Itinerant Air-Cooled

So that's my problem. When I put my bus into reverse, she dies. She drives fine in all forward gears. I have never had a problem with going into reverse (although she does pop out from time to time) but as I am shifting, right as she hits the spot, she just stops.
Any hints?

Is it possible the back up lights are wired to the wrong terminal at the coil?

Should look sort of like this (from a beetle)...

It actually is a possibility. I'll try it out and let you know, thank you!!!!

Randy in Maine wrote:Is it possible the back up lights are wired to the wrong terminal at the coil?

Brilliant!

Hippie wrote:

Randy in Maine wrote:Is it possible the back up lights are wired to the wrong terminal at the coil?

Brilliant!

Hardly. I have done that myself. I walked to work for 2 days until I figured it out.

By the way.....Coil Markings...

"1" = "-"
"15" = "+"

The reverse lights were left unhooked by a lazy mechanic :( and she wouldn't start. I saw the wire and a place on the coil... just by coincidence, she started next try (I think the cold, wet Oregon coast the night before just got to her). Before work this morning, I unhooked it again and problem solved! Tthanks guys :) (still no lights though)

Glad it's running, but I'm not clear. It starts with or without the light wire hooked up?

If the B/U light wire is hooked to the same terminal as the points on the coil, it will start and run fine till you put it in reverse, the power draw of the lights kill the power to the points which kills the spark.

Yah, that makes sense. I guess I can't figure out what the final result was from their post though.

We need, as we need with all posts to the technical forums, year and model info. The FI buses have double relay power supply alongside the reverse light inline fuse. There are known instances of reverse light grounding killing the FI voltage supply.
Colin

The final result was I unhooked the reverse lights and she worked. It was hooked to the wrong place and, like what was said, she would run fine, but die in reverse



(and shes a '69 Westy with a 1776, sorry Colin :) )

coilette wrote: (still no lights though)

On a '71, the lights are connected to the 15/+ side of the coil.
There is also an inline fuse.

edit: Bentley shows '69 to be the same.