Big time clue to my intermittent shutdowns? Help!

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ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Big time clue to my intermittent shutdowns? Help!

Post by ga.spyder »

If you didn't see my previous thread, my car has just been shutting off for no readily apparent reason.Then,it as suddenly restarts.Very intermittent.This morning I started the car in the garage and it shut down. I first tried to see if the flap would activate the fuel pump...No it didn't.Then as suddenly it did activate.I knew the car was going to start and it did.I started trying to check the ignition switch,as advised by several including Mark.The car shut off again.(ps when trying to crank the tach lies dead,no movement at all).Immediately it restarted.Pulled the plug into the switch,and...
Image
That doesn't look great.The end from the switch itself looks good.Tight connections very faint discoloration
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OK,obviously this could and probably is my problem? Is there something I can do quickly to remedy this,even temporarily ,so I can make the big show next week? Maybe ,I should just cancel.I have done a ''Brown wire fix'' years ago but that wire seems to be missing.It is still attached at the battery ,but is floating around under the dash some where :shock: Any advice welcome!!!
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !
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aj81spider
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Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:04 am
Your car is a: 1974 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Chelmsford, MA

Re: Big time clue to my intermittent shutdowns? Help!

Post by aj81spider »

A quick fix would be to cut that wire out of both sides of the connector and crimp a spade connector on the two ends in its place. On return from Atlanta this would be a good impetus to put the whole ignition switch on relays.

I'd find that floating brown wire. If it's connected to the battery it could short against anything under the dash and cause problems ranging all the way up to a fire.
A.J.

1974 Fiat 124 Spider
2006 Corvette
1981 Spider 2000 (sold 2013 - never should have sold that car)
User avatar
ga.spyder
Posts: 3478
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Blairsville ,Ga.

Re: Big time clue to my intermittent shutdowns? Help!

Post by ga.spyder »

Thanks AJ.I found my brown wire...it was black,and had a full 12.4 volts in it!! I used a scotch connector that probably never clamped completely. That live wire may have been under there for 5 years :oops: :oops: :oops: I am going to bypass the connector and go with the wires connected directly.I will look into the relay system after the ICD show.It is among the last events before winter.Thank you for the reply!
Craig
Craig Nelson

1982 Spider 2000...pride and joy
1981 Fiat X1/9..gone but not forgotten
1976 124 Spider..the self-healer
2001 BMW 328ci daily driver and track car
Fling It Around Turns !
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azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: Big time clue to my intermittent shutdowns? Help!

Post by azruss »

As these connection get old, they get loose. What you see is typical arcing on a loose contact. As part of my restoration, i went thru every multi-wire connector and cleaned both contacts with contact cleaner, sanded each one with a fine emery cloth, and pinched the female to make it a little tighter. I also replaced any plastic pieces that were compromised. (had a spare harness). most modern connections are solderless style that use a less than satisfactory crimp. I cant say that i have a lot of faith in them.
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