Help me hotwire my Rabbiit

I have an 83 Rabbit GTI which cuts out on me all the time (hot and cold). It is almost certainly an electrical problem, since the tachometer drops like a stone when it cuts off. (I have the fuel pump routed to a switch, so I can compare the difference between loss of fuel and loss of power). Anyway, I thought it was the ignition switch, so I replaced it ... twice. It still cuts out. BUT it still sometimes responds to jiggling of the ingition switch. That is, if the engine hasn't completely ground to a halt, jiggling of the ignition switch will sometimes get it going again. So ... I wanted to hotwire the car and bypass the switch and connector for diagnostic purposes. But I'm not sure which wires need to be connected. Does anybody know? Can I shock myself doing this? Also, if anyone has any other ideas about what might be the problem, I would very much appreciate that input as well. Thanks!! Fred

Reply to
Fred Mann
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Sounds like you need to replace your ignition switch, or repair the wiring going to it. A Bentley service manual is helpful for this and many other repair jobs. It contains wiring diagrams and other info on just about anything related to the vehicle. Be sure and get the manual that is meant for your particular car. By the way, before doing any electrical work, disconnect the negative battery terminal.

Reply to
Papa

Reply to
Jim Behning

Thanks. What/where is the hall sensor plug?

Reply to
Fred Mann

You are not going to shock yourself under the dash. Only the ignition system (spark plug wires, coil, distributor) will do that. It is possible to burn yourself working around 12 volts if you cause a short, a wire gets hot, and a fuse does not blow right away.

Reply to
Tom's VR6

The Hall generator is the non-mechanical replacement for the points and it is in the lower part of the distributor. ( uses electronics ) There are three wires (r/bk ,g/w , br/w )going/to from it. When the car dies is there any other electrical things that die too, especially pay attention to the fuel guage?

Reply to
samstone

Reply to
Jim Behning

Thanks for all the answers!! As far as additional symptoms go, I didn't notice anything with the fuel guage, but that guage moves very slowly, and I'm usually in a panic when the problem occurs. But with respect to the ignition switch, there seems to be a point where the connection is fine, but I can't seem to keep the key in that position. For example, when the engine cuts out, I turn the key back and forth, and sometimes the engine will cut on and off every time the key passes a certain point -- over and over again. But this doesn't always happen. I would imagine that this could be something other than the ignition switch, but I'm not sure what it could be. Perhaps "pulsing" the current does something to some other component?? A relay??

Reply to
Fred Mann

You said you replaced the ignition switch? Do the old and new switches behave more or less the same (i.e. by wiggling the switch or turning it slowly back and forth, the engine and dash indicators cut in and out?). If so, it would be worth checking the contacts in the ignition switch connector. Perhaps one of the contacts is loose, not gripping the male tab on the rear of the switch? Or maybe the wire crimp of the contact is poor, frayed, or otherwise intermittant? Keep the ignition switch in the RUN position, and grab the harness wires behind the switch (while the engine is running) and wiggle/pull the wires to see if that has an effect.

Thanks for all the answers!! As far as additional symptoms go, I didn't notice anything with the fuel guage, but that guage moves very slowly, and I'm usually in a panic when the problem occurs. But with respect to the ignition switch, there seems to be a point where the connection is fine, but I can't seem to keep the key in that position. For example, when the engine cuts out, I turn the key back and forth, and sometimes the engine will cut on and off every time the key passes a certain point -- over and over again. But this doesn't always happen. I would imagine that this could be something other than the ignition switch, but I'm not sure what it could be. Perhaps "pulsing" the current does something to some other component?? A relay??

Reply to
WT

Could be. Have you looked at your relay plate? On cars of that vintage, there were problems with corrosion of the relay plates and wiring harnesses. You might just be causing enough electrical activity to make the fuel pump relay draw again through the resistance. I'd have a look at the relay plate and see what kind of mess you have.

Reply to
Andrew Sullivan

You've already got the fuel pump on a switch? Just how gerry-rigged is the wiring? I'm going with the idea of corrosion in the relay socket contacts and/or in various wire connections. If something's only partially corroded it'll behave intermittently like you've described.

There comes a time, however, that corroded wiring becomes a never-ending bug hunt. Unless you're prepared to do some serious, and proper, rewiring it may be time to replace the car.

Reply to
Bill Kearney

Play with that hall sensor plug and wires. jiggle em around and see if that gives you any cut outs. my 85 had that issue and i rewrapped the plug and wires. going to the dist.(hall sender)

Reply to
vwtopdown

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