[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]
On 4 Dec 97, Ginger D.&Peter P. wrote:
> I have finaly tracked down an intermitant starting problem to a cut in
> the insulation on my coil power wire. No strands have been cut, but
> there is a 1" long slice in the insulation where it enters the engine
> compartment. If I leave the ignition on and go back to wiggle the wire
> at this point, I can hear the distributer "click", and the car will
> start right up.
> Instead of shortening and splicing into the wiring harnes, I was
> considering clearing the old insulation off, melting in some soder, and
> using heat shrink tubing to reinsulate. Is this too hokey? What's the
> best way to do this, I'm not too experienced. (Yet)
>From your description, I believe you have a bunch of broken strands
under the insulation somewhere. You need to put a voltmeter or
trouble light on the coil terminal while you slowly flex and pull on
the wire to determine exactly where the break is. Once you find it
you will probably find that the wire is extra flexable there, and you
can probably just pull hard and break the insulation since that's all
that is holding things together there.
Then strip back a bit and solder and heat-shrink the splice. Use a
long piece of heat shrink if you are close to the skinned part of the
wire, or slide an extra piece down to the skinned part before you do
the splice. Done carefully, this will make a permanent repair.
My guess is that this wire got caught during some previous
removal/replacement of the engine. It's good that you found it; this
kind of thing can be very hard to track down. It is a perfect
example of the rewards of someone else's sloppy work.
Jim
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Melissa Kepner Jim Adney
Laura Kepner-Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin
---------------------------------------------------------------------