Brown Wire question and while my interior is out

[spiderman1]

I am making progress with my 82 spider and I am getting close to installing new carpet.

As advised, I will go ahead and run speaker wire. I really don't understand the wiring yet but have read somethings about the brown wire. I do have a brown wire running in conjunction with the other wires from the battery.
Should I run any more wiring from the battery to the front of the car since my carpet is removed? If so what gauge wire should I use?

Also is there a Fiat wiring for dummies section so I can begin to learn-Its the only part of the restore that seems overwhelming to me.

[RRoller123]

The brown wire fix was done at the factory starting in "80 I think (?) so you don't need that, but there is still a large load on the ignition switch from other sources, so it would be a good idea to relay the headlights.

[courtenay]

Pete is correct - my '80 has the brown wire so no need to add another. Good advice, though, to add the headlight relays and the starter as well. These will take a bit load off the ignition switch.

[bjbrown]

I too, have a 1980 EFI spider that is completely apart, painted and ready for reassembly. Just about to kick off the re-installation of the original wiring harness but will check each wire for integrity first. I have a spare harness too, in case I need to replace wires that were fried by the PO's ineptitude (one in particular where he/she hotwired the fuel pump directly to the ignition switch!). So, my questions:

• 1. The Brown Wire fix - RRoller, you mentioned that the Brown Wire Fix was implemented from the factory in 1980. How do I check that this has been done on my car and I don't have to do it myself?

• 2. PHOTOS? Are there any photos of cars that have had headlights (or other) relays installed? I'd love to see how people have mounted these. I'd like to mount mine so they're not obviously visible for a more original look.

• 3. Experience with the original harness - Has anyone had experience re-installing the original harness that would share their thoughts? I'm interested in knowing whether you replaced the tape wound around the loom or simply used what Fiat had originally provided. If individual wires needed replacing, I assume at least part of the loom tape covering was replaced as well - what kind did you use? Regular adhesive electrical tape? Friction tape? Did you have to replace any of the terminals on the wiring and if so, what criteria did you use to determine it was needed? James Seabolt in the Mirafiori FAQs ("Fiat Electrical Restoration") recommends that it's not necessary to replace any of the existing wiring nor replace every terminal on the car - just those that are problems. Given the popularity and quantity of these cars, it appears to be a testament to the quality of the original harness that no one has seen to offer a NEW drop-in replacement like you see for British cars. I've heard that Lucas is simply Marelli translated into English...

• 4. Other items to relay - So, the headlights on my car are getting upgraded to Cibies and H4 bulbs with the attendent relay kit. I'm planning to upgrade the alternator to a higher output model and also run seat heaters on a new, separate and relayed circuit. Are there other electrical items on the car that should be set up with relays to take further load off of the ignition switch?

• 5. Anything else? Are there any other electrical improvements you've made to your car that you'd highly recommend?

[kmoses]

Relay for fog lights, relay to activate the engine cooling fan with a toggle switch, relay for fuel pump. I ended up with five (Fuel, Fan, Fog, High & Low beams).

[RRoller123]

1. Easiest way for the Brown Wire Fix verification is that the brown wire (heavy, like a #10 I think) should be visible coming right from the positive Battery post clamp back in the trunk.

[bjbrown]

Thanks RRoller,

And that brown wire follows the main positive cable forward through the bulkhead, under the rear seat, over to the rocker and forward under the carpet to the forward firewall, yes?

[spider2081]

There are a few opinions about the brown wire fix. So for what its worth I will join in. On early Spiders (Battery in engine compartment) there is a 3 pin nylon connector located on the driver side fender well in the forward area below the grounding pod. This connector has a black wire a red wire and a brown wire. The black and brown wires feed battery power to the ignition switch. The red wire is power out of the ignition for the starter solenoid. This connector is very troublesome. Installing a new brown wire from the battery to the ignition switch bypasses this connector and usually improves reliability especially helping the dreaded click no start problem. Later model fuel injected cars with the battery in the trunk have a brown wire running from the battery + to the Dual relay for the fuel injection system. I own an 80 car Spider and it also has this brown wire but I am not sure where it goes. The later model Spiders replaced the nylon connector with 3 separate bullet connectors located in the same area. These bullet connectors can also be intermittent and require routine maintenance.
There are 2 terminal # 30 on the Sipea ignition switches. So people claim doing the brown wire fix and connecting the new wire to the unused terminal # 30 improves the switches life. I don't think it does as both terminal 30's go to the same switch contact inside the switch.
So I believe if the 3 pin nylon connector or the bullet connectors are removed from the car and their respective wires permanently spliced together that eliminates the need for the brown wire fix.

[spider2081]

Are there any photos of cars that have had headlights (or other) relays installed? I'd love to see how people have mounted these. I'd like to mount mine so they're not obviously visible for a more original look.

Personally I agree with putting the relays in the engine compartment. Some people mount them under the dash behind the fuse panel. I feel the area under the dash is already to crowded and is difficult to work in. I installed my relays under the hood around 2005 and have driven the car over 30,000 trouble free miles since. I do install a relay for the windshield wipers under the dash near the grounding pod above and behind the ignition switch. This relay visibly increases the wiper speeds.

[RRoller123]

Thanks RRoller,

And that brown wire follows the main positive cable forward through the bulkhead, under the rear seat, over to the rocker and forward under the carpet to the forward firewall, yes?

Yes, I believe that is correct!

[aj81spider]

Here's a thread (with pictures) that show how I and a couple of other people installed ignition switch relays.

http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic ... ay#p183024

[spider2081]

Here is the type of tape I would use to wrap wire bundles. It does not the the glue that gets so messy after time in hot areas.

https://www.amazon.com/Tesa-Wire-Loom-H ... _i=desktop

[spider2081]

Easiest way for the Brown Wire Fix verification is that the brown wire (heavy, like a #10 I think) should be visible coming right from the positive Battery post clamp back in the trunk.

I could be wrong but I don’t believe the above quote is correct. For a 1982 Spider the brown wire molded into the battery + connector goes to the fuel injection systems double relay. I does not go directly to terminal 30 of the ignition switch. Here is a link that I think explains the “brown Wire Fix”
https://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/bwfix/bwfix.htm
The “brown wire fix” installs a new wire from the battery+ terminal to the unused terminal 30 on the ignition switch. This wire by passes all the connections between these 2 points. For a 1982 Spider the connections between the battery + and the ignition switch terminal 30 are a bullet connector located near the alternator and the 6 pin ignition switch connector. Personally I don’t agree with the need for the Brown wire fix. I believe cutting the bullet connector out of the brown wire and permanently splicing the wires together and routine maintenance of the ignition switch connector is the route to go.
In the area of the brown wire bullet connector are 2 other bullet connectors. One is a black wire that brings battery power to terminal 30/1 of the ignition switch and the other is a red wire that brings power to the starter solenoid when the ignition switch is in the start position. I like to remove and splice direct these wire also.
Hope this is some help

[kmoses]

If you are repairing or rapping a wiring harness, use Non Adhesive Wire Harness Tape. I think 3/4" works best if you can find it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-ROLLS-BLACK-N ... 2548.l4275

[spider2081]

Here is the type of tape I would use to wrap wire bundles. It does not have the glue that gets so messy after time in hot areas.

https://www.amazon.com/Tesa-Wire-Loom-H ... _i=desktop