Turn Signals

[scruggs]

I'm having problems with the turn signals on my recently purchased 70 Bus. When I bought it, it somehow did not have a voltage regulator. After a couple of days figuring out the wiring I installed the VR. The Turn Signals weren't operating before that either. I bought a wiring harness. Should I just go ahead and replace the wiring harness? The bus is darkening a friends driveway right now and he and his roommates would really like it moved. I need to get it safety inspected so I can drive it on base.

So far I have tried replacing the flasher, but could not find a 4 prong flasher. Is that what it needs? Then in my searching I found a small relay installed in the dash but not connected to anything. It has terminal markings: 30, 85, 86, 86a, and 87. I tried hooking that up but got the same result, blown fuse. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[chabanais]

There is a relay under the fuse box (plugs into it) that regulates these things as well as headlights, etc... VW should be able to get one for you or any decent shop. If your fuses are blown could be a loose wire maybe.
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[dstefun]

Scrugs - need more info. Wiring diagrams are at http://vintagebus.com/wiring/
and are also in the Bentley service manual altho the new editions don't have colored diagrams anymore. Amazon has good pricing on the new manual and free shipping for over $25. Get one if you haven't already. Check out the thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58970

Looks like you have a non-USA bus. The relay you have listed is probably J3 on the 1970 non-USA vintagebus diagram, and does not exist on the USA diagram. My german is non-existant, so I can't translate the diagram for you, but it doesn't look like it affects the turn signals.

J2 in the '70 non-USA vintagebus diagram is the emergency/turn signal flasher, with connections as follows: 31 ground KBL warning light in speedometer, 49a to turn signal switch +49 hot lead in from emergency flasher switch.

1. Do the brake lights work OK?

2. Do the emergency flashers work OK?

3. What fuse is blowing? And when does it blow? When you move the turn signal switch or when you turn on the key? Or ? Turn signal fuse should be the 4th from the left, 8 amp, while the emergency flasher fuse is the 2nd from the left, 8 amp.
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62 SC & 66 Bus

[scruggs]

The Driver's side brakelight works fine, but the passengers side does not work at all. I've looked at the connections and they all seem to be there. The emergency flashers do not work, when I try them they also blow the fuse. The fuse that seems to be blowing is the 4th from the right. I'll check some of the grounds and see what happens. Thanks for the help.

[dstefun]

Your passenger side brake light is most likely a bad ground connection at the body, dirty connections at the socket, or bad bulb. Even if they are already tight, remove all the wires on that light, clean and tighten the connections, and try it again. The ground wire should be brown, but it can't hurt to clean them all. You should remove the bulbs and clean the conenctions on them too. 30 years of corrosion makes really high resistance, especially in Hawaii.

You say that fuse #4 from the right is blowing. That should be your left low beam headlight fuse, if we mean right facing the rear of the bus, so that should not have anything to do with the turn signals or emergency flashers. Do the headlights work OK, low and high beam?

Assuming this is a left hand drive bus, driver's side is left, passenger's side is right. Fuse #1 is on the far left.

So let's make sure which fuse is blowing, and when it blows. How many fuses do you have? The '70 non-USA diagram shows 12. The 2nd and 5th from the left are probably red (16 amp). All the others should be white (8 amp). On US '70 busses the 1st and 5th should be red.
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Radio Questions R Us - what'cha need to know?
"Out! Out! You demons of stupidity!"
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62 SC & 66 Bus

[scruggs]

It is the 4th from the left looking at the rear of the bus. It seems to blow everytime that I turn on the switch and then try to use either the turn signals or the emergency flashers. I am guessing that it is a non-usa bus since it does have 12 fuses. I'm not completely sure though since that J3 relay wasn't connected at all. This is my first aircooled VW in about 5 years and this is my first ever bus, so I am at a slight disadvantage. Well, thanks for your help so far and any more would be greatly appreciated.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Scruggs,

Lessee now............turn signals are a no go. And emergency flashers also will not work. By the way, I agree with other posters on your passenger side brake light. A little contact cleaning will go a long way at that point.

But the others..........well, I'm going a new way on those. Y'see, I own a 1970 Bus and I've been through the same sort of symptoms. So the advice which follows is from past experience with the same sort of beast.

First thing I'd do is to make sure you have the correct turn signal flasher unit. You need to have a 215C. The turn signal flasher fits into the fuse block. Unfortunately a lot of POs have jerry-rigged another generic flasher and this often causes problems. So.....first step, get the correct OEM flasher unit. And don't let anybody tell you they are no longer available. They can still be purchased new. Good used ones are also available.

Next, know that your emergency flasher is an integral component in your turn signal wiring. Make sure it is functioning. From your description of what's going on, I'd say you have a dud. And these things do not have the best reputation for reliability. You'll need to replace it if it's funky. Again, these can be had new or used.

Finally, pull all your turn signal housings out and make ABSOLUTELY sure the connections are uniformly correct. Be meticulous at the is point. When I got my bus back from the painters they had cross-connected the ground and the hot lead in my front right turn signal. Net effect? Number 4 fuse blew every time I signaled. Sound familiar?

Scruggs, short of some cosmical calamity in the wiring (and assuming your turn signal switch is in operating order) following those three steps will restore your turn signals.

Mike

1970 Bus - The Ruptured Duck

[dstefun]

Both the non-USA and USA busses for '70 should have 12 fuses, they're just wired very slightly different. You need to decipher your M-code plate to really see what you have. The M-code plate for '68-'76 should be on the metal wall behind the driver's seat, and the 2 character export destination code is in the right middle of the bottom row. See this link for more info. http://www.type2.com/m-codes/

Once you determine the destination code, look it up here. That will at least tell you whether it's a USA bus or not. All USA destinations start with a 'U' http://www.type2.com/m-codes/t2countr.html

Back to your fuse blowing. You are blowing the turn signal fuse. Since the flasher wiring is evidently integral to the fuse block, it's pretty hard to screw that up. I totally agree with duck - first make sure you have the right flasher.
Pull it out. Does it still blow fuses? If so, your problem is in the wiring from fuse #4 to the emergency switch, the emergency switch itself, or the wiring from the switch to the flasher. If not, the flasher could be shorted internally or your problem is in the turn signal switch or associated wiring to the turn lights, front or rear. The left rear wiring is OK because that brake light works. Make sure there is a double contact bulb (I think they are 1157's) in each rear turn light. Single contact bulbs like used in the front will short out if used in the rear.
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Radio Questions R Us - what'cha need to know?
"Out! Out! You demons of stupidity!"
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62 SC & 66 Bus

[scruggs]

Thanks for the suggestions...I am going to try these as soon as I wake up in the morning. Also the links gave me an idea of wether or not I want to take my bus back to what is was originally or not. I probably won't seeing as it is supposed to be a campmobile and is missing all of the mechanicals to put it back that way. And the only thing left from the interior are the shelves, but I think that I am going to keep those. Well, thanks again for the help and I will post again tomorrow after I have tried your suggestions.