What every Beetle should have -Gearbox Earth strap
68AutoBug - March 24th, 2009 at 06:10 PM
[size=4]Every Beetle should have one of these...
its an Earth/ground strap attached to the chassis and the gearbox
If its missing or broken , the engine including the starter motor need to find a way to get grounded/Earthed - -NEGATIVE
I had one case where the headlamps used to get brighter every time they changed gears.. or Maybe the clutch cable was grounding/Earthing out..
anyway , check to see if your Earth/ground strap is still there...
LEE
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TICK - March 24th, 2009 at 06:24 PM
had a big $$$$$ cobra replica in the shed with issues whilst trying to start it.........it didn't have an earth strap fitted by the builder and the
next thing it decided to use was the stainless FUEL HARD LINE 
helbus - March 24th, 2009 at 06:40 PM
A mates old Holden used to use the accelerator linkage.
Smiley - March 24th, 2009 at 06:48 PM
I found out that the one on my Baja was broken just recently. The only reason I found out it was broken cause I was lying under the car unbolting the
rear cage. Not sure how long it's been snapped. I had an auto sparky make me up a slightly longer one out of battery cable. This way, when I bolted
it up it is looped upwards away from the ground, so it doesn't snag on anything offroad. I've heard that the the engine can earth through the clutch
on accelerator cables and weld them solid. That might be one thing for everyone to do this weekend. Crawl under your dub and check the grounding
strap!
68AutoBug - March 24th, 2009 at 07:01 PM
I made mine from a long earth battery lead I had..
and soldered the ends, then I drilled holes to put the bolts/studs thru...
Your front gearbox mount may look different as My gearbox/transaxle is a semi automatic...
Good idea, also is to take the old strap off and wire brush both ends and where it bolts on, so there is a good contact...
LEE
alien8 - March 24th, 2009 at 07:01 PM
Thanks for the tip Lee. Going to check it tomorrow.
Smiley - March 24th, 2009 at 07:53 PM
I have a semi-auto too!!
I think I saw yours at Warwick last year.
It is awesome, I'm quite jealous.
Do you know the best place to get semi-auto parts from?
I need a diaphragm kit for the clutch assembly, cause mine is torn.
Have tried Mick Motors but they didn't have anything.
I suppose I'll have to import something from the US of Americaland.
amazeer - March 24th, 2009 at 08:20 PM
SHIT LEE! There's something on your car not painted!!!!!
alien8 - March 24th, 2009 at 10:10 PM
I had a look to see if I had mine connected and at first I thought it wasn't there. Its not in the spot Lee's is. Its on the left side of the trans
looping up to the chassis fork. Kinda hard to spot.
vw54 - March 25th, 2009 at 05:52 AM
Lee
thats common sense
Joel - March 25th, 2009 at 03:45 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by alien8
I had a look to see if I had mine connected and at first I thought it wasn't there. Its not in the spot Lee's is. Its on the left side of the trans
looping up to the chassis fork. Kinda hard to spot.
|
yup, most late models have the strap under one of the upper nuts on the nose cone running across to a stud on the chassis fork just in front of the
fuel line coming out
jedidan - March 26th, 2009 at 01:29 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by smileyman3000
I have a semi-auto too!!
I think I saw yours at Warwick last year.
It is awesome, I'm quite jealous.
Do you know the best place to get semi-auto parts from?
I need a diaphragm kit for the clutch assembly, cause mine is torn.
Have tried Mick Motors but they didn't have anything.
I suppose I'll have to import something from the US of Americaland.
|
Was that the beige semi-auto bug at Warwick ?
thats mine 
(unlike Lee's semi-auto, mine is all one colour !) 
http://www.evwparts.com
or
http://www.cip1.com
still sell some semi-auto parts - even the hard-to-get bits like seals and diaghram kits.
cheers
Daniel
lardo - March 26th, 2009 at 07:15 PM
Duh! must be a quite day in Scone.
68AutoBug - March 26th, 2009 at 08:57 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by amazeer
SHIT LEE! There's something on your car not painted!!!!!
|
Well, I wasn't going to say anything...
BUT
It Is painted with clear VHT paint...
I didn't want it to discolour.... lol
I was going to paint it Gold...lol...
LEE
Bookwus - March 30th, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Hiya Smiley,
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by smileyman3000.....Do you know the best place to get semi-auto parts from?
I need a diaphragm kit for the clutch assembly, cause mine is torn....
|
A word of advice........be very careful about buying servo repair kits. The prices on these things are all over the board. These kits had gone out
of production and the prices went through the roof. I bought a kit back in 2003 for $15US. In 2007 the same kit cost $125US. However, Zanoni in
Brazil is now making these kits again and while prices are coming down, there are still folks out there who want big money for these kits. Don't
jump on the first one you see; do some comparison shopping.
Bug City, here in the States, often has an auction on e-Bay for the Zanoni kit that starts at $8US. Lately this auction has been getting only one or
two bids. Might be worth checking out.