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Hello all. I am new around here (first post) and am trying to get my first thing, and first project car, up and running. Prior to me getting it last week, it had been sitting in a garage for 5 years without being run. I have already done the obvious things (changed the oil and filter screen, replaced the rubber fuel lines and fuel filter, purged the fuel system of old fuel, purchased a new battery) but I am open to other suggestions of things to do prior to attempting to "fire it up". Tire replacement, transmission oil replacement and brake system flush are on the list once I get the engine up and running.

Speaking of electrical and the battery, I found three small (roughly 18 ga) wires in the area of the battery, that were not connected. They are colored brown, brown/white and red/yellow. It appears from the wiring diagram that the brown and brown/white ones connect to the negative terminal, but the red/yellow one does not show a true connection point. It appears to just terminate in the middle of the battery in the diagram. Before I "smoke check" the wiring harness on this thing, I figured it would be best to ask the folks here where they are supposed to go, and what their function is.

Thanks in advance. I have already learned a ton from just browsing the other posts on here.

Jason
Norfolk, VA

Welcome to the STF jasondthurston. What year is your thing?

I think this must be the diagram you are looking at. I have circled the three wires.

It is a 74. The brown and brown/white wires are correct. The 3rd wire appears to be red/yellow as opposed to the red/white that was circled in your diagram. The red/yellow one appears in the diagram but it shows it in the middle of the battery. Any idea where that one connects? Thanks again!

From what I see in the legend that wire goes to the factory diagnostic test connector.

So should I just cap off the red/yellow and hook the brown and brown/white to the negative terminal? If anyone who has this model thing can look under the back seat and see "what's where" it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

I've got the same wires hanging out by my battery too, and saw a couple of threads over on The Samba that addressed the issue.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=319510
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=281068

As mentioned above, and in the Samba threads, these wires connect to the factory diagnostic port (located in the engine compartment) which is now defunct. I plan on removing the diagnostic port and wires at some point. Until then, they're just hanging out - uncapped.

OK..thanks for the info. As long as it isn't necessary I'll just cap them off.

Some folks (me included) use the test circuit wires to connect extra gauges from the senders in the engine compartment into the battery compartment. Then splice up to the gauges on the dash.