Electrovalve Shorting the Circuit

[micktierney]

Hmmm. 2081 you are definitely correct. It's a light blue and white wire. That wire also appears to power the hand brake on light. But ignoring that (for now). What you say makes sense. If the back up light is shorting then the electrovalve will short. Which poses a new dilemma. I had my mechanic disconnect the electrovalve. Which may have simply involved cutting the wire.

Regardless, the gauges worked great on the ride home. She almost felt street legal. Does that mean by cutting both systems, backup light AND electrovalve, I have solved my bigger problem? I can live without the backup light and electrovalve. Or can't I???

Alas a more pressing repair need was discovered, or rather affirmed and then some, the gas tank needs replacing. Considering that it trickled much of a tank of gas all over the garage on my first fill up I was pretty sure that was toward the top of the list and bought a new one from Autoricambi when the came back in stock (it's beautiful btw, and thanks for assembling the sender unit, top notch!) That he noticed the engine was running rough because the fuel was full of gook bumped eliminating gook more important than keeping #9 fuse alive past second gear. I fear the lines will be next.

[micktierney]

But sticking with the electrical. In the '71 owners manual (thanks again to Autoricambi) the backup lamp is on the H, or 8 fuse. In Brad Artigue's '69-'73 wiring diagram it's as you say. And as I have pretty much confirmed, and will be doing so when I pull out the center console.

In the wiring diagram from the owners manual the hand brake light is not on the same circuit. And lo and behold there is no electrovalve at all!

For those looking to get rid of the electrovalve on a '71 this might be the fix.

[spider2081]

I am not positive but I think the Spiders were wired different then some of the diagrams as changes were made in production. I have seen a few early 1980 fuel injection Spiders that have different color wires on the dual relay that the wire diagram shows.

[DieselSpider]

I suppose that I am confused now. There was no short circuit and everything worked correctly before the mechanic touched it and yet his fix was to cut your backup lights and idle valve instead of fixing the problem that he created and you are good with that? What am I missing here? Did he drop the transmission without disconnecting the wires and damage the harness? Something doesn't smell right here.