Just picked up a '71 Super Beetle with autostick

Hi all,

I just came into this car and I am finding all sorts of little issues.

ATF leaks. No idea where to start with that one.

Fuel leaks from the hose between the fillup port and the tank, along
the tank. It looks like the previous owner clamped material around the
hose and kept the fuel pretty low to make sure it didn't run over. Is
this hose replaceable or is a new tank assembly required?

The horn doesn't work.

The wiper fluid doesn't fire, but the wipers and brights work.

Exhaust is coming into the car a bit. I read that the return pipes can
let trace amounts into the vents. Those appear to be sound, is there
another place I should look for leaks?

Sorry to bombard with question, I am desperate for any help anyone can
provide, especially on the horn.


Thank you!
Patrick

On Sep 13, 10:56*am, "Patrick O'Brien" > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I just came into this car and I am finding all sorts of little issues.
>
> ATF leaks. No idea where to start with that one.
>
> Fuel leaks from the hose between the fillup port and the tank, along
> the tank. It looks like the previous owner clamped material around the
> hose and kept the fuel pretty low to make sure it didn't run over. Is
> this hose replaceable or is a new tank assembly required?
>
> The horn doesn't work.
>
> The wiper fluid doesn't fire, but the wipers and brights work.
>
> Exhaust is coming into the car a bit. I read that the return pipes can
> let trace amounts into the vents. Those appear to be sound, is there
> another place I should look for leaks?
>
> Sorry to bombard with question, I am desperate for any help anyone can
> provide, especially on the horn.
>
> Thank you!
> Patrick

You might have better luck at this newsgroup:

http://shoptalkforums.com/

Dear Patrick,

Congrats on your new acquisition.
We have a nice 1969 Auto-Stick Karmann Ghia in the family that is undergoing
restoration.

<snip> ATF leaks. No idea where to start with that one.<snip>

IIRC the engine has a double oil pump, half for engine oil and half for ATF.
The two halves are separated by a metal plate. Look for dusty oil
accumulating around the pump area.
Also there are several lines that lead from the ATF reservoir to the pump
from the pump to the trans housing and a return line to the reservoir.
inspect those for leaks as well. If you don't find anything there, most
likely it is the Torque Converter seal.


<snip> Fuel leaks from the hose between the fillup port and the tank, along
> the tank. It looks like the previous owner clamped material around the
> hose and kept the fuel pretty low to make sure it didn't run over. Is
> this hose replaceable or is a new tank assembly required?<snip>

That hose can and prolly should be replaced.

<snip> The horn doesn't work.<snip>

Try connecting a test light at the horn and have a friend press the button.
If you see the light the horns may be trashed, otherwise it might be a
relay.
It should click when the button is pressed.

<snip> The wiper fluid doesn't fire, but the wipers and brights work.<snip>

Please don't take this the wrong way, but, are you aware that the washer
fluid is propelled by the air in the spare tire?
I was unaware of that fact for many years of ACVW ownership.
There is a little valve and hose assembly that screws onto the spare tire
inflation stem.
It has a valve that allows air to bleed out of the tire, to a point.
It will stop working before the spare looses too much air,
so you have to top up the spare tire periodically, to keep the fluid coming.


<snip> Exhaust is coming into the car a bit. I read that the return pipes
can
> let trace amounts into the vents. Those appear to be sound, is there
> another place I should look for leaks?<snip>

Carbon Monoxide Poisioning is nothing to fool around with!
Be sure that the air ducting between the fan housing and the heater boxes is
in place and in good condition.
I have seen some people remove them and plug the holes in the fan housing
with freeze plugs to keep the air in for better engine cooling.
If you leave the openings to the heater boxes unsealed and any of the other
"cooling tin" in the engine compartment is damaged or missing,
Then some exhaust could be drawn into your heaters by the complex vorticies
generated by the car's motion through the atmosphere and the engines cooling
system.

Good luck and as always YYMV!

Papa Homer

Thanks for the replies all!

I ran the car for a while to get the fuel back down [way more fun to
go cruising than to just drain the tank, sheesh], and found it was a
crack in the fillup tube. Jbug has one for $20, so that will take care
of me for the fuel leak it seems.

The wiper fluid assembly is all hooked up to the tire, I swear. I
thought there may be a leak and tested, but the reservoir is
maintaining pressure. My guess is that some fluid gelled up the tube
running back to the windshield, or that the lever inside is broken.
I'm going to flush the tube out this weekend to try again.

For the other leaks, I'll be lifting the car up this weekend as well,
so I will have a better idea and get back to the group, thanks for the
help so far.

Does anyone know what type of ATF I should use? Dexron?

Hmm, well I figured out the horn problem. There is no horn.

I attached a new horn to the wiring, and it just blares. I'm at a loss
here. I took the steering wheel off, and it still blares. Checked up
to the fusebox, it still blares.

