Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 12:12:08 -0400
Reply-To: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Subject: Re: 86 Vanagon Fuse Box
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
You realize the radiator fan will run all the time if your AC is switched
on?
Jay
Donald Long <blackcreekfarm@HOTMAIL.COM>@gerry.vanagon.com> on 07/25/2003
11:22:49 AM
Please respond to Donald Long <blackcreekfarm@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent by: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
cc:
Subject: Re: 86 Vanagon Fuse Box
Thanks for your reply Mark.
Here is what lies behind my original question...
I now have a problems with my van, which seemed to appeared after the
fuse
box was replaced.
TRIP
Drove 1000 miles, stopped, then van would not start. Turned over fine.
Exhausted all the usual sources of problem (I thought).
TOW?FIX
Towed to Johns Car Care in Winchester VT. They diagnosed as needing a new
fuse box. It had burn-out signs on the wire that goes up to headlight
switch. I was on vacation so they FIXED it on Monday so I could get on my
way and I thank them, really.
BUT THEN
Not surpringly when I got it back the 1) headlights (high beams) did not
work, 2) the fan for front radiator came on as soon as I turned the key one
stop, is suppressed during start, then runs all time van is running, 3) the
fasten seat belt light came on as soon as I inserted the key in ignition.
BOOMERRANG
NORMAL road trip, right, just live with it. So I drive another 1500 miles
back down to NC ober a 2 week period and had no trouble. in rain at last of
it. Went out the next morning after arival NC and surprise surprise, same
problem. Waited a day, then it started, drove a day and it stopped. Now
I
seem to remember a few months ago when "bluebird" did the same thing to me
and then cured itself plus the lights had flickered a bit at idle prior to
my last trip. OK, Sherlockians.
WHINE...
First I swear to the car gods that I will get rid of this van after I get
this stuff fixed...relieves some tension...then back to the hospital lab
for
my poor little "bluebird". Preface by saying I'm still learning how to use
a test meter.
GET SERIOUS,
I finally took a really really good look at the top of my alternator where
those two red wires and the little grey ground wire hang around. Looked
good but then on prying about a bit I found the one red wire was only held
at the end on the plastic cover and with a break in between that and the
clip end making the contact plus corrosion. Given the cussedness of
current
it worked while it worked.
I think that is the reason it would not start in VT and elsewhere.
HINDSIGHT
And the time it took the shop to just replace the toaster (fuse box) was
the
time it needed to dry out and begin starting again. I'll go with that for
now. Down $300.00.
-----------------------
TODAY
Bluebird starts now and no flickering of lights.
BUT
Existing problems and how I've messed with them.
1) No high beams......I was using the high beams a bit (risky) in the rain
and on a muddy detour there in Vermont prior to no-start. So maybe I added
a litttle more toasting to the wires.
a. checked HB bulbs...look fine.
b. Wires are a little toasty at fuse box and at the headlight dashboard
switch. Looks OK at column.
I substituted relays, headlight dash switch, and another
headlight/turn sig asssembly from my
donor 86 (did not mount it on column).
Result: Still no high beams.
Next: Sure my donors could be bad so I'll have to verify that
somehow.
Suggestions?:
2) I'm almost positive the radiator fan ran from the get-go (war talk) of
new fuse box installation.
a) I removed fuse 12 from the box and the fan stops running all the
time. Let van heat up to
normal and fan comes on as usual. Great. But now my overhead fan
for
AC (I use it to circulate
hot air since the dash fan is on long-term vacation) does not work
with
fuse out.
Result: leave # 12 fuse out and do without AC hot air circ.
Next: I guess checking the sensors, thermostat, ground for fan and that
route in case this is a
separate problem that had nothing to do with the fuse-box breakdown
repair.
Suggestions?
3) Fasten seat belt light.
Actually solved this one. Sure. The shop had put a plain relay in that
above-the-fuse-box-holder slot for the annoying buzzer. It was not a true
buzzer relay. I put in a spare buzzer and voila, no more fasten/ignition
light when I leave the key in the van. Peace and quiet.. I did clip the
wire inside the donor relay so I did not have to listen to the buzzer.
Thanks in advance your solicitations, advice and humorous comments..
HUMOR...By the roadway.
I drove 1000 miles from NC to Wilmington VT without seeing a single
bleeping
Vanagon,
running or resting. Breakdown and I walk 5 blocks down to the NAPA store
for some relays (like Hershey's kisses for Bluebird) and on the way I see
a
Vanagon coming at me. I wave, smile, look helpless, limp, but no stop,
but
do get a funny look I get from the driver. I realize he just doesn't
know
by looking at me that I own a brokendown Vanagon. I gotta work on my image.
FIXITS
A tidbit ... I made the van look better by removing those awful trim pieces
in the windshields and side windows. THEN I replaced them with heavy duty
black double strand lamp cord. No kidding. Has held up fine for over a
year. Using some creamy hand cleaner I pushed one half cord in with
fingers
and sometimes tapped with plastic end of big screwdriver. It tightens up
the rubber really well. Please, no Polish jokes.
The other tidbit to save fixup money...I know that you all probably know
this....
if the bottom driver and passenger front window seal (where you rest your
arm) is dried out and crappy (whose isn't?), go to your donor van and get
the opposite INSIDE rubber trim piece, which is in great condition, and use
it on the opposite outside. Require just a little snipping of rubber at
the
end and some black goop to secure them in.
Mate says.... I run on more than my van does.
>From: mark drillock <drillock@earthlink.net>
>To: Donald Long <blackcreekfarm@HOTMAIL.COM>
>CC: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: 86 Vanagon Fuse Box
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 11:59:50 -0700
>
>Yes, the 86 fuse boxes are the same, early or late. Many mid to late 80s
>VWs used the same one, Jetta, Golf, Quantum... The part was changed
>internally for the later years but they work interchangeably and only
>the newer one is sold.
>
>Original part number- 171 941 813 D
>
>Replacement part number- 171 941 821 D
>
>Mark
>
>
>
>Donald Long wrote:
> >
> > Replaced the fuse box and now some strange electrical problems.
> >
> > Can someone tell me.
> >
> > Is the 86 Vanagon low VIN # Fuse Box the same as the 86 Vanagon high
VIN
>#
> > number Fuse Box?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
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