Ah, electrics *ffzzzz*

With all the recent discussions on headlight relays recently there have been a couple of mentions of the "spare" spade connection in the fusebox, next to the brown wire connection. Well, today I thought I'd take a look and check that it was there (!) so that I can psyche myself up for the trauma of doing headlight electrics.

Well, blow me down if there wasn't already a spade connector connected to it, with a big red wire disappearing off into the dashboard. After much rolling around and waving my legs in the air, and having removed the glovebox and the radio, it turns out that the previous owner had routed this wire up to the back of the radio to deliver a power source for his tunes. There was also a suspicious looking blue wire going off somewhere, and this turned out to be an earth connection from the radio to the bolt on the body just above the fusebox.

This perplexed me somewhat as I had always assumed that Fiat would have provided both of these connections, especially in a Gran Finale ! Well, it turns out that they did, but the PO just didn't care to use them. Anyway, all is returned to as it should be and I now have a big red wire flapping around ready to power my new bright headlights.

This previous owner has a lot to answer for - I've already removed the relay from the starter solenoid, and now this. Next job is to remove his alarm installation (not looking forward to that one !) and tracing the switch located on the firewall between the seats. What on earth could THAT control (alarm, perhaps) ?!

Ah, electrics :roll:

The switch located in my centre firewall controls the electric fuel pump (so you can isolate the pump when you have the ignition on but don't have the enine running); there is also a crash switch to cut the pump in the event of a shunt. Fortunately, I know what they both do because I wired them in!

I don't have any alarm wiring problems because no previous owner bothered with one and I haven't got round to fitting my microwave one yet (another job on the list!)

At least cars usually have multi-couloured wires so you can trace them, have you tried finding out where the 'red' wire goes in a house!!

I have a switch between the seats which powers the carburettor cooling fan manually... (for all the use that is...!!)

Noel

Yeah, I've got one for that as well, and one for the front cooling fan. They were bodged onto the ashtray as you can just make out in this picture .

Would appreciate some advise on following

Is there enough space to install an electric pump and pressure regulator
without removing the cool air fan.

Has anyone details of the shunt 'off' switch, and where would you locate it.

The switch that stops the pump when the ignition is on but engine not running
Is it possible to accidentally operate same when travelling.

Alan

There probably is space to install a pump and regulator but I have never been convinced of any benefit to having the cooling fan so it's easier to take it, and all the gubbings, out and fit the pump where it used to be located.

I got my crash/inertia switch off Ebay (search for "crash switch" and "inertia switch" often advertised for kit cars). You need to get a re-settable one just in case you have a knock that sets it off but can still drive the car (you need a significant deceleration to set it off, hard braking would not be enough). Mine is located on top of the central tunnel behind the centre console where it is horizontal and relatively protected from suspension jolts (you can also reach behind and push the reset if needed, once tripped it stays of until re-set).

My Pump manual switch is located right at the bottom of the bulkhead between the seats and is pushed down, almost touching the carpet, to turn the pump on so anything knocking it would push it in the same direction. You would have to be unlucky (and driving very oddley!) to accidently operate it to the up position.

However, the key to ensuring you know if the pump is off (either by intentional or accidental operation of the manual switch or the inertia switch tripping), is to have a warning light (mine's in the centre console) that comes on when power to the pump is lost and the ignition is on. This is the other really useful function of a relay (turning a loss of power into a live light circuit)

Many thanks for the concise information which is most helpful,
and interesting.

Alan

Chris - the conector for the radio - would that have two wires, one purple and the other red/yellow, the latter being live only with the ignition on?
Does anyone know the colours of the rear speaker wires? Just being lazy, I can look at spaker end - I've got 4 likley suspects hanging around but don't know which are pairs.
Haynes book of lies is missing any wiring details for the audio.