Blah.

On 9/16/2011 6:27 PM, Patrick O'Brien wrote:
> Hmm, well I figured out the horn problem. There is no horn.
>
> I attached a new horn to the wiring, and it just blares. I'm at a loss
> here. I took the steering wheel off, and it still blares. Checked up
> to the fusebox, it still blares.
>
> Blah.
Beetle horn wiring switches the ground, not the hot. Simplified: horn
connects to unswitched 12vDC and steering column. Horn ring shorts the
column lead to complete the circuit.
Disconnect the horn and check for lack of continuity between ground and
the wire that connects to the horn ring. The wire in the column may have
lost its insulation and is no longer isolated from the body.

Jim in Amarillo

Not sure what steering wheel you have over there but if you are using the
old one with the plastic central bezel in the horn ring that pops out there
are three screws under the bezel. They secure the horn ring contacts etc. If
those screws are over tightened they will permanently close the horn
"switch"
They are spring tensioned. I just loosen mine till there is about 1/4 inch
freeplay at horn ring extremity.
John
"Jim O'Malley" > wrote in message
...
> On 9/16/2011 6:27 PM, Patrick O'Brien wrote:
>> Hmm, well I figured out the horn problem. There is no horn.
>>
>> I attached a new horn to the wiring, and it just blares. I'm at a loss
>> here. I took the steering wheel off, and it still blares. Checked up
>> to the fusebox, it still blares.
>>
>> Blah.
> Beetle horn wiring switches the ground, not the hot. Simplified: horn
> connects to unswitched 12vDC and steering column. Horn ring shorts the
> column lead to complete the circuit.
> Disconnect the horn and check for lack of continuity between ground and
> the wire that connects to the horn ring. The wire in the column may have
> lost its insulation and is no longer isolated from the body.
>
> Jim in Amarillo
>

On Sep 18, 4:43*am, "John" > wrote:
> Not sure what steering wheel you have over there but if you are using the
> old one with the plastic central bezel in the horn ring that pops out there
> are three screws under the bezel. They secure the horn ring contacts etc. If
> those screws are over tightened they will permanently close the horn
> "switch"
> They are spring tensioned. I just loosen mine till there is about 1/4 inch
> freeplay at horn ring extremity.


Hi guys. I have (what I discovered to be) the wheel from a '72. It has
the pad, and the wiring all through there is fine. Even when the horn
pad is removed, it blares. It probably is touching the steering
column, but I am not sure what I have to remove to get to it. Gas tank
and air box perhaps? I have some free time today to monkey around with
it so I will see what I can figure out.

The bug shop had a good write up on the horn problems IIRC.

I think it was www.thebugshop.org

I'll check it later ... just about to log out !

Rich

On 18/09/11 13:01, Patrick O'Brien wrote:
> On Sep 18, 4:43 am, > wrote:
>> Not sure what steering wheel you have over there but if you are using the
>> old one with the plastic central bezel in the horn ring that pops out there
>> are three screws under the bezel. They secure the horn ring contacts etc. If
>> those screws are over tightened they will permanently close the horn
>> "switch"
>> They are spring tensioned. I just loosen mine till there is about 1/4 inch
>> freeplay at horn ring extremity.
>
>
> Hi guys. I have (what I discovered to be) the wheel from a '72. It has
> the pad, and the wiring all through there is fine. Even when the horn
> pad is removed, it blares. It probably is touching the steering
> column, but I am not sure what I have to remove to get to it. Gas tank
> and air box perhaps? I have some free time today to monkey around with
> it so I will see what I can figure out.

Here you go ....

http://www.thebugshop.org/gotech.htm

On 18/09/11 17:10, tricky wrote:
> The bug shop had a good write up on the horn problems IIRC.
>
> I think it was www.thebugshop.org
>
> I'll check it later ... just about to log out !
>
> Rich
>
> On 18/09/11 13:01, Patrick O'Brien wrote:
>> On Sep 18, 4:43 am, > wrote:
>>> Not sure what steering wheel you have over there but if you are using
>>> the
>>> old one with the plastic central bezel in the horn ring that pops out
>>> there
>>> are three screws under the bezel. They secure the horn ring contacts
>>> etc. If
>>> those screws are over tightened they will permanently close the horn
>>> "switch"
>>> They are spring tensioned. I just loosen mine till there is about 1/4
>>> inch
>>> freeplay at horn ring extremity.
>>
>>
>> Hi guys. I have (what I discovered to be) the wheel from a '72. It has
>> the pad, and the wiring all through there is fine. Even when the horn
>> pad is removed, it blares. It probably is touching the steering
>> column, but I am not sure what I have to remove to get to it. Gas tank
>> and air box perhaps? I have some free time today to monkey around with
>> it so I will see what I can figure out.