Right, so after chatting to everyone about my speedometer lights not working and reading some Muir, the conclusion is a broken ignition switch.

Now, I am going to drop it to a mechanic to fix it (along with a few other ailments, including a broken horn), and was simply wondering how to "hot" start it to get it going.

Muir says, "Take that jumper wire out of your tool kit and attach the tail clip to the hot wire (the big red one) on the voltage regulator and the other clip on the connection for the wire on the coil that comes from the switch, not the one that goes to the distributor" (Page 53 - Engine Stops or Won't Start).

I know the voltage regulator is under the back seat (since its a '71 S Bug), but am unsure of where to find the other wire, and any pictures would be great!

Thanks,
Gaston.

Also, is this the correct red wire (shown as yellow).

Muir bible, P43 in mine, 4th paragraph, 1/2way in...........

"You will find on one side (of the distributor, on the metal part, under the bottom of the cap) the thin wire that goes from the distributor to the coil, then on the other side (of the coil, on the top, there are 2 wiring posts with nuts) is the wire that brings the juice from the ignition switch".

Hook up your own juice through your switch, take it down to the mechanic and spend some bread. Bit of a pic of the coil stuff on P16.

Have a nice breakfast man.

Thanks for that modnrod, but now I have another question.

I know where to look, but I have two wires that come from the distributor to the coil. One black one (the yellow arrow in the picture) that connects to wiring post "1", with a red one (easy enough to see) that connects to wiring post "2".

Now, I suspect that the one that I need is wiring post 2, since another wire comes from the car and connects to it (blue arrow, LHS ), whilst another black wire is connected to the carburetor (the other blue arrow). Having these wires here matches Muir's description of the ignition switch post:

"...the wire that brings juice from the ignition switch, the wire that goes to the automatic choke" (p. 43, 4th paragraph - Ignition System).

Yes, the wire that connects to the +ve side of the coil also connects to the automatic choke solenoid, and that is the wire that you need to put "juice" to (blue arrow).


Make sure you don't also touch the steel rim of the coil with your alligator clip..........

Ok, thanks again modnrod. Just one more thing.

Is the hot wire on the voltage regulator, the one in the 1st picture (shown as yellow) that connects straight to the battery, the one I should be connecting the other end of the cable to?

Just wanted to double check, thanks.

Gaston.

Uhhmmm, dunno!
Never actually had to replace one or wire one up!
Looking at these pics here though........ https://www.google.com.au/search?q=vw+regulator+wiring&biw=1920&bih=9...
.......then I'd say Yep, it runs to the battery so is 12V output.
.

Yeah, that wire has a black"cover' over it, although it doesn't stretch as far as the one in the picture.

So thanks again modnrod for all your help, I appreciate it.

Gaston.

With a test light go to the engine diagnosis plug point on the firewall behind the fan housing ( a white plug with a cap and terminals inside of it) there is a large red wire which should have power to it,run a lead from it to the positive side of the coil. Next question is - are you going to push start it or try the starter?

Well, I was going to try the starter after bypassing the ignition switch (using your method would have been easier to do), but the problem was that I didn't have a cable to do this (had to lend it to someone... sigh).

So I called the RACQ so I could borrow theirs, but it turns out that I didn't need it.

I was met by a lovely chap, although I've forgotten his name, who use to own a VW and had completely re-built one. He fiddled around with some wires, mostly the ones from underneath the wheel, and after a couple of minutes of fiddling everything worked. So the car is now at the mechanic, being fixed up, with the fate of switch being determined, as to whether it was either dying or not properly "plugged" in by the previous owner (only had the car for 3 months now).

But, at least if it now dies, I will know what to do. So thanks for all your help.

Maybe you should take to an auto electrician but either way those column switches are pretty easy to change. Mick Motors would be the best place to get the new switch from.
Also IIRC for a 71 they are a plastic switch that attaches to the back of the metal ignition barrel as held on by a few screws but does mean you have to cut and solder the wires back together.