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Date:         Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:23:58 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Electric problem in 2.1l
Comments: To: Thomas Pfrommer <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <4A6FC2AF.80309@phas.ubc.ca>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

In the Bentley check the X circuit. This is probably common to all the systems you have that don't work. In which case the problem is almost certainly your ignition key switch.

On Jul 28, 2009, at 11:31 PM, Thomas Pfrommer wrote:

> Hello, > OK I troubleshooted a bit more and cleaned all grounds in the back of > the Relay/fuse panel, removed the dash and checked the voltage > stabilizer and then suddenly it worked. So I turned the Hi beams on, > the > air blower fan on and the radio on, the brake lights for about 10 > minutes. Then turned everything off. waited 5 minutes and tried it > again, now nothing of the electrical things would work but the engine > runs fine. Except When I turn the headlights on (no light is there) > and > then switch to the Hi Beam, which would not stay now as the HDLights > are > not on the fan and the radio goes on as well but only every second > time > I switch the Hi Beam on. > This actually cries for a relay failure, doesn't it? So I looked in > this > crazy 97 chapter of electrical circuits in the Bentley and there is > this > load reduction relay (#8) which is in the circuit. Would this indicate > such a failure? I also see all failures I have look to the ground at > the > relay box but I did connect the ground crown directly to the battery > minus with an AWG12 cable and the problem stays. SO I will probably > now > go ahead and buy this #8 relay as well as the ignition switch and then > see what fixes it. I hope I do not have to remove the steering wheel, > .... and hope for the relay. > > So what causes all this? I remember I had a light switch failure with > some melted plastic half a year ago when I had the Hi beams on. So I > bought a new light switch (man this was expensive --- about 50$ or so) > and this fixed it. My whole problem came when i was driving about 30 > minutes with Hi beams in the middle of nowhere at night. So perhaps > this > plastic melting sparky thing half a year ago damaged either the > ignition > switch or the load reduction relay? And then with another load like Hi > Beams for a long time, I just damaged it even more .... > > Does this makes sense? > Thanks already for all your help! > Cheers > Thomas > > > > Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote: >> As many others may say ...... >> consider your ignition switch. >> ( I just fixed a 'classic' late model vanagon common failure - >> headlights >> won't work except if you pull the stalk to get high beams ....... >> the wiring diagram ..............and 87 I think it was .........is >> difficult >> to use or understand for the head lights, more than the diagrams for >> say, an >> 84 . Anyway ........ >> we had another ignition switch to try, plugged that >> in ..........and the >> lights were fixed ! ) >> >> so ...do consider that part. It's really underbuilt on a vanagon. >> if you have a spare one, or new one handy, it's easy to remove the >> plug >> from the back of the ignition switch, and plug on the new one, and >> turn it >> with a screw driver. >> if that fixes it, it's a little more involved to replace the switch >> in >> the >> steering column. Remove steering wheel, the whole lock assembly, >> then >> you >> can get to a small screw holding the electrical part of the ign >> switch >> into >> the lock assembly. >> >> voltage stabilizer in the dash pops to mind. >> as do grounds !~ ......... >> there's a ground cluster above the fuse box, way up in there. Those >> commonly get weak, loose, or corroded. >> Always check those and repair any bad ground wires there. >> >> I'd test-fit a ignition switch first myself. >> it's an inexpensive part, it's a part you want to have on board as a >> spare, >> and just plugging in one is easy. >> So small investment in energy and $ for a potentially big fix. >> Worst case, you've got a spare ignition switch, which you should have >> anyway. >> >> the 86 and later Bentley light switch and head light wiring is >> illustrated >> in such a weird and 'jump from here to there' way ........that I >> would >> just >> re-draw that whole circuit for myself, to get a clear view of how it >> works. >> good luck ! >> Scott >> www.turbovans.com >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Thomas Pfrommer" <pfrommer@PHAS.UBC.CA> >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 6:17 PM >> Subject: Electric problem in 2.1l >> >> >>> Hi everyone, >>> >>> its been a long time since I am posting here, which is a good sign >>> as it >>> means the van is running (I am still following the list but can't >>> really >>> help to contribute). Well this is not the case any more and I hope >>> I can >>> get some good hints. >>> Occasionally (and lately more and more often) suddenly the red water >>> temperature warning light starts to flash, then the rpm meter shows >>> weird behavior (not related to the engines rpm) and then the engine >>> stops. The coolant temperature is not too high and also I have a >>> full >>> coolant tank. It seems to be connected to how much electrical >>> equipment >>> is running, hence if my head lights are on and I brake the described >>> behavior occurs. Or if the radio is on and so on, .... it first came >>> when I had the Hi-beam on on the highway to the Okanagan in British >>> Columbia in the middle of nowhere .... luckily with the van you >>> can just >>> stop and sleep and wait for the next day to not drive with lights (I >>> first thought about the light fuses). >>> So I checked the fuses and all relays seem to be OK (I can't see any >>> black locations that would indicate some failure). >>> Hm, somewhere I have a bad connection but where and how can i find >>> this >>> out? And if I draw too much current a short happens and all is out, >>> ..... at least thats what I think.... >>> Do you have an idea how I could carry on with testing to check where >>> this problem comes from? I was looking at the wiring in the >>> Bentley but >>> could not come to one conclusive idea where this problem happens. >>> The >>> thing that the engine stops is hard to grep, as it could be the fuel >>> pump the ignition system or something else, .... so I don't know >>> at what >>> wiring I should start, .... >>> >>> Thanks already for the help >>> Thomas >>


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