[T3] turn signals/brake lights and something new

[Jim Adney]

On 25 Feb 2017 at 18:27, Daniel Nohejl wrote:

> Ok, got the new brake light switch in there with no problem, but I
> sure did find something weird. The brake switch I replaced was melted!

Daniel,

I suspect you've got at least 2 problems: The melted brake switch 
would seem to point to a short somewhere in the brake light circuit. 
Check the wiring, the bulbs, and the bulb sockets. My guess is that 
high current draw thru the switches caused them to melt.

It's also worth knowing that high current thru these wires often 
causes the insulation on them to look "corrugated" because the heat 
causes the insulation to swell and get oversized.

>From your description, it sounds like this happened sometime just 
before you smelled that bad smell, like when sitting at a stop light 
with your foot on the brake.

It's possible that the melting progressed just far enough to short 
the hot terminal of the switch just as you happened to try the L turn 
signal. They are different fuses; which one blew?

As for the leaking gas tank hose, there should be a sort of wide 
rubber band under each end of that hose, over the metal pipe 
underneath. That band is often damaged if the tank is removed and 
people don't realized that it is necessary. In your case, it may be 
missing or it may be torn or cracked.

You will NEVER get those connections to seal until you have those 
bands in place.

The bands are hard to get installed right, and they need to be 
installed exactly right. They have to cover the "hump" in the pipe 
and they need to be flat and not folded. I have the best luck with 
them if I glue them in place on the pipe first and let the glue dry 
before I try to install the hose. Use rubber cement or a good gasket 
sealant.  

Replacement bands are available from a VW dealer, as they were also 
used on Beetles of the same era.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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