Ok, I have to double check this, but I think the lights already work that way. Key on, headlights on. I'm not playing smart ass. Something is funked... I hate to play quick and dirty but I'm thinking about a looooong wire from the yellow and black feeding the coil to see if that straightens it out. It's a bodge though... I'll tackle it in the morning...Marc wrote:I don't recall when they went to the narrower lug for term 58b (dash illum lights). Ideally you'd change the female connector to match, but if the wide one fits snugly it'll function OK.
Sometimes the "X" wire from the inline junction between the ignition switch and the headlamp switch is black/yellow, sometimes its red/black (fortunately the latter is rare, since its easy to confuse with the starter solenoid term 50 wire).
Looks like they rigged it to provide on-all-the-time power to the X terminal. If you lose that non-stock wire and feed "X" with the black/yellow wire from the ignition switch it'll make it so the key must be on for the headlights to work...but it won't help the "clocking" problem you're having at the ignition switch contacts.
71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
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heliarc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
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Marc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
"X" isn't designed to stay hot while cranking. You said earlier that "everything" was working, even with the X wire from the ign swx not connected to anything - that implies that an alternate source of power has been provided to the headlamp portion of the light switch. If the headlamps do indeed turn on and off with the key (without benefit of the X wire being connected) the only explanation would be if a relay controlled by term 15 were employed (as I mentioned above - such a solution would not turn off the headlamps while cranking).
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heliarc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
Ok, I'm still not over this issue. Is there a dirty fix that you can suggest? I'd be perfectly happy with a toggle for my ignition so long as the electrics will work properly. I know that my black/yellow wire is hot when I need it to be. What can I feed it to in order to make the car work?
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Marc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
I'm confident that given 5 minutes with a test lamp I could resolve this, but by remote control it's difficult.
IF the black/yellow wire from this ignition switch is hot in both the "on" and "crank" positions, it could be used instead of the black Term 15 wire...but IIRC, it's supposed to be dead while cranking.
"Dirty" fix? Well, if the Black/Yellow wire isn't being used for its intended function but is reliably "hot" in the ignition-on position, I suppose you could simply connect it and the black Term 15 wire together...that would feed the coil, etc. through the auxiliary "X" contacts of the ignition switch as well as through the primary "15" contacts. Since the "X" contacts are designed to handle the full current draw of the headlamps, they'd have ample capacity for the Term 15 loads.
If the "clocking" problem is also impeding reliable function of the "X" contacts too, you could of course just rig a toggle under the dash to feed the ignition, but that's not advisable from a safety standpoint (say the throttle stuck open or something and you needed to switch the engine off in a hurry - it's instinctive to switch off the key, not so much to have to grope around for a toggle switch)
IF the black/yellow wire from this ignition switch is hot in both the "on" and "crank" positions, it could be used instead of the black Term 15 wire...but IIRC, it's supposed to be dead while cranking.
"Dirty" fix? Well, if the Black/Yellow wire isn't being used for its intended function but is reliably "hot" in the ignition-on position, I suppose you could simply connect it and the black Term 15 wire together...that would feed the coil, etc. through the auxiliary "X" contacts of the ignition switch as well as through the primary "15" contacts. Since the "X" contacts are designed to handle the full current draw of the headlamps, they'd have ample capacity for the Term 15 loads.
If the "clocking" problem is also impeding reliable function of the "X" contacts too, you could of course just rig a toggle under the dash to feed the ignition, but that's not advisable from a safety standpoint (say the throttle stuck open or something and you needed to switch the engine off in a hurry - it's instinctive to switch off the key, not so much to have to grope around for a toggle switch)
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heliarc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
Thanks Marc. Yes it's trouble to try and wade through what's going on, especially on a botched electrical system without seeing it. I didn't check the black/yellow while cranking but it's hot even while everything else is dead. I think what I'll do is keep my eyes open for an old German made Beetle switch and install that. Meantime I'll use the dirty route and be able to run it normally. I plan on a few toggles anyhow. One for ignition cutoff, and one for the fuel jet cutoff mounted under the dash somewhere. I figure they'll be cheap anti theft. After looking inside this lock, it wouldn't even be 60 seconds. I'd be lucky to find the gutted shell in a ravine.
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heliarc
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Re: 71 standard, wrong ignition switch?
Marc, the dirty fix worked like a charm, thank you! I know it isn't right, but it's a hell of a lot better than before I got into it so I call it a net gain at least if not a win. A friend of mine is thinking it might be a junk switch, I don't know. I'll comb the junkyards anyhow so I can find a proper VW switch, hopefully a lock with keys, and some door handles. Thanks again!