Date:         Sat, 25 May 2002 23:33:29 -1000
Reply-To:     Ed Sato <edsato@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ed Sato <edsato@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Testing Front Door Power Lock Accuators??
Comments: To: fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Why not try a balloon for the full McGyver. Good work by the way! Aloha,
Ed


On Sat, 25 May 2002 09:55:03 +0200 Robert Steven Fish
<fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT> writes:
> Hi all,
>
> As nobody out there seems to be a guru on the Power Locks, I took it
> upon
> myself to pull one out and dive in (after waiting the obligitory few
> hours
> for a reply from list members).
>
> Anyway, the rivets are not an issue... I thought I had to cut them
> all, and
> then re-rivet them, but I played around with the lock accuator and
> saw where
> it was pivoting on.  I had to peel back a sticky messy foam coating,
> and
> beneath was the one lone screw to remove the unit.
>
> I opened the little bugger up last night, and was rather surprised
> to see
> that it was filled with water!  Since it had probable been filled
> with water
> for a year or so, that meant that all the metar was either corroded
> or
> rusted, nothing moved or turned, and it was generally a sad scene.
>
> After a few hours with a little wire brush thing, a nail clippers
> file, a
> small pointed grinding wheel, and some penetrating oil, I managed to
> take
> the entire assembly apart, and clean it up and put it back together.
>
> There is a contact that slides against the side as the main gear
> wheel
> rotates, and that contact is embedded inside a slit in a plastic
> part...
> should just stick out far enough to make contact.
>
> Beneath this contact were springs... very thin cheap springs, which
> in mine
> were simply rust dust now.  I pried the little contact piece out,
> cleaned
> out all the messy steel bits and rust powder, and tried to think, at
> 2am,
> how to get this little thing spring loaded again.
>
> I happened to look into my desk drawer, thinking for some odd reason
> that I
> would have the perfectly sized and tensioned springs in there... and
> I
> actually did!   I grabbed an old mini-Bic lighter, and ripped it
> apart, the
> spring for the flint is too thin and stiff, but the spring under the
> gas
> lever is perfect!  If you cut it exactly in half, place the cut
> (sharp) edge
> down, and then load the metal contact strip back in until it clicks,
> you
> will have a professional overhaul completed!!
>
> Now I get to do the other one today... and yes, I do have another
> lighter.
>
> QUESTION:  What can I do about the boots??  They are gone, and I am
> imagining little plastic bags glued on to the accuator or
> something... does
> anyone know if one can just buy the boot, or is there a McGuyver
> type fix
> that I can try??
>
> Thanks for listening to my reply to my own posting!
>
> RSF
>
> <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{
>
> Robert S. Fish
> Salzburg, Austria
> 1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
> 1987 Golf Cabriolet
> 1991 Golf
>
>
> > I am finally getting around to troubleshooting my dead power lock
> system.
> >
> > This afternoon I took the rear hatch panel off, and connected
> power (using
> a
> > hot test lead)  to the yellow wire connected to the power lock
> accuator...
> > Surprise!  The thing spun, and actually locked the door... and
> better
> yet...
> > so did the side door!  White wire then unlocked them both... cool!
> >
> > So then I got into the front doors... and on the passenger side,
> the red
> > wire is indeed hot, so I used it to power the yellow wire, and
> Presto!
> The
> > rear and side doors locked... white wire unlocked them... Hmmm
> >
> > This also works when I give power to the yellow and white wires in
> the
> > driver's side door (from a hot test lead, as the red wire is NOT
> hot on
> that
> > side).  But the FRONT DOOR LOCKS NEVER MOVE!!
> >
> > QUESTION: Can I test the function of the front door accuators
> somehow?  Or
> > do I really need to remove them (I HATE rivets) and open them up
> and clean
> > contacts etc.??
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your advice!!
> >
> > RSF
> >
> > PS. The boot on the passenger side is shot, so I will remove that
> one
> first
> > if necessary, and clean it up.  If I manage to get it working, is
> there
> any
> > trick to manufacturing a new boot for these things??
> >
> >
> > <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{
> >
> > Robert S. Fish
> > Salzburg, Austria
> > 1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
> > 1987 Golf Cabriolet
> > 1991 Golf
> >
>
>