[Vwdiesel] 81 Rabbit electrical woes

[James Hansen]

Hey Rolf.
I've had this very thing happen to me.
I washed my 81 Jetta on a ski trip to Kelowna when it was new to me.
4 dead plugs.
Really sucked getting home, and getting around to Big White, Silver Star 
etc, BUT, examination of the deal was that the water pooled in the GP 
relay, and kept the circuit closed- fed 12v to the plugs continuously 
until they died.

You need a new relay, and new glow plugs, no biggie.
I also build a silicone dam above the relay now to prevent it from 
suddden unexpected showers, and just deflect the water away from that 
area, AND run a permanent led to the bus bar to tell me if the plugs are 
live when I drive down the road.
cheers
-james

Rolf Pechukas wrote:
> hey gang
> I'm having all sorts of relay/fuse problems lately - it all seems to  
> come down to a leak at the antenna which allowed water to get to the  
> back of the fuse/relay panel
> several blown fuses, a short somewhere in the reverse light circuit...
> but most important:
> glow plug circuit is fritzing out
> just did a quick diagnostic
> current situation:
> I am not getting ANY GP action that I can discern at all, resulting in  
> VERY hard early morning starts
> IF I wait more than a couple hours during the day, gets hard to start  
> also
> 
> with the entire GP relay bypassed, I am putting direct 12v to the bar
> reading +13v at all 4 plugs
> did this today early AM for 30 sec and still absolutely no effect
> very hard start (i.e. 90 sec cranking - BAD for starter, etc
> normally chick-vroom)
> so how is it that ALL 4 GPs failed simultaneously?!
> I am guessing that the rain to the fuse box somehow screwed up the  
> relay so that GP circuit stayed open continuously and all 4 burned out
> sound likely?
> can't account for it any other way
> shouldn't putting 12v to the bus fire up those plugs?
> but no dice!
> 
> anyway, I clearly need to replace the panel
> in the meantime, I have new GPs + relay on their way
> I am planning to bypass the box anyway and put a manual switch on the  
> dash - I prefer this anyway
> but any thoughts on this situation?
> 
> looks like I need to remove IP to replace GPs
> true?
> good idea to do a timing belt at the same time?
> any feedback appreciated
> 
> thanks!
> 
> Rolf in MA
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