HELP

[Fiatracertracer]

Help... I dropped a wrench in the engine compartment on the drivers side and it touched the alternator creating a spark now the engine turns but wont start. Touched the positive prong on the alternator and ground somewhere else. Big spark.

All fuses are good.... what did I just do?

[toplessexpat]

Potentially burned through something on the back of the ignition switch... Or an inline fuse under the dash, not in fuse box?

[Fiatracertracer]

The key works, it turns over the starter so I am asuming that the key switch assembly on the column is good.

?????

I removed the alternator and brought it to AutoZone to have it checked out.

The alternator failed testing and the replacement is on the way. I hope this fixes the problem.

[toplessexpat]

That'll be it too!

Check wiring for burn anyway...

[ClarkTheShark]

Injected or carbed?

All it takes is air, spark and fuel.

You are probably missing spark. Pull a spark plug boot off and see if it jumps fire when you turn over the engine.

[Fiatracertracer]

1982 spider, It's injected.... I am wondering if the fuel injection computer is fried?

[So Cal Mark]

the alternator has nothing to do with starting, it only recharges the battery once the engine is running. Did you check the inline fuses also?

[Fiatracertracer]

I checked the fuses under the steering column by removing and reinstalling them one by one and they all looked good.

The engine turns but will not start.

Before the mishap with the alternator occurred, the red oil light on the tachometer stayed on when the key was turned ti the on position and went out when the engine started, but now it doesn't come on anymore.

[DanD]

There is an inline fuse above the fuse panel and hanging off a wire under the dash.

However, if you have no power to the oil light, make sure that your ignition switch is getting power and switching it on properly. Usually in the past I have found that when the oil light refuses to go on, it is an ignition switch problem. However, the wire to the oil sender is right there next to the alternator. Check there first. There may also be a bullet plug between the hot wires from the starter and the two small wires coming from the starter that provide all power to the electrical system. Make sure that they are connected and not loose, assuming you have such a connection.

In short, check for loose wires in the vicinity of the alternator and starter, and then go to the inside and check for power at the ignition switch, in and out. Find the inline fuse, and check that.

[Fiatracertracer]

There is an inline fuse above the fuse panel and hanging off a wire under the dash.....check that.

DanD, you called it right and hit the nail straight on the head.

The fuse blew just where you said it was.

Looking under the dash and below the steering column, I was able to locate 2 inline screw type fuse holders, one was RED and the other White. I wonder what the purpose of the 2 connectors is.

It was the connector in RED that housed the blown fuse.

I am very grateful for the help.

[toplessexpat]

You need to look at the wire color, not the fuse holder color to determine what the circuit was (if you're interested).

Brad Artigue's diagrams (http://www.artigue.com) are invaluable here.

Fiat used several colors (eg red, pink, white) for the inline fuse holders, but the wiring is (usually) consistent.

[Fiatracertracer]

How do I determine what V the replacement fuse is?

The color of the blown fuse is black.

[spider2081]

I would assume the inline fuse that blew is for the fuel pump. The wires on the fuse holder would be brown with a white trace. If so the fuse value should be 16 amps.
The other inline fuse holder is for the cigar lighter. it has a black wire on one side and a red wire on the other side. This fuse should be 8 amps.

I think the Fiat electrical manual at this link will help you. It takes some time to study because it contains so much useful information about your car. http://www.njfiats.org/images/stories/s ... manual.pdf

There are 2 electrical connections in the engine compartments that have battery voltage on them. One is the alternator output terminal and the other in the starter solenoid terminal. Both had protective boots on them when the cars were delivered from the factory. These boots are now missing on many of our cars. The alternator terminal boot is easy to replace. The starter is much more difficult. So if working on the drivers side of a car with the boots missing its a good idea to disconnect the battery.

[4uall]

I went through a similar situation but got away without any known damage

http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... it=+sparks

Stay safe everybody

[majicwrench]

Like Mark said, alternator does not help car start. Parts store alternator testing usually a joke. I WOULD NOT buy a replacement alternator.
I WOULD NOT go messing w wires to ignition switch. No current from alternator runs thru switch.
Did inline fuse replacement get car starting?? I would think not. That big wire on back of alternator is not fused w a normal fuse. Generally it has some sort of fuseable link ( a wire designed to fail on load).
You would not have blown fuel pump fuse by shorting back of alternator.

Did you get er going?