05-28-2009, 02:27 PM
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N44 Rear Lamps Control Unit
What's inside that little box? I just "repaired" my brake lights by thumping it sharply with a screwdriver handle. I was tempted to open the one on my parts car, but soon came to my senses.
Steve-Thanks for your recent post on 91-93 brake light systems!
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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05-28-2009, 02:42 PM
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by aralfa8589
What's inside that little box? I just "repaired" my brake lights by thumping it sharply with a screwdriver handle. I was tempted to open the one on my parts car, but soon came to my senses.
Steve-Thanks for your recent post on 91-93 brake light systems!
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Parts and more parts I guess. Glad you were able to "repair" by frapping it.
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Ciao, Alfisto Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
AROC 164 Tech Advisor
s.patchin@aroc-usa.org
http://www.aroc-usa.org/
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2956365
Daily drivers: USA models 91 "Bianco" 164B 5-speed - ALFISTO, 91 Argento aka "Quik Silver" (daughter's) 164B w/AT 1QUIK AG
Winter Sleepers: 93 "Rosso" 164L 5-speed; 91 "Old Blue" 164L w/AT
Rescue projects: Newbie 91 164L "Black Beauty"
Organ Donor 91 Old Nero 164L
SOLD 91 Argento 164L w/AT aka "Quik Silver 2"
"A day without an Alfa whine is like a day without sunshine"
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05-28-2009, 03:52 PM
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What's inside? - One thin board with components. Without it's schematic, it's a guessing game.
My issue with the brake lights was a combination of
1) a bad wire between N22 (Alfa Romeo Control Unit) and N44 and
2) an intermittent relay in the false firewall (I69)
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1976 Alfa Spider (Blue) His, 1975 Alfa Spider (Giallo Pagoda) Hers,
1993 Alfa 164S (White) - Definitely His (and sometimes Hers)
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05-28-2009, 05:44 PM
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Mine had nothing to do with connections as far as I could tell. On Glamorous Terry's 164S it was the plug going to N144. When looking at the schematics, we can assume that there is nothing inside.
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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06-06-2009, 05:38 PM
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The furshlugginer brake lights quit again. Flogged the module and it was a miraculous healing. So, do I put my parts car module in, or just let the damn thing hang down and pack a hammer? I'm seriously thinking of opening the thing up. I know it will be full of corrosion.
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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06-06-2009, 05:47 PM
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I would seriously revisit the relay in the false firewall (I69)
Mine was annoyingly intermittent. Since I replaced it, no problems.
I really really hope I did not just tease the Alfa Electrics God.
Pray for me.
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1976 Alfa Spider (Blue) His, 1975 Alfa Spider (Giallo Pagoda) Hers,
1993 Alfa 164S (White) - Definitely His (and sometimes Hers)
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06-07-2009, 04:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aralfa8589
What's inside that little box? I just "repaired" my brake lights by thumping it sharply with a screwdriver handle. I was tempted to open the one on my parts car, but soon came to my senses.
Steve-Thanks for your recent post on 91-93 brake light systems!
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I took one apart (I'm now on my third or fourth unit, the current one is black rather than white or grey and so far is the longest lasting.) Inside is a circuit board with through hole solid state components soldered onto an ICB. The rumour is bad solder joints that develop cracks which lead to intermittent operation. Hence the thumps sometimes work to get a failing unit working for a time. Actually, the thump test is more realistically a failure test.
If you can find a new part, get one while you can. To fix the old one would require dismantling and circuit testing, assuming it is a solder joint failure and not a defect in the ICB itself. It is quite easy and safe to take the cover off, just pretty pointless unless you know how to fix these types of parts.
Last edited by Michael Smith; 10-16-2009 at 12:29 PM.
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06-07-2009, 04:59 PM
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Hmmm...my new part is nestled snugly under the glovebox in my parts car. I will probably pull it out and try it. I know that both of the relays I've tried are good. I may try to source a new unit-I bet that's going to be fun and expensive, which is totally counter to the whole concept of ths car.
Thanks guys.
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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06-07-2009, 05:28 PM
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By all means try the used part. Statistically one would expect some of these units to be correctly manufactured and durable!
If normal operation of the brake lights is restored by tapping this unit then I say this is diagnostic of this failure. Every time one of mine has failed it has responded to a thump near or on the failing unit until eventually only a replacement unit will work.
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06-07-2009, 06:24 PM
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War on string is winnable
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dont give up!
First thing to do is to open up the control box and carefully, under magnification and good light, inspect the circuit board. Bad solder joints usually show us as mottled grey, with tiny surface imperfections, not smooth like a good solder joint should be. You should be able to see if the leads are moving around in the solder joint itself---
Look especially close at the relay pins, as they attach the relay to the board. The relay has a lot of mass and when the car goes over bumps, it puts a large load on those pins/solder joints.
If all else fails send me the thing and I will take a look!
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goats
74 GTV with 10548's and Ingram pump speedo been around at least twice!
1995 LS Q runners squadra chip Auto Green/tan 163K 100% LCD
1995 LS 5 speed Green /tan 38K Q runners 100 % LCD!
Misc parts laying around for 24V and 2Liter!
2004 Tacoma 4 door TRD (wifes car/kid hauler)- 86K
Mission Vsi, Mission Mod 2, Mission D2 - 10+ years of hockey on these!
radio flyer- rusty from disuse!
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10-15-2009, 09:58 AM
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The brake lights issue has resurfaced.
I swapped N44 from parts car and got no joy. I opened the original and it's pristine inside.
Relay clicks in and out when pedal is pushed, and current goes to the trailer light lead in trunk.
I knew I hadn't solved the problem before, and it bugs me that I have probably been running around with no brake lights.
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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10-15-2009, 10:57 AM
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I just found out that a little wiggle of the middle wires on plug E going into N22 solves the problem so I'll give that plug a good look and a cleaning!
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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10-15-2009, 02:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aralfa8589
I just found out that a little wiggle of the middle wires on plug E going into N22 solves the problem so I'll give that plug a good look and a cleaning!
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make sure the wires have not pulled out of the harness. I have seen that on mine before.
jason
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10-15-2009, 02:37 PM
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That's exactly what happened.
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Jeff Lang
'85 GTV6 3L, '89 Milano Gold
'91 164S, '91 164L, '91 164L Parts Car
'89 Spider, donor for '73 GTV Project
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