Customer's '76 cranks and fires but won't run. We quickly determine that the switch is faulty.
No problem, we have a new one on the shelf.
Well, there's a problem with the new switch - when it's moved to the start position the ignition cuts off, unless you turn the key to the furthest possible position where the ignition comes back on.
While this works, its not really an acceptable repair so I picked up a Beck-Arnley replacement from the local Acme.
First sign of a problem is my cost. Even with my business discount the thing is more than twice the price of the one I had in stock, purchased from Bug City (same switch as in a late model Ghia).
Second sign of a problem is that Beck Arnley is a US company, but the box says the part is made in China and the bag inside the box says Germany. Ed remembered at that point that BE got in trouble a few years ago for mislabeling chinese parts as US made.
Switch installed, but this one is worse than before - the ignition goes off after moving to the start position and doesn't come back on in any position except RUN.
Acme has to order a replacement, which takes two days - umm, three days. Their delivery guy took it to another local business yesterday afternoon with similar letters in the name - CFL.
So the replacement replacement replacement was installed this morning. All set to go now - NOT! With this switch the ignition goes off when moved to the start position ... and the starter never cranks!
Moral of that story - never put Beck Arnley parts on a 914.
So now the car will sit until next week when my Auto Atlanta replacements arrive.

I bought a brand new switch for my 75 from the BIRD about 5 years ago. Not sure of the brand. The 'RUN' position works, but the switch was designed in such a way that it would not turn far enough (when in the column) to allow the starter to engage. I could pull the switch out and start it with a screwdriver, but once in the column, no go.
I ground down the tabs on key tumbler, tried to shim, etc.. all to no avail.

I needed to get to an event so ended up just wiring up a push button start under the dash. Problem solved. I don't like it, but it works.

If you find a quality part, let us know who makes it.

hate to say it but that specific part is junk from wherever you buy it.
Its the same thing for alot of the watercooled vw's...same exact part.

I put three in the Eurovan in the same session you are doing and finally put a start button in the damn thing.

That part just sucks...and it seems to come from the same manufactuer....all from china.

rich

I was told by the manager at Acme that Beck Arnley actually buys their parts from Porsche, so I guess going to a dealer wouldn't be any better.

or you could replace that plastic colunm with a metal ver. from an earlier car that uses a more robust assembly

my third one was from a dealer...same part, same issue.
Cap'n has this often...audi, vw and some porsches use the same part...
I think 914. 924.944 all use it.
all beetles, eurovan, golf etc seem to use it
Capn says audi uses it also, which makes sense.

Its not the metal portion, it the plastic portion.
the electrical part of the switch that I had issues with.


Rich

Ed says his '97 Jetta has the same part.

I had exactly the same problem with the replacement switch (x2) on my 86 Audi 5000CStq--neither would not fully turn to the start position when installed. Switches were Meyle brand, but made in China. Ended up installing a push-button start switch.

Now the starter switch on the 914 is having intermittent problems--if there isn't a decent replacement part out there, I guess I'll have to rig up a push switch for it too (dammit).


Steve A-

Did you remember to put a relay in the circuit so the push button is inactive when the ignition is shut off?
What happens when a child pushes the button while you're not in the car?
In a nice car this seemingly simple work-around seems like a poor choice.

We had some time to go deeper into this all too common problem with late 914s.
There's a relay under the passenger seat which failed in this car, and created a short to the switch in a circuit which normally passes a small current through a little spring inside the switch.
The spring serves two functions: it passes a small current to the relay, and it presses against a little wiper in the switch.
When the relay shorted the spring couldn't handle the excess current and burned out, and no longer pressed the wiper against the switch contacts.
Remove the burned out relay so the new switch doesn't fail - problem solved.
Replace the burnt spring and the bad switch works perfectly once again!
So this car has been repaired without even replacing the switch.

How many of these switches have been diagnosed as bad, but were actually ruined the first time they were activated in a car with a bad seat belt buzzer relay.
I know we're probably responsible for three now.

Great diagnostics. Very interesting.

New Meyle switch works fine.

Got a pic of the spring and relay ? Not clear where it's located

I didn't take any pics.

The relay is located under the passenger seat.
It's a 4 pin unit, stuck in a 7 pin plug (not 100% certain this was the original setup).
Remove the relay and check the terminals as well as the coil winding for damage.
You can leave the relay out without any negative consequences to operation of the vehicle. Don't reinstall the relay if you suspect it may be bad.

The spring is inside the electrical igntion switch.
First the switch must be removed from the column, a relatively simple operation if you are familiar with the column assembly.
At this point you can replace the switch with a new one and the ignition will probably work fine again.

Or, go ahead and conduct a thorough investigation of your switch.
Inspect the switch housing for cracks. If cracked, the switch must be replaced.
Disassembly/reassembly of the ignition switch is a little like watch repair, but less complex.
The two halves of the plastic switch housing can be split apart carefully using a small screwdriver.
The half with the terminals should be facing up so the little metal parts in the other half don't fall out.

There's a small ring shaped contact which covers the spring. Lift the contact out.
If the spring is intact it will be right there. Its less than 5/16" long and 3/32" in diameter. If the spring is intact, put everything back together, being careful to preserve the proper orientation of each component.

If the spring has been burned it may not be immediately obvious that it is even a spring. The plastic housing has a pocket for the spring and the little circular wire pieces need to be removed with a little pick.
I couldn't find a suitable replacement for the spring in teh Associated Spring catalog. The best source is inside an old ignition switch - '73-74 and '75-76 versions both use the same mechanism.

Thanks. I still have that relay under the pass seat,

I just had a customer bring in a car for a few things. One of the things on the list was to repair the seat belt warning light on the dash.

OK, no one has ever asked me for that before. When I dug into that interlock relay, I was amazed at how that thing could fail and basically disable the car.