Electrical Hell Revisited

Air-Cooled Head · Post by **Air-Cooled Head** » Sun Jun 23, 2002 4:15 am

Not that I ever left electrical hell. I just stopped looking for the door for awhile.
So some more investigation reveals that it's my BRAKE lights that are on with the ignition, not my taillights, as I had said.
Does this indicate bad switches on the MC? Or is it still likely a wiring issue?

Hank Winning · Post by **Hank Winning** » Sun Jun 23, 2002 5:40 am

Does the VW have a dual master cylinder?
if so there are 2 brake switches and they are wired in parallel
one of the switches could be stuck on
or the electrical connectors could be touching
or corrosion

jack up and remove the LF tire- block it up

reach in and remove the rubber boot on the brake switches

the black wire supply power
smaller red wire goes to the dash brake warning
red/black wire go to the brake lights

with the key on ( you might want to pull #15 wire off the coil so you don't fry the points)
pull the black wire off each one at a time and check for the B/lights on

re hook up #15 wire on coil

Air-Cooled Head · Post by **Air-Cooled Head** » Sun Jun 23, 2002 11:19 pm

Thanks Hank. Turns out they're stuck. I cleaned the posts and gave them a few taps w/ wrench. No lights on ignition, but stay on after brakes are on.
So to make sure I get the right switches;
When did the plastic tab on the switch go away?
The switches on my 68 Bug have a plastic tab in the center of the 3 prongs, which the plugs on my 70 KG have no provision for. I'll have to be careful.
Thanks

Post by **Marc** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 8:55 am

The next time you have an electrical problem, may I suggest that you spend just a few more minutes accurately determining and describing the symptoms? Your failure to do so in this case caused a huge waste of others' time. I'm happy to help when I can, but at least do your part and ask the right questions!
The `68/early `69 dual circuit master cylinder used three 2-prong switches on the M/C (two hydraulic stoplight switches and one mechanical sensor that operated the warning light on the dash). Later cars had two 3-prong switches which managed the warning light feature through some clever wiring. Look at the `68 and `70 wiring diagrams at vintagebus.com to see the difference. Early harnesses can be converted to work with the later M/C, but most people don't care about the warning light so don't bother with it. The two prongs that are directly across from each other on the 3-prong switch are the only ones that need to be connected for the brakelights to work.

[This message has been edited by Marc (edited 06-24-2002).]

69ghia · Post by **69ghia** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:43 am

If air cooled is like me the wiring systems can be very frustrating at times. I have put them off in the past or asked a question when I could not figure it out. Only to find that it was an easy answer and was right in front of me.

Kerwin

------------------
69 Ghia Coupe
72 Bug
85 GMC Truck
www.angelfire.com/retro/kerwinq/

Air-Cooled Head · Post by **Air-Cooled Head** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 10:12 am

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Marc:
spend just a few more minutes accurately determining and describing the symptoms? Your failure to do so in this case caused a huge waste of others' time. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In the future, I WILL do so. I kicked myself for not realizing it was the brake lights. My apologies for wasting the time of others. At least, I didn't waste their efforts, as I did my own.

rich2481 · Post by **rich2481** » Mon Jun 24, 2002 10:45 am

But if they spend more time looking at their problems, who are we going to pick on??

I dont think people would ask questions if they could see the whole picture, ( Sometimes we get one track minds) I think that is why they call this Forum Newbies.
All of us cannot be Genuises.

[This message has been edited by rich2481 (edited 06-24-2002).]

j_c_hamilton · Post by **j_c_hamilton** » Tue Jun 25, 2002 1:35 pm

see my comment on snotty comments in http://shoptalkforums.com/bbs/NonCGI/Fo ... 01069.html

Jeez, Marc, take it easy...
The only reason I go online is to waste a huge amount of time (especially at work)...

------------------
Jason Hamilton
The Online Karmann Ghia Resource
1969 & 1970 Type 143

Post by **Marc** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 2:28 am

rich2481 wrote:All of us cannot be Genuises...

Sometimes (usually after imbibing too many adult beverages) I do forget that. Apology offered.

helowrench · Post by **helowrench** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 7:16 am

Marc wrote:
rich2481 wrote:All of us cannot be Genuises...
Sometimes (usually after imbibing too many adult beverages) I do forget that. Apology offered.

I was told, in the beginning of my aviation career, "boy, don't ever think you are a genius until you change your name to 'Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius', and we all know how that worked out for him, don't we".
That old geezer has done more for me, attitude wise, than all of the schooling, before and since, so I try to live by it........

Unless I stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

Post by **Marc** » Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:44 am

helowrench wrote:...Unless I stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

WileECoyote1.jpg

They lied to us, though - a coyote can do over 40 MPH, more than twice as fast as a roadrunner - and roadrunners also fly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJJW7EF5 ... r_embedded

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