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New starting issue for me- relay needed?

766 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  John533i 
#1 ·
So, a month after I get my Alfa back from the shop after an engine rebuild, I'm running into a cold and hot start issue. I have a new battery, fully charged. I do get more than 10V as measured at the fuel pump when trying to start.

What happens is, the car turns over but won't start until the second I release the key, as if the starter were drawing too much voltage or something. Sometimes it take a few tries to get it to 'catch'. Car will run fine, but when I turn off the ignition, then try to restart, it does this with out fail.

Any ideas? New ignition switch, or starter relay help, you think? It's really irritating. People stare at the poor Alfa dude cussing:no:
 
#2 ·
Carbs or Which injection?
 
#4 ·
Assuming this is the '86 Spider in your signature and that it is a USA version then we can also assume it has Bosch L-jetronic.

I suggest measuring system voltage by connecting a voltmeter to the battery. (a dash gauge - if you have one - often does not give a good measurement during cranking) Note what it reads with everything off (doors closed so the interior lights are also off) then what it reads during cranking. Fully charged, with everything off it should show 12.6V. 12.3V is about 50% discharged! Next note what it reads during cranking. If it drops below ~ 10.5V then the computers will not be powered on. "New" is not always a guarantee of "good".

If voltages are a little low then the first step is to remove, clean & secure all connections in the battery to starter circuit - especially the ground connection to the floor of the trunk & the ground strap between the bell housing and the transmission tunnel (under the car). An iffy connection (or more likely a few slightly iffy connections) can cause enough resistance to drop voltage below the threshold the computers need - even though it sounds like it is turning over fine.

A failing starter motor can draw an extra load but I'd make sure everything else is 100% before condemning the starter.
 
#5 ·
Thanks, Eric. Yes, this is my 86 Veloce. I'm going to check that ground strap first, actually. I added one just before my engine went, and it worked better than the old frayed oil soaked strap. Maybe it is working it's way loose...

I took a chance and drove it to work yesterday. Warm day, but at 8pm when I got out, things were downright chilly. I thought 'OK, start ya bastard' and it started right up. On the way home I stopped for a beer, and it started right up then also. Very strange, as this hasn't been the case for the last two weeks.
 
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