| Author |
Message |
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:29 am Post subject: It died! |
 |
|
Was on my way to the show, hit a bump on the freeway, and she then died, able to pull over and get her off the freeway. No loose wires, headlights come on, radio comes on but no crank, no reaction from ignition. Everything seems to be in order, waiting on tow, any ideas?
Thanks |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 26734
Location: Hot Arizona
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:35 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| socal1904 wrote: |
No loose wires, headlights come on, radio comes on but no crank, no reaction from ignition. Everything seems to be in order, waiting on tow, any ideas?
Thanks |
Check for positive voltage getting to the ignition switch. Positive voltage goes first to headlight switch on these models.
Also check battery cables. Most likely this is not complicated or involved.
_________________
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, 2005 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 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rcroane 
Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2013
Posts: 1785
Location: Springfield, Virginia
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:21 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
Check wires at starter. Mine have been loose before, resulting in same symptoms.
_________________
'65 Sunroof Bug |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gt1953
Samba Member
Joined: May 08, 2002
Posts: 13228
Location: White Mountains Arizona
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:57 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
Somehow or other you lost the 12v at the coil.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.
72 type 1
73 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold}) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Texasdoc
Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2017
Posts: 31
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:20 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| Not sure about the beetle specifically, but sudden/instant death is usually electrical. Slow or gradual is usually fuel. Loud noises are mechanical. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sharp64
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 5164
Location: Central Florida
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
Check fuses? Always helps to carry some tools with you like a voltmeter.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wimkever
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2004
Posts: 360
Location: Holland (the Netherlands)
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| Sharp64 wrote: |
| Check fuses? Always helps to carry some tools with you like a voltmeter. |
There are no fuses in the start circuit, nor in the ignition circuit.
_________________
a beetle is like a cocker spaniel, always funny but sometimes not listening |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sharp64
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 5164
Location: Central Florida
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| wimkever wrote: |
| Sharp64 wrote: |
| Check fuses? Always helps to carry some tools with you like a voltmeter. |
There are no fuses in the start circuit, nor in the ignition circuit. |
Hmm. Yeah brain fart. Sorry. This did happen to me once and it was the coil wire falling off.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
Got it home, made sure nothing obvious had come loose, all wires in their place. Took out the ignition switch, made sure all the wires were securely on the terminals, scraped off some paint, screwed it back in, turned the key and she fired right up. Could it be the switch going bad? Maybe something else as well?
Thanks for all the feedback!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
67rustavenger
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015
Posts: 6140
Location: Hillsboro, Or.
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| socal1904 wrote: |
scraped off some paint,
Thanks for all the feedback!! |
^^^^^^ This! Clean electrical connections are the key to properly functioning 50+yo VW's.
Glad you got it sorted.
_________________
There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| Just wondering how it decided to go wrong, hadn’t had any issues with it before. Could hitting that bump at speed cause it to “loose” proper ground, or is it the switch going bad? Getting a new switch to have as a back up just in case. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sharp64
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 5164
Location: Central Florida
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:02 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
In general, how do your connections look? It’s a boring, tedious job but after 50 years the connectors can build up quite a bit of oxidation. Several methods to do so but may help to take a weekend to go through all of your electrical connections and clean everything. Brighter lights, better starts etc will typically be the result.
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:36 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| After a few successful starts it died again and the symptoms returned. Installed the new switch and seems to be all good now, fingers crossed!😁 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5546
Location: Brooklyn
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 9:10 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
battery cables clean and tight.
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 11:37 am Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| All other connection "appear" to be in good order, new battery cables and ground straps. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
socal1904
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2015
Posts: 99
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| It happens every so often, turn the key and nothing, no lights on the dash, no crank. Check all connections, everything seems to be in order, try again and she starts. Could it be a bad coil? If it is, what would cause a newish coil to go wrong? New spark plugs, new “good”wires, new ground straps😖, frustrating! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mukluk
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2012
Posts: 5522
Location: Clyde, TX
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| socal1904 wrote: |
| It happens every so often, turn the key and nothing, no lights on the dash, no crank. Check all connections, everything seems to be in order, try again and she starts. Could it be a bad coil? If it is, what would cause a newish coil to go wrong? New spark plugs, new “good”wires, new ground straps😖, frustrating! |
A bad coil wouldn't cause you to have no lights on the dash. Next time the problem presents itself, use a trouble light or volt meter to see where you're losing power between the battery and the ignition switch. Specifically, check both terminal ends of the red wire between the ignition switch and light switch, and the heavy red wire coming from the rear of the car into the light switch. Those three terminal locations should always have full battery power present, regardless of ignition switch position.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
67rustavenger
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015
Posts: 6140
Location: Hillsboro, Or.
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
Suspect your ignition switch is going bad.
That's what it sounds like from here.
Good Luck.
| socal1904 wrote: |
| It happens every so often, turn the key and nothing, no lights on the dash, no crank. Check all connections, everything seems to be in order, try again and she starts. Could it be a bad coil? If it is, what would cause a newish coil to go wrong? New spark plugs, new “good”wires, new ground straps😖, frustrating! |
_________________
There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mukluk
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2012
Posts: 5522
Location: Clyde, TX
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
Suspect your ignition switch is going bad.
That's what it sounds like from here.
Good Luck. |
He already replaced the switch, no change in symptoms. Taking that into account and the fact the radio works when the problem happens, it sounds like he's getting power up to the fuse block but intermittently losing power to the ignition switch.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
H&HRacing
Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2018
Posts: 8
Location: Long Island
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: It died! |
|
|
| Power comes from the back to the headlight switch and then to the ignition switch and fuse block, check that connection at the headlight switch. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
