1972 super beetle transaxle swap truble
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1971 vw van
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- Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:43 pm
1972 super beetle transaxle swap truble
Ok, I put a transaxile out of a 1970 or 71 standard beetle into a 1972 super beetle now i turn on the key i get the two red lights turn the key to start the car i get a click from the back of the car and nothing? I jumped the Starter with a screwdriver, it sounds like the starter is working but missing the flywheel. Is the key switch maybe bad? and could the starter be passing the flywheel? The trannys looked the same except the new tranny two plug in things on the tranny one on the right for the reverse light and one on the drivers side 1 plug in on it and one wire that is a red wire but im not sure where it goes. Any help would be great Thank You
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Marc
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Re: 1972 super beetle transaxle swap truble
The backup light switch has been in the same location since it debuted in `67, but there have been other switches added (for emissions-control purposes, varies with year/delivery point) - none of those are vital to operation.
Bigggg difference came between `70 and `71, when the clutch release bearing mechanism was redesigned. If the TOB looked the same on both transmissions, the "new" one must be a `71 and there's nothing to worry about there. The clutch release arm may be shorter which'll make a slight difference in the pedal feel, but ordinarily the cable length is still close enough that there's no need to change it.
Is this the same starter as you had before?
When you "jump" the starter are you going from the positive battery cable to the push-on connection on the solenoid or just across to the other big post on the back of the starter? The latter will make it spin but it won't engage the flywheel (VWs don't use a "Bendix" drive, it's the solenoid that physically pulls the pinion into engagement).
Lots of things can cause a no-crank condition, and often it's due to more than one "borderline" condition which makes it hard to isolate from this distance. If the car's been sitting a while, first thing I'd do is charge up the battery since if it's low any high resistance in the solenoid circuit could be enough to prevent it from working with the key, while still working if jumped at the solenoid.
Bigggg difference came between `70 and `71, when the clutch release bearing mechanism was redesigned. If the TOB looked the same on both transmissions, the "new" one must be a `71 and there's nothing to worry about there. The clutch release arm may be shorter which'll make a slight difference in the pedal feel, but ordinarily the cable length is still close enough that there's no need to change it.
Is this the same starter as you had before?
When you "jump" the starter are you going from the positive battery cable to the push-on connection on the solenoid or just across to the other big post on the back of the starter? The latter will make it spin but it won't engage the flywheel (VWs don't use a "Bendix" drive, it's the solenoid that physically pulls the pinion into engagement).
Lots of things can cause a no-crank condition, and often it's due to more than one "borderline" condition which makes it hard to isolate from this distance. If the car's been sitting a while, first thing I'd do is charge up the battery since if it's low any high resistance in the solenoid circuit could be enough to prevent it from working with the key, while still working if jumped at the solenoid.