if you are talking about that multi-ground point with push-on spade
terminals...........
way mo betta to convert them to screw and eye grounding terminals.
Be sure to put a star type pointy washer betwixt the wire terminal and the
body of the van.
scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Connelly" <vanagonhummingbird@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 4:43 PM
Subject: Re: Radiator Fan Resistor Question

> Hey Mark,
>
> You're right - had to crimp up a jumper wire, but using a parallel ground
> turned the fan. So bad earth - looks like it is the furthest away of the
> second ground post behind the fuse panel, Maybe that's the headlight issue
> too - I guess its time to take them all off clean them up and re apply. I
> did try each crimp terminal with a meter to a separate ground earlier, and
> didn't see any problems, but I guess its there... Well - that's the next
> couple of hours...
>
> Thanks Again,
>
> Paul.
>
> Could they make it any tighter to get in there!!!
>
> On Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 5:03 PM, mdrillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> What you just wrote suggests the bad ground for the fan as I mentioned at
>> the end of my reply. Either that or you have multiple problems. The
>> ground
>> can be intermittent. I suggest you put it all back exactly the way it was
>> and start over. Then figure which 2 wires of the radiator temp switch
>> make
>> the relay click. Then but a jumper wire into those 2 pins to hot wire it
>> while you look for where the problem is. Start with a wire, holding one
>> bare
>> end to bare metal and the other end touch to the fan nut where the brown
>> wire is attached. If that causes the fan to move suddenly then the brown
>> ground wire is suspect.
>>
>> DO NOT leave that hot wire installed more than a couple minutes while you
>> are right there testing things.
>>
>> Low speed does not use a relay. High speed does not use a resistor.
>>
>> The headlight circuit has nothing to do with the radiator fan circuit.
>> There is not a relay for the headlights unless someone modified that part
>> of
>> the wiring.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>> Paul Connelly wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Mark,
>>>
>>> Okay cool, that suggests the relay then. I had looked at a bunch of
>>> similar
>>> issues in the archives and they all seem slightly different with
>>> different
>>> resolutions. I had already jumpered across the plug and I get the relay
>>> "clicking" on contact across the outer two terminals - nothing with
>>> either
>>> side to the middle. I had tested the temperature switch (measured the
>>> resistance - OC at cold, outer terminals short for low, all three
>>> combinations short on high) and I initially tested the motor with 12V
>>> across
>>> it in the vehicle - nothing. So I removed the fan and tested it on the
>>> bench
>>> - ran just fine. Re-installed it and tested it directly with 12V again -
>>> this time it ran just fine. So I retested the switch, same result and
>>> was
>>> moving through to the resistor and relay - does that make sense?
>>>
>>> Fuse is fine, as is the earth as far as I can see (Colorado Van, so no
>>> real
>>> rust issues - all seems to be clean and dry).
>>>
>>> Also having another issue with lack of headlights except when switched
>>> and
>>> "held" on main/high beam, so relay is starting to look more of a likely
>>> candidate. Anyone know which one it is? - The Bentley is a little
>>> confusing
>>> on that!!!
>>>
>>> Once more thanks for the help,
>>>
>>> Paul.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 3:00 PM, mdrillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> High speed does not use the resistor so that can't be the problem for
>>>> that
>>>> speed. Only low and medium speed go through it. Don't overlook fuse #1,
>>>> on the left end position of the main fuse panel. All 3 speeds use it.
>>>> Should be 30 amp.
>>>>
>>>> With the radiator temp switch wiring plug pulled off the switch, jumper
>>>> any
>>>> 2 pins of the wiring plug with small needle nose pliers. 2 combinations
>>>> should run the fan, 1 at low and another at high speed. Middle speed is
>>>> only
>>>> run by the A/C.
>>>>
>>>> Another common failure point is the ground lug for the brown wire
>>>> coming
>>>> from the fan. It plugs into the grounding star behind the main relay
>>>> panel.
>>>> Many grounds plug in there and corrosion is a major issue on them.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Mark
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Paul Connelly wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Volks,
>>>>>
>>>>> Next question... does anyone know or can check out with a meter what
>>>>> the
>>>>> resistance should be on the resistor behind the drivers side headlight
>>>>> for
>>>>> the radiator fan. I've lost the fan. Checked out the temp switch and
>>>>> its
>>>>> fine - both stages switching to open circuit at the correct temps
>>>>> (ish).
>>>>> Checked the fan and it is buzzing just fine with 12v applied direct -
>>>>> leaves
>>>>> the resistor and the relay if the archives are correct.
>>>>>
>>>>> Measuring at the back of the connector plug I get ~ 6 ohms across the
>>>>> outer
>>>>> terminals, ~ 4.3 ohms across the two terminals "closest" to each other
>>>>> and
>>>>> ~
>>>>> 1.3 ohms across the "spaced apart" terminals.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just wanted to check it out to eliminate it or confirm it as the
>>>>> culprit...
>>>>>
>>>>> TIA
>>>>>
>>>>> Cheers, Paul.
>>>>> 1986 Syncro Westy - Hummingbird
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>