83 mexibug

[rob711]

So it happened again, I went to start my bug, and it turned over slowly, then clicked, then nothing. No lights, radio, nothing, as if no battery. I leave it, then after work I remove the back seat, look/feel around, try again, bam, starts no problemo. I posted this on ts. Is there a local source for good replacement batt cables, I've only seen those ones that sandwich the wire under a thin piece of steel to the lead terminal. I think I can get pre made ones from marine shops. I figure I'll add a hard start reply just because, as well as replace the battery ground cable. Something ain't right with this Mexican!!

[EDNCAROL]

Remember the Alamo! Lol!

[Big_kid]

Have the battery load tested, sounds like it may have a dead cell. It will most likely read full on a volt meter but if it can't supply the amperage needed it will do what you have described.

[rob711]

Would the heater pipes under the back seat get so hot they could melt wire? Mine have no insulation on them, wondering if that possibly melted the wires near the voltage regulator.

[rob711]

So I got new battery cables from air-cooled.net. My stock cable incorporates the wire to starter and voltage regulator in one. So I need to cut the wire to v.r. And add a crimp on connector to battery, best I can find locally is 10 gauge. That seems to small. Bentley says it's 6.0 mm? That's like 2-3 gauge, besides the starter this is every other electrical load the car uses. Any local source for this? I had the same problem finding the spade connector for this same wire at the vr side. Online options?
Rob
Ps dibs on the 68' parts ghia front discs!!!

[Raj]

Wait. Are you looking for the wire from battery to the vr? Are you saying that is 2-3 ga? Any pics of this?
How about just pull the wires out of the 68 Ghia as well. New connections.... Done

[rob711]

The wire itself seem fine I just need the connectors.

[Raj]

I order all my connectors from Mcmaster carr. I buy them in bulk and keep spares on hand. They arrive pretty quick.. i think they are NJ based. Same for hardware. Check out the site, they have specs and drawing for each item.

[Markus]

talking to a local mom and pop alternator repair guy he said you can "double up" wires if you are unsure. For example if you only have 10 gauge and think you need something a bit thicker you can just run 2 wires crimped into the same connector side by side. Obv you will need a connector big enough for 2 10 g wires.

is that legit? makes sense to me.

[Brown]

talking to a local mom and pop alternator repair guy he said you can "double up" wires if you are unsure. For example if you only have 10 gauge and think you need something a bit thicker you can just run 2 wires crimped into the same connector side by side. Obv you will need a connector big enough for 2 10 g wires.

is that legit? makes sense to me.

That is what is know as Kirchhoff's Current Law The more wires the less current in each wire!!!

DC Circuits

Kirchhoff's Current Law
This fundamental law results from the conservation of charge. It applies to a junction or node in a circuit -- a point in the circuit where charge has several possible paths to travel.

In Figure 1, we see that IA is the only current flowing into the node. However, there are three paths for current to leave the node, and these current are represented by IB, IC, and ID.

Once charge has entered into the node, it has no place to go except to leave (this is known as conservation of charge). The total charge flowing into a node must be the same as the the total charge flowing out of the node. So,

IB + IC + ID = IA

Bringing everything to the left side of the above equation, we get

(IB + IC + ID) - IA = 0


Figure 1 Possible node (or junction) in a circuit
Then, the sum of all the currents is zero. This can be generalized as follows

Note the convention we have chosen here: current flowing into the node are taken to be negative, and currents flowing out of the node are positive. It should not really matter which you choose to be the positive or negative current, as long as you stay consistent. However, it may be a good idea to find out the convention used in your class.

[Big_kid]

Crap. I was going to split hairs on that formula, but further thought revealed a flaw in my logic. I'm getting rusty. I gotta use that AOSEET for something once in a while.

Ohms law always applies. Always.

[rob711]

I read the suggestion of two wires and knew that was not a super idea but didnt wanna be a dick, I am looking for help here. West marine has a nice wiring selection, picked up a six gauge ring terminal after work, got home,(no baby) cut the wire as close to old battery terminal and it's grayish in color, cut back another inch some shiny bits, another inch still grayish, four inches more, some shiny..I'm going to replace this wire now is the point. Oh and 6 gauge is too big, will use 8. Thanks folks!
Ps silicone oil plate gaskets stopped my leaks, next will be the transaxle boots. After baby!

[rob711]

[img][/img]

[ObnoxiousBlue]

Rob, that isn't to a specific image. It goes to your photobucket root.

Here is what you put:

Code: Select all

[img]http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Robsr711/library/[/img]

here is where it goes:
http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Robsr711/library/

When you open that link, click on whichever photo you want to share here on DVG.
Then to the right if the page you will see a list of links.
Look for the one that says "direct" it will start with "http://" with no code in front of it.
Like this:

Code: Select all

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag96/Robsr711/95E8730E-01DD-426B-8BE8-E5F61C83EA02_zpsielsmucd.jpg

Then, bring your link back here to your DVG post. In the post body, where you want to put the picture click the "IMG" button on the toolbar above.
That will give you a line that looks like this:

Code: Select all

[img][/img]

Between the two ][ brackets place the link to your photo.

