indicators and restoration

edde191 · Oct 22, 2024

hi all im currently fighting an electrical bug on a US 1969 bay: so the hazard lights flash all four lights the brake lights work on both corners the left hand indicator works front and back but the right hand indicator buzzes or just seams to short n stop! cant seam to get the right hand indicator working have swapped all fuses and charged battery may still need to clean some teminals but looking for anything to check
any help
edde

andrewblackwell · Oct 23, 2024

I wish i had your answer, but i had two occasions when my indicators buzzed/stuttered as you describe without functioning properly, & it was immediately after i had tested my hazards. One time it caused a fuse to blow.
I wondered if the old relay can get stuck somehow from using the hazards, which then affects the indicator function immediately after.

This is on a 1970 US bus. My wiring is far short of factory standard from dubious wiring of a "custom" dash install, so i am taking my time to work out where everything connects to (or is not connected as i keep finding loose wires, yet to find their purpose)

W1K1 · Oct 23, 2024

Check your terminals and wires are in the correct place first, all the terminals are marked . I would suspect the signal light switch is shorting out, (bad contact or melted/damaged wires) since the emergency flashers use the same wiring to the lights. I had one of the expensive repop switches from CIP that the hi/low beam switch was pooched right out of the box, and ended up using the original that was crusty and rusted, but after it was cleaned up it was fully functional
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_70_wiring.jpg

edde191 · Oct 23, 2024

andrewblackwell said:
I wish i had your answer, but i had two occasions when my indicators buzzed/stuttered as you describe without functioning properly, & it was immediately after i had tested my hazards. One time it caused a fuse to blow.
I wondered if the old relay can get stuck somehow from using the hazards, which then affects the indicator function immediately after.

This is on a 1970 US bus. My wiring is far short of factory standard from dubious wiring of a "custom" dash install, so i am taking my time to work out where everything connects to (or is not connected as i keep finding loose wires, yet to find their purpose)

i think i could check this relatively cheaply a new flasher relay could be quite cheap ive had similar problems before with moisture ruining the flasher realy might try this first

edde191 · Oct 23, 2024

W1K1 said:
Check your terminals and wires are in the correct place first, all the terminals are marked . I would suspect the signal light switch is shorting out, (bad contact or melted/damaged wires) since the emergency flashers use the same wiring to the lights. I had one of the expensive repop switches from CIP that the hi/low beam switch was pooched right out of the box, and ended up using the original that was crusty and rusted, but after it was cleaned up it was fully functional
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_70_wiring.jpg

i see your point the original fuse box and wires are a bit crusted may take some time going thru them n cleaning them up

W1K1 · Oct 24, 2024

edde191 said:
i see your point the original fuse box and wires are a bit crusted may take some time going thru them n cleaning them up

Start here https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/1968-69bus_turn.jpg

From the wiring for just the 68/69 signals it would look like the relay is your culprit, it has a lot more wires running through it than a later relay

edde191 · Nov 3, 2024

hi guys sorry for the delay but fixed it sprayed some wd40 at the switch and wiggled it for half an hour seams to work now still not 100% but it's working also wired in the amber indicators for uk spec used the original us spec indicator wire and cut it from the brake light switch then plumbed in a new brake light wire from the master cylinder HAPPY DAYS!