Pull fuse box down and check it out. Cracked? Corroded?

Sounds like you might have a major ground issue. What is the condition of your battery ground strap? What is the condition of the ground strap between the transaxle and the body?

If the ground straps check out I'd probably pull all the fuses out and, in conjunction with the owner's manual and wiring diagram, put 'em back in one at a time and check that the associated circuits work until you find the one where crazy shit starts happening.

Did you do ANY WORK AT ALL on the car immediately before this problem happened?
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

Bob63 · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

When i say checked, I mean I pulled them out and they were all in great shape. none of them were opened up and the terminals were clean with no corrosion.

I changed my oil cooler seals to stop a leak that I had. That was the work that I did. I will check the ground strap between the body and transaxle. I haven't checked that one yet.

Tom Powell · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

For giggles try the light switch in different positions and turning the knob to adjust the brightness. Do this with and without the engine running. You may want to temporarily disconnect the horn.

When the rheostat in my light switch disintegrated, the engine would start and run only in the parking light position. BD saved my hair.

Aloha
tp

Aloha
tp

Tcash · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

sjbartnik · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

When this happened, did the headlights actually work too (or work dimly) or did the horn just come on and the headlights stayed off?

I wouldn't be surprised if the problem was either in the headlight switch or in some grounding problem elsewhere that is resulting in current flowing back through the headlight switch somehow.

You're going to have to do some diagnosis though to track it down. Spend some time studying that wiring diagram until you understand how the current flows from battery to accessories.
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 52763

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 52763

sjbartnik · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Crazy Electrical Problem

Good point, I guess first thing would be looking carefully under the dash for any brown wires that have come loose from their connection points!
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650


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