Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:47:42 -0500
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Door wiring repairs was Re: Fwd: Power Lock Trouble
In-Reply-To: <4d3eddd1.9279e60a.4cc3.6ba4@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Two things cause trouble in the power door lock wiring. Fatigue and
moisture getting into the wiring. Slitting the rubber boot that goes
between the door and the body may seem like the easiest and fastest way
to get at the wires (and it is) but then you have the problem of
moisture getting into the wiring from that point on. I have never seen
a good repair on the outside of one of these boots that actually
worked. Electrical tape is a joke. Most people just leave the slit
open which is probably a better idea then sealing it partially since
that way the moisture isn't allowed in and the trapped by the electrical
tape that does stick. The best thing to do is to pull on the wires one
at a time. Use the Bentley to see the wire colors that you are dealing
with if you are dealing with a lock, or window, or power mirror issue.
If you come across a broken wire usually it will pull out of the boot
without much effort. Then you can splice on a longer piece of wire, and
fish it back through the boot with a stiff piece of wire. That is what
I usually do. If you have to pull the boot, that is doable but you want
to use some lubrication when you are trying to snap the boot ends back
in place. They are difficult to put back and I usually use silicon
spray or something to make them easier to deal with.
Finally, if you are having problems with your power locks, or window
motors, check out your window seals. If your lower scraper seals are
bad or your window seals look cracked up, this is allowing a bunch of
water to get down inside the door. A little I think is normal, but a
lot is not and it will kill your power door lock motors and your power
window motor in just a year or two, especially if the van sits outside.
So check those window seals and replace them as soon as you can. It
will make the van quieter on the highway and save you some money with
the power stuff.
--
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Phone: 856-327-4936
Fax: 856-327-2242
On 1/25/2011 9:27 AM, David Beierl wrote:
> Volks, if you have to get inside that rubber tube between cab and
> door you can unseat it at both ends and scrunch it up to get the
> access you need. *Far* superior to slitting it. But when you run
> your new wire, for heaven's sake do what I did not, and pass a
> fishing line along with the wire; because re-seating the tube end
> inside the door is an absolute bugger. I finally succeeded by
> compressing it very hard with electrical tape, shoving it into the
> hole and then pulling the tape off from inside, then easing it back
> so the lip engaged the hole in the sheet metal.
>
> Before I remove that end again I'll try to pass a fishing wire, but
> I'm not extra hopeful. Ten seconds worth of thought and a piece of
> string when I had the thing open would have saved a lot of trouble
> for next time.
>
> Yours,
> David
>
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