I have a mysterious lead coming from my negative terminal on my coil. I have a TP stock 1600 engine with a blue bosch coil and electronic ignition. On the positive connection of the coil i have one lead, the positive lead going to the distributor. On the negative side i have four leads coming off it. One going to the distributor, One blue one going across to the main wiring loom, One red one to fuel cut off solenoid (i think that is what is called, to the side of the carb) and then a red one which disappears down the left hand side of the engine as you look at it, it then disappears in the ducting under the van and i can't trace the other end. Has anyone got any ideas of what it may be or how i can find it. As you know i have limited knowledge all i could think of is to find all of the connectors at the dash end and then systematically disconnect and connect the lead at the coil to see if it other end dies!!! There is nothing extra on the dash area, no extra gauges. Thanks in advance
I think you have that the wrong way round. Should be -ve side - 1 green to condensor on distributor and maybe one in the loom to the computer socket and maybe one to rev counter. + side - black from loom providing 12v, links to solenoid and choke, maybe a fused on to the reverse light switch on gearbox (could be any colour), and anything else PO's have attched for ignition on 12v supply like (though this is wrong) the trigger for split charge relay.
In an unmodified vehicle the only wire coming from the negative side of the coil should go to the distributor. I reckon you've got two cables wrongly connected to the negative side which should go to the positive side, namely the fuel cut-off and the power for the reversing lights. The positive side of the coil should be at around 12 volts and the negative side slightly less. While the fuel cut-off and the reversing lights will still work, they'll work better from the positive side at full voltage
Mike, that diagram is for earlier models without the diagnostic socket... Possibly it's a splitty diagram? Even my 68 has more complicated wiring than that... I think he has it wired mostly correctly but got + and - mixed up on the post?
It's just a generic diagram (from an early beetle, I think). Might have been better to cut out the important part highlighting the coil and ignition. My 79 Bay (when purchased in 1996) had wired to the positive terminal of the coil 1. The supply from the ignition 2. Wire to the fuel cut-off and choke. Later added by me 3. the connection for the reversing lights and 4. The red wire for electronic ignition There was/is no connection anywhere for diagnostics To the negative terminal was the single wire to the distributor, later replaced by the negative connection to the electronic ignition Hope this clarifies
As said by Zed A lot of people put the wires on the neg by mistake as they are black wires but on a VW black is +
Thanks for all the replies. I made a school boy error in my post, got the + and - the wrong way round. Tried everthing and all works, i think the mysterious lead is the reversing light will be able to confirm in better light. Hopefully no more Homer Simpson moments
