THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Hey guys and gals.
I have a new electric glitch. It acts as if it is being shut off. All of a sudden, no electric power and the truck of course stops dead in its tracks. With some fiddling around it will connect again and run great but it shuts off intermittently while driving.
I have checked the battery wire connections, the ignition key switch, and all the connections in the distributor/coil area.
Could it be a failing coil? A voltage regulator? Alternator? A worn battery key? Anyone had this happen to them?
Thanks.

If ALL electrical power is lost, it could well be the Master Switch behind the driver's seat. Check for corrosion on the connections. I've two that I've had problems with. Fairly easy to open the unit up, clean contacts etc and reassemble. When re-installing make sure all is clean and bright and slather dollops of Waxoyl or similar on the exposed bits !

I assuming you've checked that the battery connections are clean and tight.

Ignition switch

If you have power in the radio plug behind the passenger seat when the battery switch is connected then it probably is not the switch.
You can bypass it to check by putting a very heavy wire on the two poles behind (remove five screws) the mud panel.

While working on the pinz the other day the switch would not connect. Took it out and fussed with it a bit and connects fine now.
Did not take it apart.

I had a loose spade connection in my fusebox - pull out the dash and check

Just to be safe, I ordered a new voltage regulator, ignition switch, and coil. I will also check the fuse box. I figure it's good to have those components as spares if they are not needed anyway...

I know when you guys say fuse box you are talking about the circuit breakers at the dash panel, right?
My Mog had fuses (it was a '63) so I like to make sure of what we are speaking.

:idea: You do know that not all Pinzgauers have circuit breakers, non Swiss may have a fuse box.
http://www.swissarmyvehicles.com/showde ... 013850180/

One other item to check is the main power wire to the ignition switch from the starter lug. Mine chaffed on the starter and caused a stalling problem when turning left. This was due to voltage loss when the wire grounded. I sleeved the wire and all has been good since.

Thanks you guys.
So far, it's not the coil or the voltage regulator since they have both been replaced and the problem still exists intermittently. I'm waiting on a back-ordered ignition switch now. We'll see....

Short the ignition switch and check.

audiocontr wrote:Short the ignition switch and check.

I made a "tool" for shorting the switch. It's a 6" length of insulated 12 gauge wire with alligator clips on both ends. Does anyone know which two terminals bypass the ignition mechanism. I can get the dash lights to come on but the start button isn't working.
I have shorted a bad starter button this way before but the ignition switch has about eight terminals and several will cause the dash lights to kick on. ?

Got a voltmeter? Ground the black lead, and use the red probe to check for 24v somewhere on the switch. Then check each terminal as you operate the switch. Do any of them switch on and off? If not, bad switch.

I just got my new (Mercedes) ignition switch from Expedition Imports (thanks Scott). I learned that it was indeed a bad original ignition switch. The truck works great now. Before, it was starting to die off and on a lot more frequently. Now it works percectly again. The Mercedes ignition switch is every bit as good as the OEM Pinzgauer, but costs $50 less.

Twin Pinzies wrote:I learned that it was indeed a bad original ignition switch. The truck works great now.

Good to hear you found the problem. Now you can have the fun of rebuilding the original to keep as a spare.
Or if you’re just going to toss it you can toss it this way. I am always entertained trying to make broken things work.