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71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:23 pm
by heliarc
I was doing electrical work and had to have the key on and pulled the wrong wire from my coil. Long story short, this morning I drove the Beetle in to place to work on it. After I was done it won't start. I confirmed no spark. I cleaned the points and the wire from the condenser looks a little crispy now. I used a test light from the + side of the coil to ground and get power with the key on. Going to the - side of the coil and grounding the other end of the light I can rotate the engine by hand and the light will come on and off when the points open and close. I would assume that means the points are ok but I'm no expert. Could I have fried the condenser? Tomorrow I'm probably going for new points and a condenser anyhow since they've been in there since dinosaurs walked the earth. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:28 pm
by helowrench
Sounds like a fried condensor.
To prove this you can eliminate the comdensor, run a wire straight from the points to the coil and see if she runs.
(Running without the condesor in the circuit will cause the point sto arc more and erode quicker, so I do not redommend this for more than troubleshooting or emergency use)
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:56 pm
by heliarc
Ok that sounds like a plan. I'll get right on it and post results. thank you so much!
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:07 pm
by heliarc
Alright, got it running. It wasn't the condenser or the points though they're going to be replaced anyhow. My license plate light was the last item on the list. I had the stock + wire for it but the ground had fallen victim to the PO. So I grounded it off the - side of the coil since it had a convenient terminal on it. I used this wire to run direct from the points to the coil and then the penny dropped. I hooked it up normal except for the license plate light ground and all is well. So, do not pull a ground from the ground side of the coil.
Helo, thank you so much. Though it wasn't the condenser you pointed me in the direction I needed to go.
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:26 pm
by helowrench
Sweet.
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:54 pm
by Ol'fogasaurus
heliarc that ground wire in place nice and goot!!!!
Re: 71 Beetle. Left key on, no spark
Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:18 pm
by heliarc
That's an idea. Cut myself a nice tab from some old sheet metal and tack it on in a nice spot.