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Closed4 replies

??Electronic Ignition/Regulator/Alternator??

FM Former Member
I took my Speedy to a new VW mechanic (friend referral) this morning for an oil change and electronic ignition install + adjust timing. (newbie ;-)

I get a call from the mechanic after 2 hours saying that the work is completed and he quotes..."oh by the way.....the ignition light is ON"

It wasn't ON when I brought it in! "well it looks like your alternator/regulator is not charging at all. You probably need a new alternator." (car has 2500 miles)

I stated to him that everything was perfect when I brought it in and he states "well, things like that happen" I asked him if he disconnected the battery before installing the electronic ignition and he states that it wasn't necessary!

I need someone's honest opinion. Do you think it was purely a coincidence? or he accidentally shorted something??

Thanks.
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FM Former Member
I took my Speedy to a new VW mechanic (friend referral) this morning for an oil change and electronic ignition install + adjust timing. (newbie ;-)

I get a call from the mechanic after 2 hours saying that the work is completed and he quotes..."oh by the way.....the ignition light is ON"

It wasn't ON when I brought it in! "well it looks like your alternator/regulator is not charging at all. You probably need a new alternator." (car has 2500 miles)

I stated to him that everything was perfect when I brought it in and he states "well, things like that happen" I asked him if he disconnected the battery before installing the electronic ignition and he states that it wasn't necessary!

I need someone's honest opinion. Do you think it was purely a coincidence? or he accidentally shorted something??

Thanks.
FM Former Member
Alan's correct. All you do is pull the condensor wire from the negative side of the coil, unbolt and remove the distributor (clamp and all) and do a bench install of the ignitiion module.

You shouldn't have to even touch (let alone work on) anything positive at all, and certainly nothing related to the charging system. No need to disconnect the battery.

Luck!
Alan MerklinAlan MerklinDrclock - Elkins, West Virginia Supporting Member
It's not necessary to disconnected the battery before installing an electronic ignition unit. "If" anything was to have been shorted during the installation the ignition unit would short out and be useless. With a "Pertronix Ignitor unit, this can happpen if the black to - negative on the coil and red to + positive on the coil were to have been reversed.
Leaving a key on for an extended period can fry an electronic ignition unit,coil or even arc a set of stock points.
Your in one of those situations where sh*# happens and it is difficult to know the reason why.
Wish I could tell you for sure that it was the mechanic's fault ....Alan
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