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Date:         Mon, 24 Jun 1996 21:22:20 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         kenb@sirius.com (Ken Bowen)
Subject:      Solenoid relay

Greetings-

Pulled over for gas in Modesto returning from camping last weekend. After filling up I turned the key...nothing happened. It was like a million degrees and I wanted to get back to the coast. The idea of working on the bus was out of the question; I push started across the parking lot and jammed home. Monday I got under the bus with a scrap of ten gauge wire. I could get the starter to spin and the solenoid to activate as well. I decided to replace the stock wiring to the solenoid with a relay and some heavy wire straight from the battery.

I bought a Bosch 12 volt 30 Amp relay for a couple bucks at the parts place. I cut, spliced, and soldered a 14 gauge wire onto the wire from the ignition switch at the solenoid. This was the hardest part, as I had to solder on my back, under the bus. It helped to remove the right wheel and place the back on a jack stand. Bob Hoover told me to go ahead and solder wires and then put three pieces of heat shrink tubing-each one a bit shorter-over the joint. I ran this new wire into the engine compartment and attached it to the 'trigger' of the relay which I mounted just forward of the Battery, above the voltage regulator. The other side of the trigger I ran to a ground. I was careful to scrape away the paint under the connector.

Next I ran a ten gauge wire from the B+ terminal of the voltage regulator, which comes straight from the battery, to the relay. Soldering heavy wire is a BITCH!!! I broke down and bought a big soldering gun from the hardware store.

I ran another ten gauge wire from the remaining terminal of the relay to the solenoid.

I pulled all the wires through some plastic irrigation tubing and zip tied it to the original loom. I also replaced the rubber bung on the firewall with a scrap of vinyl tubing about three inches long which I also attache with pull ties.

For now, it works like a champ! I don't know if my solenoid is on the way out, but I feel good about the nice clean wiring. I spent about an hour soldering misc. connections in the engine compartment and under the dash. I bought BUSS type fuses and replaced all the dash lights. If I have electrical trouble you can all laugh at me. Ken

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ken Bowen |Owner:1968 VW Type II (Camper) kenb@sirius.com | Rottweiler Dog (Eich) | Bicycles Galore (road, Teacher | mountain, utility) Pacific Valley School | Big Sur California | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --


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