Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 18:23:45 -0400
Reply-To: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject: Re: What is this connector??
In-Reply-To: <200208222109.g7ML9Yqf085913@mail.aros.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
It's the auto-destruct fitting. Don't touch that.
Okay it isn't.
It is the TDC sensor, a vestigial tail of sorts from a Rube Goldberg
"diagnosis" center that VW had back in the 1970's. It leads to a
magnetic sensor that reads two magnets embedded in the back of the
flywheel.
It was really very German in its cleverness. By hooking into the system
and running the motor (back during the 1970's) VW could
ascertain/extrapolate all manner of things from the relationship between
the vacuum and the TDC sensor and some other stuff they tapped into
across the engine. They could (allegedly) tell you the compression, the
spark gap, and the number of cigarette butts in the ash tray without
"hard measuring" any of these things.
It even worked, sometimes. During the first year or so.
The 411/412s and the 1970's buses had the most sophisticated (or
convoluted, perhaps) system. You can see a 6cm x 3 cm white connection
fixture in the upper right of 1976-1978 bus engine bays; that was the
"diagnosis" hook up.
The performance and ingenuity was on par with VW's spare-tire-driven
windshield washers. Great idea. Usually didn't work very well. I haven't
a clue why they still had it in 1982... for old times' sake?
Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Marketing & Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
AIM = IExplain4u
Phone: +1.919.658.1278
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of John Brush
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 3:04 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: What is this connector??
I think its my week to ask a lot of questions. I appreciate everyone's
help and suggestions.
While muckin about 'under the hood' of my air cooled, FI, I came across
a
wire and connector that I cannot identify.
Perhaps someone in the know could take a look at this pic
ftp.aros.net/pub/users/jbrush/outgoing/vanconn.jpg
and tell me what the 'white' colored cable, crossing to the right, with
the three pin connector on it, is for, where it goes? It seems to
originate back near the throttle, and I put the connector up against the
air filter box for the picture. It was laying under the intakes when I
found it.
The pic is a small file and only takes a few secs at 53K
Thanks in advance for the assist.
Regards,
John
