Date:         Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:39:10 -0500
Reply-To:     Dan Hall <elektro@WESTAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dan Hall <elektro@WESTAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: '86 Westy cranking trouble
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f90804211131x61a77714i9605a00d86ccbe46@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Have cut back the wire off D15 til I got to some that wasn't heat
damaged and jumped that to the wire off the ignition switch.  Van
started fine.

According to my glovebox manual, fuses 5 and 6 are vacant.

Nice thing would be to figure out how to use one of those slots in the
repair.

Am also thinking that while I have all the wiring out and in my head
woudn't hurt to run a few voltage and ground tests just to make sure
I've no other potential problems or shorts to ground anywhere.

Dan



On Apr 21, 2008, at 1:31 PM, neil N wrote:

> Good on ya!
>
>
>> What I'm thinking I will do is splice into the black wire off the
>> ignition switch before it gets to A8 connector, install an inline
>> fuse
>> and route the splice to the black coil 12 volt wire, bypassing the
>> damaged D15 slot on the connector.  The black ignition wire seems to
>> power other components on current track 15 across the top of the
>> pages
>> in Bentley or I would route the wire direct with no splice.
>
>
> Is it possible to cut and shunt in (solder) a new section of wire
> before D15, then run to coil?
>
> I would test with a jumper from a pre damaged wire section to coil
> first.
>
> Neil.
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 10:45 AM, Dan Hall <elektro@westal.net> wrote:
>> Following the sage advice of our esteemed list members, I began
>> tracing the black wire from the ignition switch to the to the
>> connectors on the back of the fuse/relay panel.
>>
>> 12 volt current was fine on the A8 connector going into the fuse/
>> panel
>> but on the D15 connector coming out the voltage tested a 4 volts.  I
>> could see heat damage on that wire.
>> Applied a little JB blaster and warmed the connector slightly and the
>> white D connector came out  of panel fine.   Voila!  The white
>> plastic
>> connector was burned black around the area where the wire to the coil
>> connects--and there was little left of the metal connector.   Don't
>> know if that D15 slot on the connector is repairable.
>> ,
>> What I'm thinking I will do is splice into the black wire off the
>> ignition switch before it gets to A8 connector, install an inline
>> fuse
>> and route the splice to the black coil 12 volt wire, bypassing the
>> damaged D15 slot on the connector.  The black ignition wire seems to
>> power other components on current track 15 across the top of the
>> pages
>> in Bentley or I would route the wire direct with no splice.
>>
>> I might even decide to use this black 12 volt wire to trigger a new
>> relay so the coil can enjoy direct battery voltage.
>>
>> Or does the coil not get fed with battery voltage from the alternator
>> off the power relay when it closes?
>>
>> Thanks for all the advice and help.
>>
>> Dan
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Apr 20, 2008, at 9:08 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> The connection points are easy enough to get to, find, and fix. That
>>> circuit is also used to operate the turn signals, wipers, etc. I
>>> would
>>> check the connectors on the back of the fuse box. You can jump where
>>> the
>>> power goes in and then comes out. The Bentley diagram will give the
>>> connector and pin numbers.
>>>
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>> Behalf Of
>>> Dan Hall
>>> Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 9:44 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: '86 Westy cranking trouble
>>>
>>>
>>> On Apr I bought the van from the original owner in 1993---had around
>>> 60,000 miles on it.
>>> Now almost 270,000 miles.
>>>
>>> Since I've been informed that the circuit to the coil is unfused,
>>> and
>>> to save tracing this wire all the way back to the ignition switch,
>>> trying to find the source of the resistance, could I not just use
>>> the
>>> original wire to trigger a new relay to the coil, the relay getting
>>> power off the hot post in that junction box on the firewall?
>>> Could even install fuse to protect the system better.
>>>
>>> Thoughts?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> And I will certainly run some tests to see if anything is shorting
>>> to
>>> ground and to find any possible restriction causing the poor
>>> voltage.
>>> Could a short to ground cause this voltage drop?
>>> Dan Hall
>>>
>>>
>>>>>
>