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z33taxi
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Joined: October 15, 2016
Posts: 119
Location: Troy, NY
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 Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:44 am Post subject: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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This morning I went to drive the beetle to get some milk and fill the tires with air. I got about 100 yards when the car stalled out. I tried restarting thr car, but it only cranked. When i checked the rear I noticed smoke and the smell of electrical. It was the main wire going to the + side of the coil, it was roasted, as was the wire going to the fuel aolenoid on the carb.
The PO added a new section of wire at the rear firewall from the main black cable; seems it had broken and they just ran a smaller cable.
My question is, short of a new harness,which will be on order after typing this, what can I do? I had a trip planned in the beetle for next week and Ive been working all winter for this. I'm thinking of going farther back and running just that one cable. OR doing what the PO did,but wiring it better and with the appropriate gauge wire. Any help would be appreciated
I have the rear door card out and was thinking about splicing there. I dont know how possiable/probable it would be to run a single wire from the fuse box all the way back
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 33149
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:57 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| z33taxi wrote: |
| I dont know how possible/probable it would be to run a single wire from the fuse box all the way back |
I've done exactly that on both my VWs, decades ago: out through grommet under driver front fender, under running board, back under. My gauge wires follow same path. I have also installed a 10-amp in-line fuse between the fuse box and the coil positive wire. Use cable ties, use existing grommets and nooks and crannies to route it.
| z33taxi wrote: |
| I'm thinking of going farther back and running just that one cable. |
Or go forward to where the #15 positive wire is OK, and solder in heavier gauge wire, use shrink tubing too. And see the part about the in-line fuse above.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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z33taxi
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Joined: October 15, 2016
Posts: 119
Location: Troy, NY
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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I ran the wire in stock location. Wasnt too hard, I used a coat hanger to help guide it. It comes to a thick red wire that is tied into #2 on the fuse box
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Frodge
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Joined: October 04, 2006
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Location: Dump
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 11:30 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| These wires all harden up with age. Some of mine seem like the insulation is a little hard. Is it necessary to do a complete wiring harness because of the 1 black wire that goes to the coil? Seems insane. I don't want to eventually have to run a whole new harness because of that. Say it ain't so. what do you folks do for a couple wires in the engine bay that have hardened up? |
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z33taxi
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Location: Troy, NY
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sb001
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Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10463
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| IMO I do not think the smaller wire they ran is the issue, otherwise this would have happened a long time ago. What I believe happened was another wire connected to your + terminal on the coil fell off and/or shorted to ground somehow causing this issue. You should have 3 wires connected to the + coil terminal- power wire to the coil from up front, reverse light switch wire coming off the coil, and the other wire you mentioned coming off the coil going to your carb idle solenoid. This wire ALSO daisy chains off that and goes around the other side of the carb to your choke. Check ALL these wires and make sure one did not come loose. |
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Frodge
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 12:23 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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I agree with the above.
Another thought I had, is, I'm pretty sure these 3 wires in most cars have been rewired at some point, both from being yanked, pulled, shorted, hardened etc. What is the vw method of doing a repair I'd the wire is broken or hardened etc after it comes out of the harness in the engine bay.... |
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z33taxi
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Joined: October 15, 2016
Posts: 119
Location: Troy, NY
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| IMO I do not think the smaller wire they ran is the issue, otherwise this would have happened a long time ago. What I believe happened was another wire connected to your + terminal on the coil fell off and/or shorted to ground somehow causing this issue. You should have 3 wires connected to the + coil terminal- power wire to the coil from up front, reverse light switch wire coming off the coil, and the other wire you mentioned coming off the coil going to your carb idle solenoid. This wire ALSO daisy chains off that and goes around the other side of the carb to your choke. Check ALL these wires and make sure one did not come loose. |
You are correct. It was a wire in the front that had come off and grounded. How are the reverse lights wired? I know they come from the coil, i know there is an inline fuse,
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mondshine
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Joined: October 27, 2006
Posts: 2813
Location: The World's Motor Capital
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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On my Thing, I have added an in-line fuse to protect the "terminal 15" ignition circuit.
This is a Metri-pack 630 Pull to Seat ATC Fuse Holder from: http://www.cycleterminal.com/
These cars are engineered for "bare bones economy"; but to me, leaving the ignition circuit unprotected is a mistake. |
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Joel
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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You would need a pretty heavy fuse in that as its now carrying the load of the entire ignition circuit - wipers, turn signals, coil, fan, instrumentation etc.
A better way to do it is to remove the coil wire itself from the fuse box and run an in line fuse there.
Everything else on the ignition circuit is already fused.
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
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sb001
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| Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:07 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| z33taxi wrote: |
You are correct. It was a wire in the front that had come off and grounded. How are the reverse lights wired? I know they come from the coil, i know there is an inline fuse, |
Yes the wiring for the reverse light switch bolted to the transmission (activated when you select reverse gear) comes off the coil + terminal and has an inline fuse protecting it. After the fuse, that wire goes back around the fan shroud passenger side and down through a hole in the front engine tin to the switch on the transmission.
Then, another wire comes back off that switch, back up through the same sheathing and comes out right past that hole in the front engine tin and goes into a plastic "T" connector. (If you look down behind the fan shroud passenger side you should see this connector dangling there.) Each wire coming off the other side of the T connector is for your reverse lights, they both go back behind the tarboard and to either side of the car for left and right reverse lights.
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z33taxi
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Location: Troy, NY
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z33taxi
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Joined: October 15, 2016
Posts: 119
Location: Troy, NY
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| Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 12:51 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| Joel wrote: |
You would need a pretty heavy fuse in that as its now carrying the load of the entire ignition circuit - wipers, turn signals, coil, fan, instrumentation etc.
A better way to do it is to remove the coil wire itself from the fuse box and run an in line fuse there.
Everything else on the ignition circuit is already fused. |
Wasn't that how it was from the factory? Carry that load? Could I not throw an inline fuse in and still have to run to the fuse box as well?
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=665936 |
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
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Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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Like I said earlier, I have a 10-amp inline fuse on the ignition circuit on both of my VWs. I happened to use cylindrical glass fuses but a more-modern inline fuse would be fine.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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Joel
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| Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 5:59 am Post subject: Re: Wiring "quick/temp" fix |
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| z33taxi wrote: |
| Joel wrote: |
You would need a pretty heavy fuse in that as its now carrying the load of the entire ignition circuit - wipers, turn signals, coil, fan, instrumentation etc.
A better way to do it is to remove the coil wire itself from the fuse box and run an in line fuse there.
Everything else on the ignition circuit is already fused. |
Wasn't that how it was from the factory? Carry that load? Could I not throw an inline fuse in and still have to run to the fuse box as well? |
Sorry I was talking about Mondshines setup.
Coil wasn't fused from factory in vws, the cause of many fires.
You can remove every fuse in a vw and it will still start and drive, just wondering the have lights or wipers.
Just put an in line fuse on the coil wire same as cusser has done above.
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle |
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