Electrical Woes

[vanagonmanagon]

Hey everyone,

I've come today to seek advice about a number of electrical problems that exist on my somewhat recently acquired 1984 Westfalia. I'll just cut to the chase: the aftermarket head unit does not turn on, everything seems to be connected in the back, the fuel gauge doesn't work, the headlights don't really like to work, but if I hit the headlight switch they start working again... Under the dash is a real mess of wires--to be honest I have no idea what is going on down there as everything seems to have been rearranged. There is also a mysterious button dangling from its plug under the steering column that doesn't seem to do anything, best guess is clutch safety switch that is just broken? I've inserted a number of photos for context. Any help on where to start is appreciated.

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[wesitarz]

Start with the Bentley electrical schematics and a 12v test light.

[MarkWard]

This is our 82. Wiring is stock and it looks like spaghetti from the factory.

Your wiring looks normal to me. I see some corrosion. When I come across multiple elec problems, I start with the simplest circuit to troubleshoot. Often it will fix multiple problems. Hitting something, is not really a recommended method of fixing electrical problems, but I get it. Do as recommended, 12 volt test light and the wiring diagram will get you on your way.
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[DuncanS]

Do you have electrical skills and know how to read a wiring diagram?

The plug under the steering column is for cruise control clutch or brake cancel. If you don't have cruise then you don't need it. The factory cruise was a cobbed up affair anyway and there are aftermarket electronic ones which work way better with loads less stuff to trouble shoot and fix. And remember, cruise control in an underpowered vehicle is an oxymoron anyway.

You probably need a new headlight switch as they are prone to failure.

Gauges--most likely the foil wiring for the dash has failed.

Spaghetti wiring? They came from the factory like that.

Duncan

[akciddento]

the thing dangling AFAIK is one of the safety actuators for a factory cruise control setup - it would originally mount behind the pedals and disengage cruise as soon as the brake or clutch pedal moved.
the dash cluster may be suffering from brittle and cracked flexible PCB - the blue plastic sheet behind all the clocks- or the PCB where it goes into the big (20 way or so) plug where the loom plugs into the instrument cluster gets worn and intermittent. There are people making replacement flexible PCBs and also there are later upgrades such as this
https://brickwerks.co.uk/product/dashboard-pcb-replacement-kit-t3-with-rev-counter-and-lcd-clock/

take your time and work through one thing at a time, also check all the fuses and maybe clean all the earths to make sure non functioning stuff is getting enough power -

good luck !
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[Ahwahnee]

[E1]

My first thought is “instrument foil.”

Our ‘84’s foil had a longtime fold from the prior owner, which finally cracked when I mostly breathed on it. Should have brushed first, My Bad.

Here’s our symptoms if it helps:
— No dash lights
— Fuel gauge reads way above Full when full, then is pretty accurate when nearing Empty
— Coolant temp reads High, when it absolutely isn’t
— Headlights, hazards, blinkers, and red lights all work

Getting a new replacement from VanAgain as soon as we park long enough.

This might be a great opportunity to get better at wiring. Problem is, getting step-by-step advice in getting better and I have the same learning to do with the dash.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[tjet]

That looks kind of normal - I've owned 3 Vanagons and a few busses.

Just careful around the fuse box. You want to inspect for damage in the harness. Also look for aftermarket crimps & taps. Those need to be corrected. Make sure the battery is disconnected prior to messing in that area.

I'm glad newer cars have a much cleaner wiring installation

[16CVs]

Does the van have Cruise combo signal switch? Ive never seen factory cruise in a 84 van.

Stacy
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1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
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Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
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[vanagonmanagon]

[vanagonmanagon]

[vanagonmanagon]

[E1]