QuestionWe have recently purchased a 1971 VW Super Beetle. When we were looking at the car it started and ran well. Now, however, you can drive the car a short diastance and the car will not restart without pushing it. We have had a battery charger hooked up to the battery with the same result.
This afternoon we tried to start the car and didn't get even a click on the starter. It was then that I noticed that there were no lights on the dash board. We started pushing the car and the dash lights (generator and oil) both came on, then turned back off, then came on when I popped the clutch to start. Once the car starts it runs out fine - although I did notice that the headlightds appeared to be a little dim at night.
We have replaced the ground cable with a new one, tested the battery, and cleaned the connections to the battery (both terminals).
Any ideas as to where to look next?
AnswerHi, sorry for the delay, was on vacation and forgot to apprise this site!
You are half-way there!
The problem is the ground, text book. Although you bought a new cable, the area where it is bolted to on the chassis is too weak to conduct a strong, consistent ground. Rust and crud usually are the culprits.
Fix:
Take a wire brush, sandpaper, and clean the heck out of the area. Run another thick ground cable (available at thebusdepot.com or busdepot.com...forgot address).
Run your new secondary cable to the same bolt-on area as the transmission ground strap.
No worries, happy motoring!
Ron Wolff
