Desperately need ignition switch help

[tonyfromjersey]

OKAY, against my better judgement I let a "mechanic" touch my car to look at a starter shorting issue. He disconnected all of the wires off my ignition switch, and doesn't know how to replace them on the new switch. This is after I told him to be careful with taking on/off the wires as it's not a harness and all that. ANYWAY, they are dragging my car to my house for free (since they killed it) and I need to re-re do my ignition switch. I have the Artigue wiring diagram, but if someone could tell me exactly which wires go to which blade number on the back of the switch, I'd really appreciate it.

I will check this forum in a little while, I have to go out back and bury the "mechanic." Maybe I should wait until after dark.

It's a 1977, I think I left that part out.

[Tappy]

Hey tony


i was reading up on the forum , i'm sorry i cant help on the issue , i've repainted the innition switch with a spraycan and you can't really tell the color codes no more (it was still connected in the car during the spray)

but your signature got my attention on the boeing stratotanker , want to tell us what up with that ? dont tell me that you have one standing in your backjard , if so i defenetly want some pictures of that

[mdrburchette]

How many wires do you have? I looked on Brad's diagram for a 78 but I could only trace five wires to the ignition switch. My 72 has 7 wires but it looks like the color wires are similar:

INT - light blue/red wire and a black wire
30 - brown
50 - red
15 - light blue/black wire and a pink wire
30/1- black

[punes]

This is how my wires are attached on a 79 Fiat Spider

Blue connects to INT
Pink---------------15
Black--------------30/1
Red----------------50
Brown--------------30

Please get verification B4 connecting.

[tonyfromjersey]

I'm a pilot, I've been flying the strato-pig for 18 years, but I don't get to wrench on it. I don't have one in the backyard yet, but we're retiring our oldest ones (1955-57 models) so maybe I can drag one home. Just think, if I strap a turbofan motor to the back of the Fiat, now we're talking horsepower. I also fly MD80's for American, but I'm not that into the "Douglas Death-Tube."

Now onto the switch. They delivered my car as requested, but now cannot find my keys. I have delayed killing them until they fess up some keys tomorrow. It's in the middle of my driveway, which is supposed to be getting re-surfaced tomorrow AM. Oh boy. I'm glad I decided to have a "professional" look at the mighty Fiat. I think I will stick to do it yourself. I also have to stop payment on the credit card I used, just as soon as they find my keys.

[So Cal Mark]

what a nightmare!

[mdrburchette]

I hope they find your keys! It's hard to find a competent locksmith to cut keys from the swtich and it's near impossible to pull that switch without a key. The first thing I'd do is have a few extra sets made when they find yours.

[mbouse]

whether or not they find your keys, they don't deserved to be paid penny one! I'd stop payment regardless of their final performance.....

nothing but shoddy attention to your issue. Which means they owe you, not the other way around.

[tonyfromjersey]

One dead mechanic later, they offered to give me a $50 credit towards my next visit. I will call my credit card tonight after I put the kiddies to bed.

Now off to fix my switch, should take all of 10 minutes of my time.

Thanks for the help.

[punes]

I keep a spare ignition switch handy...that way if I lose both my keys , I can just swap the ignition switch at the connections and plug in the spare.

[danaspider]

So Tony, after all of this did the switch fix the original problem? Or are you in the same boat, just with a new switch?

[tonyfromjersey]

Well, I am now in a different boat altogether. The engine will crank, but very slowly. The battery is fully charged. All electrical components work (at least all the ones that worked before).

I am pretty sure when the starter was running on its own (shorted ignition switch or shorted starter?) I probably fried it. There is oil and fluid in the car, all else is working, but the starter is laboring like there's a dead battery. The only thing I haven't tried is jump starting the car, but the battery shows fully charged, after using a trickle charger.

So, is it possible I killed the starter? Also, has anyone tried parts from Rock Auto? They have a rebuilt starter for 50 bucks or so as opposed to Bruce's $180 and International Auto's $275.

[mdrburchette]

I think you first may need to check your wiring. Do you have a multimeter to test the voltage at the battery? It should be around 12.5v. It's important to clean all connections and to check the ground strap connection on the bellhousing.
You can check to make sure you're getting the proper voltage to the solenoid by disconnecting the solenoid connector, turn the ignition switch on and measuring volts at the wire. It should measure 12v. If it doesn't, you could have a break in that wire or a defective ignition switch. If it does, do the same with the black wire going to the starter. It comes directly from the battery so it should also have 12v. You can also test the starter by taking a screwdriver with insulated handle and touch it to the two bolts on the starter. Make sure you have the car in neutral and the parking brake on so you don't run over yourself.

[baltobernie]

I dunno, Denise. If he has any movement at all in the starter, he's got voltage. What he may not have is current, so Tony, if you can borrow an ammeter, try that as well. They have an induction coil that encircles the wire you are measuring. If you have both voltage and current, then the starter or solenoid is the likely culprit.

I've not purchased from Rock Auto, but I've had poor luck from the national retail auto parts stores like NAPA, Autozone, etc. I don't think their warranties on starters and alternators are worth the paper they're printed on. If you have an old-school rebuilder in your area, I'd suggest taking the starter to him for testing, and rebuilding if necessary.

[mbouse]

hmm, SLOOOWWww turning starter shouldn't be a solenoid problem, the solenoid being just the thrust in and retract mechanism for the starter shaft. if indeed the starter is turning the crankshaft, prolly is not a starter issue at all.

a trickle charger is not designed to test the battery's condition. we don't know for sure that the battery is fully charged, only that the trickle charger can't/won't continue to charge the battery. could be that the trickle charger is fooling everyone, and it is the prime culprit by telling us it did its job, when it didn't.

rather than jump starting the car, set a different battery in the Spider...that takes this battery completely out of the picture. if the battery outa your grocery-getter cannot turn the starter over, then it is prolly the starter. if the boring car's battery starts the Spider, then you may be in luck at buying a new battery for the Spider. Stop by my house and pick one up for $15.00... i have a spare.