WON'T START after driving all day, electrical mystery, Help me get back on the road before Monday! Options

[Mark Henry]

Clean ALL your grounds.
Weird electrical issues are almost always the grounds.

I mean ALL grounds! Battery terminals, ground body connector, trans strap, even take a pen knife and scrape all the spades the down to bare metal, etc.

[Spoke]

It should turn ON when you turn the key to on, then turn OFF when the engine starts running.

Good catch. I didn't recognize the importance of this when I first read it.

If the GEN light doesn't come on when you first turn the key to ON, the alternator is not going to work.

The GEN light provides just enough current to the armature to get the alternator to boot-strap itself to work. In other words, the GEN light current is the "starter" for the alternator. Spinning the alternator is not enough; the 914 alternator must be started up and that's what the GEN light does.

As mentioned before, clean up the connections to the GEN light and all grounds including the transmission strap.

[Chris Pincetich]

Since a new voltage regulator didn't fix it, and it still won't charge, I pulled the alternator. It's had the same one for 10 years I've had it. Took it to Napa Auto Parts for a test. It FAILED. My battery tested good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I replaced all my gauge lights 2 years ago, and it does come on. When the "G" light was not coming on, it may have been I was turning the key all the way to START quickly...

Tomorrow I order a new alternator, or have this one rebuilt. It's a Bosch. I'll do some research, as I am considering more amps. But, need it going ASAP. It won't be ready for Monday's drive to work, but the bike is!

Anybody know who sells the alternator gasket? One came out, and fell apart. Pelican doesn't seem to have it. They have rebuilt Bosch 55amp alternators for $108 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Oh yeah, I've removed the trans ground strap and will clean/sand it. Need to do this up front under the dash and near the headlights.

[904svo]

FWIW don't forget to put star washers on the alternator, this will provide a good
ground for the alternator. Had a problem like yours and turn out to be the alternator
wasn't get ground to the engine case.

[Spoke]

Anybody know who sells the alternator gasket? One came out, and fell apart. Pelican doesn't seem to have it.

Is this the gasket that goes on the back of the alternator to protect the wires? I made one from stock gasket material. In PowerPoint I drew circles of the right diameter; printed it out and traced it on the gasket material.

[McMark]

Yup. No gasket available afaik. Also some of the result units have a longer stud that hits the cover plate then you install it. Make sure nothing inside touches that back plate.

[Spoke]

Here's the template that I made in PowerPoint. Quite simple. I printed it and traced the outline by poking holes with a razor knife. Bulged out the outline around the 3 holes and cut it out.

[Chris Pincetich]

Yup. No gasket available afaik. Also some of the result units have a longer stud that hits the cover plate then you install it. Make sure nothing inside touches that back plate.

Just to be 100% clear: is the gasket necessary? What happens if I install the alternator without it? (Can't recall if the gasket was in between cover plate or ??)

Here in the East SF Bay, the shop that was open and had a NEW Bosch alternator on the shelf (part #AL75X) was Bus Lab in Berkeley! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
They do old VW bus stuff, new VW bus stuff, Vanagon Suby conversions, and apparently the owner has been fixing and selling 914s to Germany with regularity. There was a 914 parked out front among the buses (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Markl]

So, if your alternator is bad, why wasn't the warning light coming on while you were driving? Sounds like you have a ground problem - breaking connection to ground while charging will burn up the alternator. I'd check battery ground before the same happens to your new alt.

[Chris Pincetich]

New alternator in, "G" light illuminated at start-up, not during driving, and 13.5V going to battery when running. Back in action (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Still dealing w some funky electrical gremlins (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
Wipers wouldn't work, headlights stuck on high beams w one out'flickering.
Didn't even try to turn on radio.

After 20 miles driving with headlights on, parked it, and battery was at 12.9V
Tonight: check fuses, check more grounds, replace/redo headlight relay

There was corrosion under the transaxle grounding strap. I'm sure there's more elsewhere.

[donman]

So I'm driving home on the twisty roads of West Marin, and my radio cuts out. Then comes back on. Then cuts out. It is wired to the interior light/turn signal circuit if I recall correctly. Turn signals work. NO problems. I get to the Post Office, get my mail, then the car won't start!

