Headlamp Relays - 71 US Import Microbus

[Graham L]

OK, looking for some guidance on Headlamp Relays on a 71 US Microbus, Dean, myself and Paul (Godbus fame) have looked at this one and are drawing a blank, we have a customer bus sat waiting to go for its MOT but for the life of us (well Dean & Paul mainly) we cannot get the lights to go from Dip to Main and back again, we suspected the relay (411 941 583C was fitted) it clicked as it should but didn't do anything to the lights, bought 3 new 5 pin relays 2 from VW Heritage and 1 from JK and none of them do what they should, one didn't even work straight out of the box and its brand new!!

Point I'm trying to make is does anyone know the definitive answer to what relay should be fitted to the bus, no flash just a straight dim dip, the ones from Heritage and JK come with a number 111 941 583AC yet some of the guides say there is an A, a B and a C version of the relay so how can one relay do both??

Anyone on here that can point us in the right direction and if they can a good source for original relays rather than the manufactured stuff that doesn't seem to work straight out of the box!!

Your help would be greatly appreciated

 

[BJ1]

I think that's the correct part number Graham.
You can check the relay by putting a meter on the two output pins. They are usually really easy to fix - just carefully remove the case by straightening the indents then you will see the guts. At the business end you will see a moveable arm that flips between two contacts, one for the full beam and the other for dipped. Chances are that one set of contacts is badly corroded so try cleaning them with fine sandpaper. Then test it with the cover off - you should see the arm move between the contacts each time you operate the dip switch. If all else fails I may just have a spare kicking around (well probably about six!)
The repro ones are pure rubbish - as you've found
Brian

 

[67panel]

are you fitting beetle style relay,5pin ? square one,new made in brazil.had 4 or 5 from gfs couple of years ago all faulty the mecanical arm that swiches wont move far enough to over centre arm,segest take of cover and watch as its operated.

 

[bluecab]

I had this problem with my 72 westy i recently got from america, i knew the relay was working ( took it out of another van ) and it baffled me, after lying upside down on your back for an hour checking the wiring i realised the relay earth had come away from the body! I know this may not be the case here but worth a look, hope this helps.
paul

 

[mike.s]

have you tried another relay from another van?

looking at the wiring diagrams on vintage bus, they all look fairly similiar?

one feed from the indiator stalk to switch the relay, power from the headlamp switch and then a feed to the dipped and a feed to full beam.

if you haven`t got one, i`d go with above, that if you can hear the relay clicking, then the stalk switch is defintely working and there`s either an earth problem at the headlamp itself or the contacts inside the relay are corroded possibly.
Mike

 

[K@rlos]

I had this problem with mine, spoke to Karmann Konnection and they said they do a new version of a us relay. It was a normal relay with a bridge wire connecting 2 pins together and it did sod all :? So i took the old relay apart and repaired it, had got water in it, abit of wd-40 and a small screwdriver and it works fine