Date:         Tue, 18 Jun 1996 11:55:15 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Rodney L. Boleyn" <boleyn@scr.siemens.com>
Subject:      Relay positions, 78


Howdy,

After a torrential downpour yesterday, with all the attendant drips
and leaks in my 78 bus, I pulled into a gas station to fill the tank.
As I turned off the windshield wipers, I accidently pushed the stalk
down into that notorious 4th "supposed to be a time-delay but isn't"
position, and some relay under the dash started going crazy clacking
on and off.  I quickly shut off the ignition, which also quelled the
relay.

After filling up, the bus wouldn't start.  No dash lights, no door
buzzer, no ominous click from the starter, nothing.  A gas station
attendant helped me push the bus away from the pumps into a parking
space, and I pondered my options awhile.

A certainty grew in my mind that the problem was the clacking relay I
had heard, but I didn't have a flashlight, book, or any tools with me
(duh) that would help me identify the wiper relay.  I checked to see
if the bus was still dead, and it was.  So, lacking other options, I
reached under the dash and blindly pulled the first relay that came to
hand, which happened to be the middle one.

I stuck the key in the ignition again, and got dash lights.  Hit the
starter, and the engine fired right up.  Sometimes I get lucky.
Checked the wipers, they worked.  Apparently I didn't pull any relay
associated with the wipers (well, except for the fact that they
actually seemed to work a little *better*).  Switched on the
headlights, got out and checked, they were working.  Stuck the middle
relay back in, and the bus didn't die, so I headed home.

Once home, I got out my Muir and Bentley, and tried to find something
that showed which relays were which.  Didn't find it!  The only thing
I found in either book which actually acknowledged that there ARE
relays in the electrical system was the wiring diagram in Bentley, which
of course doesn't help me identify the relays without tracing wires to
see where they go.

This morning, the bus wouldn't start again.  I had dash lights and
door buzzer, but the starter just went `click'.  Could something have
drained the battery down overnight?  Must be.

So, does anyone have any hints for me?  Does anyone know what the five
relay sockets are for?  My five sockets are only populated with four
relays, the rightmost socket (looking from the driver's seat) is
empty.  The relay I pulled (middle one) had corroded/rusty contacts,
but didn't seem wet.  I couldn't actually find any water on the fuse
box anywhere.

Also, are any of relays NOT fused, such that they could create a dead
short without blowing a fuse?  And, final question, are any of the
relays vital to proper operation of the engine, or could I pull all
of them and the engine still run correctly?

Thanks much,
Rodney