68 fastback ignition switch repolacement

[kinga]

Hi all,

Reckon the ignition switch on my newly-acquired 68 fasty has been fried as it won't fire until you release the key (had the same on my bay).

Can anyone point me in the direction of any procedures to show me how to do this & is it possible without removing the steering wheel (I am worried about damaging it as it is a nice one!).

Many thanks.

[Editor]

You can't get to the ignition switch without removing the steering wheel. If it's the original type steering wheel, removal won't damage anything. Remove earth cable from battery (stops it trying to start when you turn key to remove lock). Centralise the steering, then the horn button comes out with an upwards push (with castle upwards) to compress the spring clip, and then lift from bottom side. No need to pry out with a blade! The 27mm nut can then be undone with a socket. Remove wheel and two black plastic caps from screws that hold steering lock cover plate, find a 3mm hole on the side of the lock holder and press in to release lock spring clip while turning key and pulling lock out.

I think the procedure is the same for all '68 on, with the angled steering lock/switch. Take care with the wiring from the switch.

Most of us oldies buy a manual - even the Haynes goes into the procedure reasonably, but you may even find a you-tube video if you look. I expect it's the same system on a Beetle/Bug.

[kinga]

many thanks Dave - very helpful.

[kinga]

Had a go at doing this this afternoon, but must admit i'm a bit stumped!

Got the steering wheel off (come straight off, which I was chuffed about as my bay steering wheel was stuck on solid and wouldn't come off, even witha a puller!).

So, then I was faced with this..



I assume I need to get the metal plate to the left of the ignition switch off so I can get to the switch?

It looks like it should slide forward, but I just cannot see what's holding it on - no holes, no screws, no plastic caps.

Do I need to take the plate off the inside that holds the indicator switch cancelling mechanism, etc?

Procedures I have managed to get off the web do not state that I need to but I cannot find and 3mm holes or anything to release the metal plate.

Mine is a 68 (F reg).

Any help gratefully received.

edit - just had a look at a YouTube video for a 68 beetle replacement - I assume it's the same - looks like I need to take the indicator cancellation ring off to get to the screws behind it which hold the plate on - remove the plate & get the ignition switch out which is held in by a little grub screw.

Assuming mine is the same, 2 questions..

Will there be enough slack in the wires which attached to the indicator assembly to pull the indicator plate clear of the steering column? and where is it best to cut & re-join the wires to the ignition switch.

Sorry for all the questions but don;t want to cause myself any additional work by damaging any wires.

thanks

[purplepeter]

Remove the 4 straight slotted screws holding the indicator switch in place (threads are about 10mm long but screws are probably a good 50mm) Then remove the indicator switch unit
That'll expose the teeny screw holding the ign switch
Have a feel underneath the ign switch barrel-there may be a multi connector, I'm not sure- There certainly is on later models

[kinga]

Thanks - got the old switch off, but as usual with repro parts the new one doesn't fit (aarrgghh ).

The new switch basically looks the same as far as the outer casing is concerned and will actually fit, but the orientation of the inner rotating barrel is wrong. This means that the key will not turn round enough to engage the starter.

I ordered the part from JK - OEM equivalent number end in 865A, which looks to be the correct part from an internet search, but hopefully you can see the issue from the photo below (also the replacement switch has 2 positions before the starter - my EOM one only has 1).

Also, the colours of the wires are different, but I can hopefully find a wiring diagram to cross reference the 2, but out of interest..

Old wires = thicker red, red/black, black, black/yellow

New wires = red, black, red/white, grey.



You can hopefully see from the following photo that the OEM (left) has the central drive at 12 o'clock and the pattern part (JK) has the drive at 2 o'clock with the switch in the same orientation.

Has anyone does this job before?

Thanks

[mjrpoulton]

I did this job on my 68 T34 auto (same column assembly) about 3 years ago.

