[T3] Lack of high beam and turn signals

[Dave]

Fix the ground issue first. Bad grounds will cause all kinds of funky behavior. I don't have any experience with a 71,  but if the car is wired like the Bentley schematic with a single ground point for all the idiot, dash lights, the turn signal switch and the various light switches,  a 54 ohm resistance in the main ground to body could definitely cause most of the issues. 

I've done the following fixing ground issues:

1. Remove the octopus terminal or whatever the ground termination hardware is and clean all the spades and body ground location of all corrosion with fine steel wool. 
2. Clean the ground body location to bare metal with fine sand paper, steel wool, scotch brite, etc. 
3 Reassemble ground termination hardware and check resistance from a spade to the body.  If less than 1 ohm, you are good. If not take the thing apart again and work on more virgin bare metal at the ground point.
3. Clean the terminals and check each of the ground wires individually terminal to terminal. Be sure to wiggle the wire near each terminal looking for changes in resistance. Any momentary change in resistance needs to be fixed by replacing the terminal or the whole wire.    
4. Reassemble all the wires to the ground and check the resistance from the head end of the wire to the body. Again 1 ohm or less is what you want.  
5. When you are all done fixing the grounds make sure to seal the ground octopus or ground hardware and the body seam to prevent corrosion.

Its always a nasty job to fix ground issues.

Dave



On May 13, 2011, at 6:53 PM, Adriel Rowley wrote:

> So now have no turn signals (including the guage) and all turn lights blink even with emergency switch pushed in.  
> 
> Still no idiot lights.  Thinking of just installing guages since it seems the idiots will not work (know one knows how to fix the problem), and they are only tell once damage is done. ;/
> 
> Swapped the turn signal switch and it lights the high beam light all the time.  How do I correct this?  Other than that, does activate the relay but too bright to be sure the filiment is energized.
> 
> Also the emergency switch blew eight fuses before I ran out and still could not figure out why.
> 
> The switch does not work because the ball is not staying put even with the screws tight.
> 
> 54 ohms was dash ground to body.  How do I correct this?
> 
> 
> Than you,
> Adriel 
> 
>> From: jadney at vwtype3.org
>> To: type3 at vwtype3.org
>> Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 19:38:32 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [T3] Lack of high beam and turn signals
>> 
>> On 13 May 2011 at 10:32, Adriel Rowley wrote:
>> 
>>> Now lost high beams.
>>> 
>>> Adney, think I need to send the switch back for warranty repair as been getting more and more sloppy.  
>> 
>> Check the securing screws.
>> 
>> -- 
>> *******************************
>> Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
>> Madison, Wisconsin, USA
>> *******************************
>> 
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