More electrical problems for you watercooled wizards out there:
The rear defroster and wiper on my '81 don't work. The Bentley
manual states that the rear wiper has an in-line 8A fuse. Where is this
thing located? I want to rule out the fuse before I have to start
suspecting the motor or switch.
The rear defroster doesn't come on although the fuse is ok and I
used a switch which was working in my other car. Any place that I should
look at next?
The alternator light has a dim to not so dim glow when the
headlights are on. It is bright right after starting then fades a bit then
becomes brighter in an anxiety-inducing cycle. I'm guessing that the
additional glow is not caused by the radiator fan (at least initially)
since I can't imagine the fan coming on for a few minutes while the motor
is warming up.
I'm thinking about doing the relay conversion for the headlights
but was the "alternator-warning-light-warm-glow-when-headlights-are-on" a
standard feature when these cars were new? Or is this something that
inevitably develops over time like a nasty paunch and age spots? I vaguely
remember articles in European Car or maybe even back in VW & Porsche
describing 90A alternator and beefier ground connection upgrades. On what
type/year of cars could I harvest one of these uber alternators and do I
have to modify the mount/pulley/wiring? Btw, my car has air.
Is the wispy ground strap in question that one that goes from the
negative terminal through some impenetrable mass to the frame? Do I unbolt
it and sand all the contacts to get rid of all my problems?
Since one of my parking brake cables was broken, I tried replacing
the cable and what looked like an easy job in the Bentley manual turned
into the automotive equivalent of that scene in "Spock's Brain" from the
original Star Trek where McCoy is standing over Spock's open cranial vault
going, "I can't remember!"
After removing the drum, I couldn't just "unhook the cable from the
lever" *HAHA* so I decided to remove the brake shoes. The Bentley Manual
sez, "Disengage the shoes from the support (Fig. 8-5), then remove the
lower return spring." *HEE HEE, SNORT* I had a f*ck of a time doing this
and ended up first unhooking the top of the shoes from the cylinder. Then
when I tried to put the top of the shoe back on the cylinder pistons, it
slipped, tearing one of the piston boots *BWAAHAHA*. As I watched brake
fluid oozing out while fighting back tears I gave the Bentley manual a
swift kick. Good thing I don't make a living as a mechanic.
Since I probably have to replace the other one in the near future
is there an easy way to replace the parking brake cable without removing
the shoes? And since brake shoe replacement will eventually raise it's
accursed head, what's the most painless way of doing this? Besides taking
it to a shop, I mean.
When I put in the new cylinder I didn't lube the pistons with VW
brake cylinder paste as per Bentley. Is this a major boo-boo?
Thanks in advance for any help. I realize I'm a mechanical dimwit so
please give me directions that any newbie can follow.
bowed and cowed, b--------
YbOeSnHtIoDnA
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