Greetings-

Pulled over for gas in  Modesto returning from camping last weekend. After
filling up I turned the key...nothing happened. It was like a million
degrees and I wanted to get back to the coast. The idea of working on the
bus was out of the question; I push started across the parking lot and
jammed home. Monday I got under the bus with a scrap of ten gauge wire. I
could get the starter to spin and the solenoid to activate as well. I
decided to replace the stock wiring to the solenoid with a relay and some
heavy wire straight from the battery.

I bought a Bosch 12 volt 30 Amp relay for a couple bucks at the parts
place. I cut, spliced, and soldered a 14 gauge wire onto the wire from the
ignition switch at the solenoid. This was the hardest part, as I had to
solder on my back, under the bus. It helped to remove the right wheel and
place the back on a jack stand. Bob Hoover told me to go ahead and solder
wires and then put three pieces of heat shrink tubing-each one a bit
shorter-over the joint. I ran this new wire into the engine compartment and
attached it to the 'trigger' of the relay which I mounted just forward of
the Battery, above the voltage regulator. The other side of the trigger I
ran to a ground. I was careful to scrape away the paint under the
connector.

Next I ran a ten gauge wire from the B+ terminal of the voltage regulator,
which comes straight from the battery, to the relay. Soldering heavy wire
is a BITCH!!! I broke down and bought a big soldering gun from the hardware
store.

I ran another ten gauge wire from the remaining terminal of the relay to
the solenoid.

I pulled all the wires through some plastic irrigation tubing and zip tied
it to the original loom. I also replaced the rubber bung on the firewall
with a scrap of vinyl tubing about three inches long which I also attache
with pull ties.

For now, it works like a champ! I don't know if my solenoid is on the way
out, but I feel good about the nice clean wiring. I spent about an hour
soldering misc. connections in the engine compartment and under the dash. I
bought BUSS type fuses and replaced all the dash lights. If I have
electrical trouble you can all laugh at me.
Ken

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Bowen                          |Owner:1968 VW Type II  (Camper)
kenb@sirius.com                    |       Rottweiler Dog  (Eich)
                                   |       Bicycles Galore (road,
Teacher                            |                        mountain,
utility)     Pacific Valley School              |
Big Sur California                 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--