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Fri Oct 16, 2020 3:19 pm

This buggy is giving me heart burn. Every time I fix something on this thing something new pops up. Anyway, after sitting for a month or so, I fired the buggy up and with a little hesitation she started right up. Happy?.. Not just yet.... Going through a check list, I find that the oil and voltmeter gauges aren't working. The PO wired these gauges separate. They were working when I got it home, so I don't know what could have happened. Maybe the gurus here can enlighten me. I have practicality zero electrical experience, so any help would be greatly appreciated. These are the gauges I'm talking about.

Fri Oct 16, 2020 5:29 pm

While those aren't VDO gauges here is some pretty standard wiring diagrams

https://www.vdo-instruments.com/media/instructions/0%20515%20012%20123%20--%20Electric%20Gauges.pdf

If they both are dead them I would see if they share a common power source and check its function. You have a test light I assume?

Fri Oct 16, 2020 6:03 pm

jspbtown wrote: While those aren't VDO gauges here is some pretty standard wiring diagrams

https://www.vdo-instruments.com/media/instructions/0%20515%20012%20123%20--%20Electric%20Gauges.pdf

If they both are dead them I would see if they share a common power source and check its function. You have a test light I assume?

Ditto....

Dale

Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:45 pm

jspbtown wrote: While those aren't VDO gauges here is some pretty standard wiring diagrams

https://www.vdo-instruments.com/media/instructions/0%20515%20012%20123%20--%20Electric%20Gauges.pdf

If they both are dead them I would see if they share a common power source and check its function. You have a test light I assume?

Or they share a common, and now disconnected, ground wire. Fiberglass will not provide a ground. #-o

Sat Oct 17, 2020 4:39 am

Thanks guys , I'll start with the ground.... :roll:

Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:17 am

Found the issue ,though it took me all afternoon. It was a simple blown fuse that they wired for these gauges. Hidden in all this wiring mess. It had a 10 amp fuse , I replaced with a 15 amp. Hope this is alright to do. Well as I noticed the gauges to be working fine, the voltmeter is reading at about 11.. Isn't that a bit low?.. The bug has a generator, so I don't know if thats sufficient voltage. As well as the oil pressure, at about 45 psi. It has a deep sump for added oil, so I don't know if that makes a difference. Sorry for all the questions, but thats why I come her for. Cause you all know better than I. And I very much appreciate it. And I'll have plenty more. I'm sure you noticed the rats nest of the wiring. So I most certainly be replacing it with one recommended by Dale. Hopefully in the spring..... To be continued...

Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:21 pm

Think I would rip it out this winter (off season for buggies) and start over....

With engine running (above an idle) voltmeter should read in the green (12.5 -13 volts or more)..

Dale

Sat Oct 17, 2020 1:31 pm

Correct Dale, with engine running it does read between 12-12.5, So I guess I'm good. Since I had it running, I'd thought I'd take around the block for a quick spin...The spin did go quick, cause when I applied the brakes, it did not stop. Zero , nada..no brakes. The peddle still hard as a rock. I pressed down on that thing and my heart skipped a couple of beats when it just kept going. I don't get it.. what gives?....Help anyone??????

Sat Oct 17, 2020 1:40 pm

Get used to breaking down cause with that wiring its the best thing that might happen....fire would be the worst. To be honest I wouldn't drive it away from my house any distance that I couldn't push it back.

Regarding your brakes...How did you drive it when the wheels would barely turn? Also...you might have the rod not seated correctly in the master cylinder. Or possibly the wrong rod? Something too fat to fit the master cylinder bore maybe?

And the fuse....10 amps would be enough to run a few gauges. Although it might be undersized a little bit. The bigger question is why did it pop? And putting in a higher and higher rated fuse is just gonna start the fire sooner.

Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:01 pm

Yes I know I have quite a few issues with this thing, and wiring is the next thing. The wheels were stiff as I pulled out the driveway, but it still rolled ok. Until I tried to stop the damn thing. I pressed on that peddle as hard as I could. I down shifted to first and crawled back into the garage. Frustrating to say the least, after doing a complete brake job. It might have something to do with the adjusting rod... I don't know I will fiddle with it tomorrow. Take the drums out and see what happens, adjust the brakes bleed them again, then fiddle with that rod, and hope for the best.

Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:00 pm

legotech7 wrote: ... adjust the brakes bleed them again, then fiddle with that rod ...

Wrong order; make sure you have correct play between master cylinder push rod and brake pedal FIRST. Then bleed (with shoes adjusted tight, if necessary).

Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:54 pm

IF rod is to long, it will not allow plunger to return to correct position to expose the bypass port on MC and you just get a fluid build up and fluid expands (heats up at wheel cylinders) and it tries to lock up wheels cylinders and make pedal hard...

Note #2 bypass port in upper single master cylinder and #1& #2 bypass ports in lower dual master cylinder....The plunger must return a clear those ports for proper MC operation...

This is a must....

Dale

Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:53 am

Best of luck on this project. I'm just a guy but I feel that Dale M is extraordinary. Calm, knowledgeable, talented, to the point, and great avatar. He, and many others like him, are my buggy heros. I've adopted calm and patience thru these guys and you can to. I wish you the best of luck on your project. Never loan out a 10mm socket.

Sun Oct 18, 2020 4:39 am

Thank you gentleman.. I will take heath. I do this for the love of these vehicles and the therapy it gives me. Always learning. To be continued....

My other bug...

Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:08 pm

gtrplyr wrote: Best of luck on this project. I'm just a guy but I feel that Dale M is extraordinary. Calm, knowledgeable, talented, to the point, and great avatar. He, and many others like him, are my buggy heros. I've adopted calm and patience thru these guys and you can to. I wish you the best of luck on your project. Never loan out a 10mm socket.

Dale is one of the few here that goes 'by the book'.

bnc

Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:15 pm

Ok just cleaning out the garage a bit. Thought I might take a few pics of what I'm headed for with these breaks. This is what the push rod looks like. Nothing but rust. I don't think its been touched for many a year. If you notice where the nuts are positioned, I don't think their in the right place. The rod seem to be really out more towards the rear of the car. Too far out perhaps. To me it looks like I might need a new rod. or maybe even a whole new peddle cluster.. Jesus.....What are your opinions?.......

Sun Oct 18, 2020 3:42 pm

legotech7 wrote: Ok just cleaning out the garage a bit. Thought I might take a few pics of what I'm headed for with these breaks. This is what the push rod looks like. Nothing but rust. I don't think its been touched for many a year. If you notice where the nuts are positioned, I don't think their in the right place. The rod seem to be really out more towards the rear of the car. Too far out perhaps. To me it looks like I might need a new rod. or maybe even a whole new peddle cluster.. Jesus.....What are your opinions?.......

That does not even look like standard MC pushrod.... This is what it should look like...

Dale

Mon Oct 19, 2020 4:31 am

Looks like I'm getting a new peddle cluster and rod. Thanks Dale. Where to get the rod though?.. Most of the vendors only sell the peddle assemblies...

And then there's the headache of tying to figure out how to set and adjust that rod... Hoyvay..... Thanks again all.....To be continued....

Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:07 am

legotech7 wrote: Looks like I'm getting a new peddle cluster and rod. Thanks Dale. Where to get the rod though?.. Most of the vendors only sell the peddle assemblies...

And then there's the headache of tying to figure out how to set and adjust that rod... Hoyvay..... Thanks again all.....To be continued....

maybe check classified ads on here...

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php

Dale

Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:05 am

Yours looks something like the one on top, mine's like on bottom:

But yours is so crusty, I can't believe you could stick that foul thing into your brand new master cylinder! (Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.) Original German pushrod will not get so rusty, thanks to their superior metalurgy.

Found this in Samba Classifieds; not sure if you'll want type C or D, but I'm pretty sure those are the type for dual circuit.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2001021