Trials and tribulations of a 2 Fiat family

[ga.spyder]

I have new found respect for the multi Fiat owners out there.How do you keep your sanity? Ok ..except Mike Bouse! Today I got the mounting hardware for my alt.(Thanks,Ralph) and dove right in .10 minute job,right? HA! The bolt wont go thru th alt. Why...its not the right alternator .So,do I order another?Hell no.I drill the alt to fit the damn bolt!! Through a clever use of washers and spacers I got it to line up and mount solidly.But...the charge light still comes on over 2000 rpm.I dont know if it is actually charging or not,I will check it when I am in a better state of mind.I am waiting on a new idle solenoid(thanks manoamatt) and will look into it then.
Sent my wife on a trip to get some gas in the 77 and yep..you guessed it ...a downpour!She didnt know how to latch the roof down,so here her and Heather come up the road holding it down with their hands! First thing she utters''Those freakin wipers are slow!"Took the 82 for a ride and all was well with the world,though.
Craig

[rlux4]

First off, just don't get the revs over 2000.
Second, maybe I better not buy a Spider for my daughter! But if I do, it'll be a trouble free 82.
Ron

[manoa matt]

Craig, did you take the alternator to a rebuilder for him to check out?

Most of the Fiat alternators have a "cut in speed" of 1100 rpm's. This means that under 1100 rpms the alternator is not charging the battery, over 1100rms and the alternator starts to charge the battery. However I've seen varying alternator pully diameters which can either speed up or slow down the alternator depending on the diameter of the pully.

Example: You may have a large diameter alt pulley. Since the alt pulley is larger it will make the alt spin slower. The engine is spinning at 2000 rpms and the alt is spinning at 1100 rpms.

I'm guessing your diode is burnt out and when the alternator reaches its cut in speed instead of charging the battery it sends the signal to the light.

[ga.spyder]

Matt,I would have to say this is not a Fiat alternator.It definitely isnt the one for this model.The bolt ,spacer,or anything seems to fit the mounts.I didnt check it out any further.When I get back on it,I will post a pic and test w/ a voltmeter to see if it is actually charging or not.I may have to get the right alt. for it.
Craig

[spider2081]

I seem to recall my alternator has 2 places the charge light could plug in. The alternator works with it in one but not the other. I think the second position is for a radio filter capacitor.

[ga.spyder]

The alternator has 2 large wire in the post coming out.I put a meter on it today ,and w/ the charge light out,at idle, it reads 11.79 volts.With the charge light on(above 2000rpm) ,it reads 11.91 volts.I think it is charging? It also has 1 wire w/ a spade conn.,and another that plugs into a plastic connector.I read nothing at those.The wires going to the alt.are not cobbled up and come out of the factory cover.Maybe the only ones on the car not cobbled by a p/o!
I took the car for a longish ride today,with jumper cables,tow strap,tool bag,and cell phone ridin' shotgun.The car runs very well,and except for the idle issue and the charge light glowing above 2000 rpm,has the potential to be a nice little car.Here is the pic of the alternator,and thanks for any feedback.It is always appreciated:
Craig

[swede]

ga.spyder,

I don’t think it´s charging enough, the voltmeter should show 13 - 13,5 volt.

Easy test:
Start the engine and let it idle.
Lift the cable on the battery positive side just for a short time (1-3 sec).
If the engine still running it´s also charging but if the engine stops it´s not charging.

You do this on your own risk since it a small chance to fry the diode inside the generator if you run it without the battery for too long, but if it´s already broken it doesn’t matter.

[ga.spyder]

Good call,Swede! I had forgotten that old school trick with the positive cable.The alt is not charging,car immediately dies.So....I am in the market for a working,used,cheap alternator for a 1800 motor.Are they model year specific?
Craig

[pope]

Craig, my 65 amp 2.0 only has one wire coming out of the back, not the two you have.

[ga.spyder]

Pope,the stock calls for a 55 amp for the 77.Matt sent me an email saying it looks like a 76 alternator.I think I have bought Frankenspider! I dont know if the 77 has 1 or 2 wires,but the one thats on there didnt fit very well at all,and was making a lot of noise when I bought it.I think the p/o had pretty well destroyed it with the bad mounting.
Craig

[swede]

Bosch Universal 12Volt / 65 Amp

I use this Bosch Universal Generator in my -75 spider and it works perfect.
It´s not a 100% match so I have done some easy modifications to it, good thing is that it also have a built in charging relay so I where able to scrap the old one.

[mbouse]

sorry, someone called me late to the party. i am snickering in the background.

i actually attempted a three sports car family a while back. it was easy to skinny down the list when the third one in line was a Triumph... however, keeping two Spiders on the road at the same time is mentally, and physcially challenging.

if i were you,Craig, on this issue... i'd get to stock as quickly as possible. quit trying to go cheap and work with what is there. the passenger side external regulated alternator takes different mounting brackets than the driver side internal regulated alternator... i bet you have neither for this car. might take some work and research, but we all know guys and gals with the right spare parts in the bone yards.

bet that was a sight to see, two gals holdin' the top down and cursing you all the way home...

[ga.spyder]

The girls holding down the top was a classic! I am trying to identify exactly what I have here. I am going to post something re. serial no.(which I cant get a good look at.The big # is 132AC1C?
Craig