1974 Autostick actuator valve grounded

[Unoskruame]

Thought I would put this out here and see if anybody else has seen this before. I have two 1974 autosticks- one is a Super and the other is a standard Beetle. I had a problem with the Super and it was that the ground wire that your shifter actuates was grounded all the time even if you unplugged it under the rear seat. I never could find where it was grounding out so I just ran a new ground wire to the actuator valve- problem solved. The crazy thing is my new 74 Standard Autostick which by the way only has 12K original miles on it, has exactly the same problem.The ground wire that runs under the rear seat is grounded all the time too,even when I disconnect it.What are the chances that I would have two that have had the same problem? Any body else ever have that happen,and what did you do?

[68autobug]

Hi
after 40+ years the insulation on the wire going to the gear lever is usually hard and brittle
and can crack and short out so the actuator [control valve] is activated all the time.
so, that is very common.  the wire from the bottom of the gear lever shorted to earth/ground.
it can happen to that wire any where it runs. Best to renew it.. via the neutral safety switch.

cheers

Lee in Australia

                                                          
                                                          

[CarlIseminger]

Something else to think about is the adjustment of the contact points at the shift lever.  If the lock nuts are loose, you can, by turning the shift handle, ever so slowly close the distance of those contact points and suddenly they are always connected.  I would think this is a good possiblity since you said it has happened to two of your vehicles.

[Unoskruame]

I eliminated that possibility by disconnecting the wire from the shifter that runs under the rear seat and plugs into the ground wire. The wire is grounded all the time even when it is not connected to the shifter. The contact points are not touching either.

[CarlIseminger]

Well, it was worth a shot.  Something I just thought of.  The control valve is isolated by rubber mounts.  I can't imagine this happening with two different vehicles, but if the rubber is broken and the screws are touching the body metal, then the control valve could be grounding out. 

[68autobug]

Hi Carl
I believe the only reason the rubber mounts are used is to stop the sound of the solenoid clicking when You change gears..  The solenoid contacts are isolated, and You can use either contact for power or ground/earth.
 
Are You saying the ground wire that runs under the rear seat is always grounded?
I have read on here of many people finding this, and they just replace the wire..
from the gear lever to the neutral safety switch to the control valve solenoid..

But You can run a temporary wire from the gear lever wire direct to the solenoid [out the door to the engine compartment] and see if the solenoid works correctly ...
My guess is that it would...
that wire has to be grounded to work the control valve solenoid.. [with ignition on]

looking at the electrical diagram, You will see that the solenoid will be grounded when the neutral safety switch is in neutral...  so, it should be normal to have the control valve grounded when the lever is in neutral...  this would always make sure that the clutch is disengaged when changing gears [going thru neutral]..
My car isn't grounded when in neutral , only when I move the gear shifter forwards or backwards - the gear shifter switch is doing the work... 
I can still grind the gears occasionally when going from Low to Drive One..
I need to adjust My gear shifter switch electrical points..

but My neutral switch does NOT connect to ground in Neutral..
even though the electrical diagram says they do...
and its wired up the same even though I have totally rewired the car..
I always wondered why there was a third terminal on the safety switch.. lol

Maybe Yours does... so every time You turn the key on... lever in neutral..
the control valve will be activated...   I really don't like this idea...

I have tested switches on other gearboxes but none showed up grounded in neutral. I will do these tests again shortly..
All My gearboxes are 1968 models..

cheers

Lee in Australia

[CarlIseminger]

My '68 US spec autostick does NOT ground out in neutral either.  My wiring goes from the contacts to the control valve and the power comes from the coil directly.  Weird how some wiring diagrams show the neutral switch in the loop.

[68autobug]

Hi Carl
Mine does go to the switch as per the original wiring diagram, but it looked just like a connection in the wire.. its just like they used the terminal as a wire joiner..
as the two other terminals are the actual safety switch..
even though My wire goes there, it still doesn't ground out in neutral..
I still have to double check the control valve in neutral..  lol

I am going to connect an LED light to the gear shifter wire so I'll know when its activated..
the LED light and wires are all in the boot/dash, but never got around to it as yet.. lol
I have always noticed how My engine revs up slightly when I put it in neutral when waiting at traffic lights or at railway crossings..

cheers

LEE in Australia

[volkenstein]

Hmm,
        The '74 is wired very differently from a 69-71 as I recall. On the older cars, power was fed off the coil to the circuit. In the later cars the power starts at the Fuse Box and makes a lengthy trip to the gearstick.

Uno, have you tested ALL the way back to the fuse box for an open circuit?


HTH
Volkenstein

[68autobug]

Hi Sean
the North American cars have a very different wiring circuit to the Australian beetles
even though they were all made in the same factory.. Austosticks that is..

although manual beetles have always had a different wiring diagram for north America compared to Australia... 
Australian beetles may have been the same as European beetles>??

I've never looked at the later wiring of the autosticks...
only the 1968-71 models...

cheers

Lee in Australia