Always interesting when you hear things "while installing".  ;-)

On Thu, Dec 15, 2016 at 4:02 PM, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:

> ........ actually, now I recall hearing a buzzing sound like a cell
> phone buzz ring while I was re-installing the fuse panel. That may be
> a clue. It didn't sound like a wire arcing (shorting) but it may have
> been.
>
> On 12/15/16, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> > heh. "Sadly", no magic smoke released; our fellow campers ended up
> > with a lack lustre afternoon.  LOL.
> >
> > I see earlier BA6 diagrams in my Bentley but the are quite similar (to
> > my untrained eye) to the later style. I may peruse the Diesel Vanagon
> > BA6 diagrams.
> >
> > The dash lights did work then after the owner took it for a drive,
> > they failed. I checked light operation while fuse panel was lowered
> > but did not check them after re-attaching the fuse panel. I'm
> > suspecting a rogue wire or other part above fuse panel is causing the
> > short. Maybe a wire from the load side of the fuse slipped off when
> > panel was lowered for the headlight relay install (by someone else).
> > It's that or something to do with the decomissioned fog lights; that
> > circuit may still be live though I found no power at wire that was
> > connected to lights at bumper area.
> >
> > The 50 wire must've connected to the brake light module at one point.
> > The shrink wrap that covered the now removed terminal does not look
> > OEM at all.
> >
> > Neil.
> >
> > On 12/15/16, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
> >> Too bad it's an '85.  '84 and earlier would have smoked the harness and
> >> let
> >> you know right away where the short was. ;-)
> >>
> >> BA6 diagram in Bentley is only for 2.1l with the new fuse block, so no
> >> help
> >> with the specifics of how that one was put in.
> >>
> >> I've got no clue why they ran 50 to the brake/seat belt light module.  I
> >> can't even see them in daylight, so I drilled a hole in the brake one to
> >> let the light out, and I ignore the other one.  Perhaps it's a trigger
> to
> >> start a timeout for the belt one after you start the engine?
> >>
> >> Yrs,
> >> d
> >>
> >> On Wed, Dec 14, 2016 at 8:32 PM, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi all.
> >>>
> >>> Im far from home on a road trip, traveling with a friend who owns an
> >>> 1985
> >>> westy. All of his dash lights were out. The S13 blade type fuse had
> >>> failed.
> >>> A new fuse also failed. The following systems are present but
> >>> decommissioned: aux ba6 gas heater, Anti theft devices, possible fog
> >>> light
> >>> relay, "factory" looking fog light switch at RH side of instrument
> >>> cluster.
> >>>
> >>> Though I thought we'd found the short, and though I "fixed" his dash
> >>> lights, I'm not certain the cause of fuse failure was really resolved.
> I
> >>> originally thought a damaged (exposed copper) piggybacked wire off the
> >>> 30
> >>> wire to the gas heater relay was shorting to the frame causing fuse S13
> >>> to
> >>> blow, but that wire tested for battery voltage in spite of the fuse in
> >>> question being blown. And, looking at the wiring diagrams, I don't see
> >>> S13
> >>> involved with the gas heater circuits. Does the gas heater use s13 in
> >>> any
> >>> way?
> >>>
> >>>  All told, I cleaned up the anti theft wiring, capped and,or repaired
> >>> various stock wires at cluster and dash, removed some non op wires,
> >>> installed a new dahs light, added shrink wrap and tape to non insulated
> >>> exposed terminals at what is likely the fog light relay.
> >>>
> >>> It's possible the exposed terminals at the loose mystery relay,
> >>> remaining
> >>> dangling exterior fog light wire (end rested on frame, albeit a dirty
> >>> connection if any) could've been the source of the short but im
> >>> concerned
> >>> only I "fixed" the problem by inadvertently moving a shorting out wire
> >>> or
> >>> whatever away from frame metal and that the issue may happen again.
> >>>
> >>> This is a separate issue, but does the 50 wire to the brake warning
> >>> light
> >>> simply turn off the light when cranking engine? That wire has been
> >>> removed
> >>> from the connector. It was likely used as part of a starter motor anti
> >>> theft device.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> TIA a bunch,
> >>>
> >>> Neil.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Neil n
> >>>
> >>> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
> >>>
> >>> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
> >>>
> >>> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical
> >>> <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
> >>>
> >>> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
> >>>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Neil n
> >
> > Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
> >
> > 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
> >
> > 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.
> com/>
> >
> > Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
> >
>
>
> --
> Neil n
>
> Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
>
> 1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
>
> 1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
>
> Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
>