[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]

Electrical woes.


Hi all!

I set out to try and diagnose my '66 squareback yesterday.
It was a bad experience, as I have now made things worse.

Since I had a full day I did my usual oil change and inspection 
of my bus, not problem.

Then I turned my attention to the squareback which has been sitting
for several weeks since it won't start.  I could turn the key and 
it would crank, weakly, but it's a 6v and it always cranks weakly,
so I thought maybe I could get it to start.  Perhaps it is because
of no spark.

So, I've been meaning to put on the new coil for a while.  Bosch 6v Blue
coil.  I took the old one off (also a Bosch blue) and put the new one on.
While I was tightening the 10mm bolt, the BOLT BROKE.  I did not put
that much torque on it.  It just broke.  Well, it was held down by the 
other bolt so I extracted the broken piece and left it at that.  It's
grounded okay.

Then I decided to look at the spark plugs.  I remembered why I have never
changed the plugs.  (I had somebody else do it last summer.)  I can't get
the damn things in or out.  I remove the air cleaner and I still can't 
get a ratchet handle where it belongs.  If I took off both carbs I could
maybe do it.  But I removed #4 and looked at it.  It looks fine.  The
car hasn't been missing or anything.  So I put a new plug in #4 anyhow, 
and decided to trust the other 3 plugs to last until I can deal with them.
How do y'all do your spark plugs, anyway?

I have new points/condenser/cap and rotor.  The points are set at .016, which
is just wonderful.  The plug wires are fine, the PO had replaced them last
winter.  Again, the car is not missing when it runs.  The carbs get plenty 
of gas.  They were rebuilt last summer by an expert, they are nicely synchronized,
and when the car runs, the fuel flow and control is just fine.  So it's getting
gas.  The compression test from last summer reads like new cylinders.  And she is
very spirited when she runs.  

Last time it was running, I tested the generator and got 8volts out of it.

I'm just telling all this so that you will know what my problem is not.

Now with everything in order, I proceeded to jump start it off my 12volt bus.
I had nothing on, except maybe the domelight that comes on when you open the 
door.  (It did not burn out).  I turned the key and it started  right up.  
I promptly disconnected the jumper cables.  I let it run for a minute or two.

Then I turned the key and it started up again!  (I was pretty happy.  My cat
was happy too, for some reason.)  I let it run for a few more minutes.

Then I turned the key again, and instead of starting it would not turn over.
This is not unusual for my weak 6v battery situation.  I turned and HELD the
key because sometimes when I do that, it will turn over after a second or four.

Instead, I heard a little *click* and that was that.  The car was dead.

Now when I turn the key to run, nothing happens.  No red or green light.
No turn signals, no radio.  When I turn the key to start, no nothing.

The clock works, it's that self-winding kind that so many people write about.
The headlights work when I pull the switch, but they work with the key off.
I am not sure whether the brake lights work or not.  

What have I burned out?  How do I begin to troubleshoot this?  Now I have the
same starting problems that I had before, but compounded with what I expect
is a burned out wire somewhere.  I do have a wiring diagram.

Oh, yeah, there is one other thing I wanted to ask about.  In the engine compartment,
Front Is Front, on the right hand side, in the back, there is what appears to be 
a relay of some sort.  It is like a round black cylinder about 3 inches tall by
an inch in diameter, with a square base, and three wires to it.  What is that?
I'm guessing it's a starter relay.  There's nothing like it on the '66 or '67 
wiring diagrams.

--
g-r-a-t-e-f-u-l-l-y---[   email:<fishbowl@conservatory.com>   ]---l-i-v-i-n-g
d-e-a-d-i-c-a-t-e-d---[     http://www.conservatory.com/      ]-----l-i-g-h-t
If God had intended Man to Walk, He would have given him Feet.



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]