Re: '81's electrical woes...annoying its owner

["Dave Novak" <toastworks@hotmail.com>]

>     Hmmm, only 2 wires that go back there, 1 for light switch, and one
>for the cluster.  Not sure what would happen if that wire was off, but
>you could simply take out the cluster and then make sure that the wire
>plug is securely on there.  I am still clueless as to what the problem
>is.  What works when and what.  Is it just car starting problems?  Does
>all the other electrical shit work fine?

Ok. It all began back this past spring. The 1.7fi that was in there wouldn't 
start very well. I'd turn the key, it would catch.. but only if my foot was 
on the gas. As soon as I took my foot off the gas, a relay would click and 
the engine would die rather quickly. This continued for a few days, leaving 
me unable to drive the car. Then, one morning, I went outside to try and 
start it, and it would just crank. I was getting no spark. I would get 12+ 
at the coil, but no spark from it.

I just decided to leave that be as I found myself the new owner of a Jetta 
GLI 16v. Over the next few months, the engine would be removed from the 
scirocco, and the engine from the Jetta would take it's place.

The '81 scirocco now sits there with a 1.8l 16v (PL) engine with matching 
computers, etc etc etc.. hooked up correctly per my Bentleys and Brian 
Honnold.

So, what happens when I come to that final moment.. the moment of truth when 
the car either dies, or starts right up? Nothing. It never catches. It 
cranks just fine, but never catches.

I check for spark... no spark. Same symptoms as the long gone 1.7l 8v 
engine.

THEN, something else happens with the car's electrical system. I'm poking 
around the floor area by the driver's feet one day, trying to put in an 
under dash shelf. As I push it in.. "click click". Pushing a wire or group 
of wires down there seems to turn everything off.

Normally, when the key is off, the parking lights, emergency flashers, 
cigarette lighter, etc works. Normally, when the key switch is turned on, 
the fuel pump primes, computers turn on (idle stabilizer works), I can use 
the blinkers, headlights, windshield wiper, etc. Standard scirocco type 
stuff.

As I poked around under the dash, nudging wires and harnesses seeing which 
one made this evil situation, I get a "click click" from a certain loom of 
wires. If you're upside down (head where feet should be, looking up a the 
dashboard), there's a group of wires to the right (your right) of the 
steering column just behind the dash -- The loom that goes to the instrument 
cluster, emergency flashers switch, and rear defogger switch. To that loom, 
is taped the wires that go to the ignition switch. The other end of these 
groups of wires is the fuse box (where things are naturally horiffic, as 
they all are in the '81-'82 model years).

Well, I push on said loom right next to the steering column and it's as if 
the ignition key doesn't work at all. All swiched acccessories (blinkers, 
wipers), and the computer and fuel pump relays (basically, all the shit that 
usually works when the key is on) don't work.

So, I'm here pushing and letting go of this wire loom watching everything 
turn on, then off, then on, then off again. Trying to narrow down where the 
breakage could be.

Here's a somewhat interesting part. Remember I couldn't get spark for the 
life of me? If I pushed the wire loom to make everything turn off, as I 
turned it on, I believe a spark would occur. I can guess this to be correct 
cause as I was playing with the bitchy wires... let's say I did this: With 
the ignition system seeming to act normal, I'd try and start the car. It 
would crank. After letting go with the car still not started, I'd play with 
the wire loom, turning everything off and on again. As everything turned 
back on, I'd get a kick from the engine. Like a little jolt. I assume it was 
combustion occuring in the cylinder, because nothing else could make the 
engine spontaneously move like that. Sometimes I heard a pop, as if a spark 
occured.

>    Hmmm, unfortunatly I dont know much about that as my book doesnt get
>into that stuff.  Do you have a voltmeter?  You can check to see if that
>stuff gets power when the ignition is on.

Can I scan the diagrams from an '81 Jetta and send them to you?

This whole deal pisses me off.

I appreciate the help more than you know.

Thanks,
Dave

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