Could have been scary!

General chat about the car goes in here.
Post Reply
User avatar
spidernut
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Could have been scary!

Post by spidernut »

Another PO story: I pulled the drive shaft from the 80 Spider today because the center support was shot. There was only about 2-3 inches of rubber left intact. Once pulled, I noticed that it had a wrecking yard marking on the center support. Why would one replace such an inexpensive part with a used one? Maybe an emergency repair? Who knows.

I can only imagine what would have happened if I had taken the car on a long, hard drive. So, I replaced it and the U joints just to be safe. The flex disc looks almost new (no cracks, no checking, no grease build up). It appears it was replaced recently.

The next fun will finding out why the left turn signal won't work when the headlights are on. They work when the headlights are off, but not when they're on. The bulbs are O.K. and I had it working fine a few months ago. Gotta love Fiat wiring. :x
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)
vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by vandor »

> Why would one replace such an inexpensive part with a used one?

They go to Autozone, are told they are NLA< so they assume it's NLA...

>The next fun will finding out why the left turn signal won't work when the headlights are on.

Likely poor grounds/connection at the left headlights/running lights. Maybe bad taillight grounds.
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town
User avatar
spidernut
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by spidernut »

Csaba,

I thank you for carrying the u-joints, support bearing and flex disc! Everything fit perfectly. It is through the professionalism and support provided by Autoricambi that I've been able to reasonably and economically repair my cars. You guys mean the world to those of us who love our cars.

The electrical issue should be a fun one since it is intermittent. There has to be something grounding out in the circuit when the headlights are on versus when they're off. Thank God that I have the wiring schematics.
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)
User avatar
seabeelt
Patron 2019
Patron 2019
Posts: 1614
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by seabeelt »

Talk about busted pumkins, smashing pumpkins.... oh wait thats a rock group. So easily distracted. Wait.... hmmmm this is the wrong post :oops:
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current
So Cal Mark

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by So Cal Mark »

your light problem is definitely a poor ground. Voltage drops occur when there is enough resistance at a connection that it can't carry the amperage load
vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by vandor »

John,

Thanks for the kind words!
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town
parsok

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by parsok »

I had the exact same problem with the turn signal. The previous answers are right, it is a ground. Drove me nuts, I could not see a displaced wire that was part of the lighting. There was however three unconnected wires for the power antennae was not connected to the tail light assembly post. I put the ground over a post and 'lo and behold victory was mine. Happy dance ensued.
User avatar
spidernut
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: Could have been scary!

Post by spidernut »

Thanks for the ground tip. I found a disconnected ground wire...problem fixed! Yeah!
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)
Post Reply