Code: Select all

[img]http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag96/Robsr711/95E8730E-01DD-426B-8BE8-E5F61C83EA02_zpsielsmucd.jpg[/img]

Which will display like this:

[rob711]

Thanks mike! I will screw around with it tonight. I thought it had to go between those img deals

[Tom]

Did we ever get the gallery to work ?

[rob711]

So far it would seem replacing my battery cables, and a few other wires, and installing a hard start relay for good measure remedied my mysterious stop running, wires by voltage regulator getting hot problem. I did that during the winter, and have been using it as a dd everyday. So far so good.
Yesterday, while laying in the driveway under the bug, one of my favorite spots by the way, I noticed one of the boots on my ball joints is ripped. It does get a little shaky at high way speeds. My long term plans were to get front discs, I got spindles from a ghia,with control arms from Ken(thanks). Wondering if I should clean those control arms, get new bjs in those, then swap them with mine, there's no oring/bushing between the control arm and the beam so a good time to get one in there. Is it a big deal to pull the control arms off and on, worried bout the spring pack? Am I making this more complicated than i need too?I might have to hold off of discs for a bit, diapers, baby food, booze, weed. It all cost money. Opinions?
Rob

[Raj]

Is it a big deal to pull the control arms off and on, worried bout the spring pack?
Rob

No big deal..... Spring pack only moves if you undo the center bolt/ nut.

I might have to hold off of discs for a bit, diapers, baby food, booze, weed. It all cost money. Opinions?
Rob

Agreed, and agreed with your order of priority as listed in reverse order.

[rob711]

http://youtu.be/jHs11vqdHDo
I added to someone's post on thesamba. Just watching stuff yesterday I noticed this, should it be adressed. Thinking/hoping I can just keep an eye on it. It's the original to me fuel pump. Thought I'd share with the locals.
Like like slight leak or ooze out of fuel pump pin

[Raj]

I think I recall someone saying that adding some grease to that pic reduces the 'ooze'. On some newer non german pumps, that pin actually walks about of the passage. Good times.

[rob711]

So I have first hand knowledge that Santa will Bring me a front disc brake kit from cip1, minus the spindles, also upper and lower ball joints, and torsion arm seals. Would it be easier to just remove the front beam? I'm concerned about not being able to move the car, although once it's apart, in or out, the car is not moving. Would it be awkward to work on the beam out of the car?
Thanks
Rob

[Raj]

Id do the swap with the beam In the car. Nothing like sitting like a gentlemen with your work in front of you. The beam is awkard and heavy. It sits weird and flops around if you put any pressure on it. Id leave the beam in there until your ready to get a narrowed one and slam it on its fat chic ass!

If you have any pull with the German elves.... see if you can get them to hobble up some outer tie rods. The boots almost always rip when you pull them.

And if you are pulling the arms off to do the Ball Joints, getting those roll bar mounts off in a reusuable shape can be a challenge.

Have fun!

[rob711]

Good points. I thought about building some sorta beam stand so I could clean it up and paint it all pretty like. This is all going to be done in my single car garage with the car in it so I think the car will make a good beam holder. I set my budget at 300. I stopped when the cart was 364.
I'm thinking tie rod ends and sway arm clamps will come hopefully around February. Someone in its life used two hose clamps on one side in place of the vw clamps, TWO so that's solid! Thanks raj

[rob711]

Wow! Who knew a wife and three kids really eat up your free time! I finally was able to swap out the single resovoir for a double this weekend. Aside from the heat, it went ok.
I was really careful not to allow the bolts out so I didn't drop those spacers between the firewall, turns out someone else was not, there weren't any. I wonder if that was a cost thing for Mexican bugs, doubt it, probably shitty PO's, any way I made two with 1/2 copper pipe I had, not ideal but better than what was there.
Took a while to get a pedal, I did NOT bench bleed the master, neighbor lent me his harbor freight vacuum bleeder, that sped things along, wasn't watching the resovoir and drained it once, that was annoying! with the help of a friend I now have a decent pedal, also found a bad rear axle seal, swing arm so tranny fluid in the drum, again not ideal. Picked up new shoes and hardware for the rears but need to take care of seal first. I replaced this seal when I first got the bug and it was good for a while, hoping it's not something worn out to where the seal won't do its job anymore.
We'll see when I work on it again in six months!
Rob

[Big_kid]

Wow! Who knew a wife and three kids really eat up your free time!...

Yes, they sure do! When I first got the buggy we had 2 kids and 2 incomes, before long that turned into 3 kids and one income. That back burnered the project for 10 years or so. It happens. Glad to see you've hung in there with it though. Keep at it!