Turn key
1) Fuel pump comes on
2) "sound" of something trying to work, possibly starter insides

But, no cranking. Nothing. When I release key from start position, I hear a CLICK.

I got some help, and push started it. It worked! BUT, it ran like CRAP. On acceleration, it popped and even backfired. Whoa. Hardly any power. Limped it home and now it is parked safely in the driveway.

I am so bummed. I have been commuting in the 914, and improving stuff almost every weekend. Just installed a new TPS circuit board, new Optima battery, and cleaned + tightened the battery cables and connections. Ran great this morning!!

D-jet, 1.7 TIV. All fuses OK. Checked rear engine fuses too. 13V across battery terminals.

Been reading and searching the site for help. Found info on bad ignition switches and places to check for voltage drops. I went through the bad ignition switch last year. Maybe it happened again!! Similar symptoms, but why would it run like crap after I push started it if it was only the switch? That has me baffled. What made it run like crap?!?! AND WHY was my radio acting up? I hate electrical gremlins!

D-jet grounds? D-jet "tigger plate" (what't that? TPS?)? Bad CHT?

I can dig into this over the weekend. Gots to fix it by Monday! Maybe I should order a new ignition switch now? What else

Oh yeah, I have the small "eBay" starter. It's now about 8 years old. How do I "jumper" this starter? Just connect the two terminals?

Thanks in advance for any and all help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[donman]

1. well when i first got my 914 bought hot start kit $24 then my car would do the same thing left me stranded or push started. cleaned all grounds etc. still happened, i guess i didn't do very good job, it continued to happen after a lot of driving. Aquired an aviation grade ground strap. the one on your tranie. Die grinded an area till bare metal installed new one and did the same on the starter ground wire. Since the rework it has not been an issue.
TELLING YOU GROUND IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. All this air cooling.

2.The crapping running after starts. If you have points still ...Which i still do. I found this caused a stranded no firing or spark condition. It could be the heat from driving. Installed New points ran great. But i want electronic and can't find one that i feel comfortable with that will fit that rare distributor i have. So anyone feel free to advise. i am looking at Hot Spark.

[DRPHIL914]

1. well when i first got my 914 bought hot start kit $24 then my car would do the same thing left me stranded or push started. cleaned all grounds etc. still happened, i guess i didn't do very good job, it continued to happen after a lot of driving. Aquired an aviation grade ground strap. the one on your tranie. Die grinded an area till bare metal installed new one and did the same on the starter ground wire. Since the rework it has not been an issue.
TELLING YOU GROUND IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. All this air cooling.

2.The crapping running after starts. If you have points still ...Which i still do. I found this caused a stranded no firing or spark condition. It could be the heat from driving. Installed New points ran great. But i want electronic and can't find one that i feel comfortable with that will fit that rare distributor i have. So anyone feel free to advise. i am looking at Hot Spark.

ive been running a hot spark module for 5 years not problem- fits fine in my stock D-jet distributor.

Phil.
btw where in charleston are you? S.C? if so come down next saturday on the 21st for Cars-n-Coffee- Bluffton(beaufort hilton head savannah and sun city collaberation) we had almost 200 car last month! - (at the USCB campus next to Sun City )

[boxstr]

I had some intermittent, weird electrical gremlins on two different 914 s recently. Found the wiring into the reverse light switch were crispy and the connectors going into the switch looked slightly burned.
Pulled the switches and replaced with new ones. Voila, problem solved. I never would have thought to go there until I crawled under and looked to see the wires looked burned.
I couldn't beleive that this would cause the issues that it did.
I'm not saying that this is the thing that is going to solve your problem, but it's always
worth a try, at least take a look at the wiring.
Any way good luck I hope you get it fixed.
Craig at CAMP

[Red72]

I'm having similar non-charging issues. I've done the +D to DF shorting, and the alternator ramps up nicely. No dice with the regulator in place though, plus it's getting REALLY hot...even just idling/reving in the garage for a few minutes. Voltage comes up marginally at the battery (+.2V) when I rev, but not enough. Off to try and find a regulator tomorrow.