From memory I think you can align the inner part of the mechanism to fit the key drive. However looking at your earlier photo the ignition key assembly with the plastic collar looks like a later 71 on style - that would correlate with the fewer key positions since the column lock engages when the key is removed (well it does on my 72 car with this lock style). The 68 original has an ignition locked position - key vertical, and a garage position - key horizontal, both positions the key can be removed. There is the usual ignition on position (further 90 degrees) and the start position. The original style ignition key assembly is more flush fitting, so I do not have any experience of how your particular installation has been done, other than it looks like a later key assembly has been married to the original locking switch. I can take a picture of what the finished installation looks like if that helps?

Mark

[kinga]

Hi Mark,

Many thanks for the heads up - and yes, any photos or suggestions would be helpful!

Speaking to Just Kampers this afternoon and they reckon the the orientation of the slot in the ignition switch suggests that it is a later 71 on switch (Marko - do you know anything about this??).

Apparently, on the later 71 on switch, the central slot line up with the location & fixing tabs, as per my photo on the left, but it has 5 wires (looking at the internet, it looks like it's actually got 6 wires!) yet mine only has 4 - I suppose it this is the switch I need I could just connect 4 of them , but would rather match like-for-like if poss.

Thanks, Ade.

[mjrpoulton]

I have found the old switch that I removed and am sure was the original. 4 wires as is the replacement the only difference being wire colours. Looks identical to your photo on the right, and think my replacement came from VWH. If you put a screwdriver in the slot you can check how many positions it has.

http://s349.photobucket.com/user/mpolov ... sort=1&o=1

http://s349.photobucket.com/user/mpolov ... sort=1&o=0

I cannot unfortunately help with how a later assembly has been worked into the mix, but it was probably a less expensive option - good luck!

Mark

[kinga]

Thanks for the replies guys - got my new switch through the post from GSF today - it has 6 wires, but 4 are the same colours & orientation as the switch I took off.

So, I can wire the red, red/black, black & black/yellow wires like for like & the grey & brown wires I will cut off at the switch - I was gonna try & pull the whole terminals out of the ignition switch completely, so no bared wires or terminals are exposed, but not sure if I will wreck the switch, so not sure i'm going down that route!

The switch fits straight into the back of the barrel & the slot lines up - only has 1 position before cranking.

Wish me good luck connecting the wires up as there doesn't look much space up in the dashboard by the fusebox!

[mjrpoulton]

Hope the transplant is successful! Also suggests that a later switch and lock assembly can be retrofitted to earlier 68-70 cars which is useful to know, apart from having to grapple with too many wires!

Mark

[kinga]

Ignition switch successfully installed & working ok - car now starts when you actually turn the key, rather than when you let the key go lol

Did manage to knock just 1 wire off in the process - initially couldn't find where it had come off but as the indicators didn't indicate, just lit up and styaed on I guessed that it was off the flasher relay which is located just above the steering column.

Noticed that there was an unused connector on the relay, so pushed the wire back on and hey presto, now the indicators work as well.

Result.

[Editor]

Well done - sorry I didn't get back to you - been away for a few days.

[kinga]

No probs dave, cheers.
Drove the car to work today. Drove lovely, as usual, but the indicators are not cancelling so not sure if i have screwed tge unit back in too tight or something is not aligned correctly?

[Editor]

Is there a chance you have put the wheel back 180 degrees out? I did that at some point and couldn't work out why the cancelling system didn't work. It's not hard to do as there's no Wolfsburg badge to show the way up. The lug on the wheel does the cancelling as it turns. I think if the wheel is turned another half-turn and the self-cancelling works, that's probably the answer. However there's a warning in the manual that the self-cancelling cam may be damaged if the lever is not central when re-installing. There are some plastic lugs visible in your photo at each end of the (rusty?) spring. They play a part in the cancelling, as does the spring. Hope it's not that.

[kinga]

Will have to take the wheel back off & have a look. Hope i haven't damaged anything, it's the first old vdub i've ever had where the indicators actually cancel lol!
Can't get the wheel 189 degrees out as mine's got a d ring horn push.

[Editor]

Yes, the posh wheels wouldn't let you make that mistake!

[kinga]

Mechanism just a bit gunged up with grease. But if wd40 did tge trick.

[Editor]

Good news - and a warning learned for next time!