headlight switch problems / pushrod tube seals

[justinshelton]

Guys:

Two issues with my car.

First, my headlight switch is on the fritz. Is the switch on the type 4 unique? Or, can I pull one from a bus or type 3? The headlights come on, but I do not have dash lights. I have pulled it and cleaned it, careful to get the 4 inky-dinky springs back in place. No I suspect that the reostat that controls the brighness of the dashlights is the problem, but that coiled up spring thing seems to be okay. I'm not sure it's fixable.

Secondly, I have a leaky pushrob tube seal. Can I replace the seal by just pulling off the rockers? Or, does the whole head need to come off? And, how hard is this to do? I've never done it before, and honestly do not know which end the seal is on - is there one on both ends of the tube?

The only book I have that addresses the pushrod tube seals is my Muir book, and this guy's descriptions, while colorful and fun to read, are a bit perplexing at time. Too much wacky-tobaccy when he was writing the manual, I suspect.

Thanks,

Justin

[DeathBus]

.

Secondly, I have a leaky pushrob tube seal. Can I replace the seal by just pulling off the rockers? Or, does the whole head need to come off? And, how hard is this to do? I've never done it before, and honestly do not know which end the seal is on - is there one on both ends of the tube?

The only book I have that addresses the pushrod tube seals is my Muir book, and this guy's descriptions, while colorful and fun to read, are a bit perplexing at time. Too much wacky-tobaccy when he was writing the manual, I suspect.

Thanks,

Justin

Trash the Muir book, it's a joke. For problems such as engine get a Bently late model bus book, it has alot of good info that pertains to the type 4 motor, also "How To Rebuild your Aircooled Motor" good info there also. The push rod tubes can be pulled with the head on. Just pop the Valve cover. Pull off the rockers, be careful not to break the push rod tube spring. Pull out the push rod from the offending tube. Using a 45 degree or 90 degree long needle nose pliers grab the offending tube towartds the case side, not to much pressure. Twist the tube and pull towards you. There are 2 seals, one on the head end, one on the case end. USE VITON seals, not regular stock seals, the vitons are better. replace the tube via the reverse method. CLEAN THE AREA WHERE THE SEALS GO, this will reduce leakage problems.

[DeathBus]

multipost

[DeathBus]

multipost

[albert]

allo justin , for your light problem , look your relay for the light , électric explication( wen you open the swith for light , the light is on low beam and wend you lif-up the handle the relay change the contact for hi beam , the relay is single pole double throw wich 4 wire on vw 1970 al the dimer are the same , tipe 1-2-3-4 make attention if you ear clic clic wen you lif up the harm -swith plus in the same time the green light came on on the dash bord , if you d,ont have any light wend you open the rond swith on the dash, check your fuse , 1 cilck parking light ,second clic low beam , ok, good luck albert

[Marc]

I'm pretty sure that the switch is the same electrically as the 113 941 531E (`71-up Std Beetle, `71-73 III & `71/`72 Super) or the 211 941 531E (`71-`79 II) part, but that it's physically different from both of them. The bug switch might work if you also get a bug knob, don't know for certain though.
The rheostat output for the dashlights comes from Terminal 58b - if it's dead, you can piggyback the dashlight wire to Term 58 and they'll work full-bright whenever the parking or headlamps are on.

[raygreenwood]

This is a common problem with the type 4 . It is the rheostat as mark suggested..usually. Also, if the switch is slightly rattle-y, then further crimp the indentions on the sides, then clean the whole switch in contact cleaner. But...that will only extend the like for a short time as it washes the lube on the sliding parts away.
The type 4 switch is unique. It has a 411 part # on it. Its guts are almost identical to some other switches, but it has a special long snout that allows it to be mounted in the dash. No others will fit. But....I think there may have been a couple years of ghia that used the same switch. Ray

[DeathBus]

your best bet for a switch is to find a doner 411/412 and take the switch from it, I had to do the same thing.

[justinshelton]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys. I'll see what I can do about the pushrod tube seals.

Albert, du son de tes messages, il me paraît que tu francophone. C'est vrai?

- justin

[DeathBus]

CREPE SUZETTE!!!!!

[Jan Peter de geus]

Justin, I had the dash light problem as well; most times the potentiometer in the switch brakes. I made a shortcut, took the Grey/Red wire from terminal 58b of the switch and connected it to the fuse box (fuse #1 in my car) so that the dash lights switch on and off with the the tail lights (in my case) or the side marker lights (we do not have these in EU). Good luck, Jan Peter

[justinshelton]

I like the idea of attaching 58B to the car's taillights . . . I think I'll do that as a stop-gap measure until I can find a donor switch.

Thanks, guys.

- Justin