....Yup, really.
I've been doing a few things to my car lately. New fuel injectors, new injector connectors etc. The new injectors lead to replacing fuel filters. The first order of business was tackling the in tank filter and step hose, which is not a big deal as I'd tackled replacing the in tank pump years ago.
It was good thing I did job as I found the positive pump lead was hanging on by only a few strands of wire. After fixing the wires I found my sending unit was bouncing around like crazy. I removed the unit from the tank again and tried cleaning the sending unit contacts but after 38 years, taking the sender apart proved to be its undoing. the plastic was so brittle that I couldn't put it back together worth a crap. No biggie put the unit back in the car and order another sending unit. I put everything back together and started the car....all good....
....until I decided, for no good reason, to put my windshield washer bottle back in place. I say for no good reason as the only time the Alfa sees rain is by mistake. The car is garaged as the the car in not the most water proof car I own. Anyway, I'd found the washer bottle in my trunk and while doing the in tank work, I'd added some cleaner to the bottle and let it sit.
With the fuel tank stuff taken care of, I decided to install tank as it now looked like new! I connect the hose and the electrical connector and set the bottle in place. Done!
Since my fuel gauge would be inoperable while waiting for parts I decided to go fill by gas tank and reset my trip odometer just to be safe. I hop in the car and turn the key and crank crank crank but no start. I try a few more times until the battery starts to go flat (you think a 10 year old battery would crank longer!). Crazy. I mean, I had just started the car after wrapping up the fuel tank stuff. You could hear the main pump get power when turning the key on so it wasn't a fuse issue.
I know the reference sensor and rpm sensor connectors are located in the same area of the washer tank and will make a no start condition, no problem. Thing is, I'd replace parts of the two connectors recently as the originals had disintegrated over the years.
I figured I must have a pulled a wire out or something and sure enough, I find a wire that had pulled out of one of the pins of one of the connectors (my bad workmanship, not having the correct crimp tool for open barrel pins).
Anyway, I re-terminate a new pin, install into the connector and crank the car and....
...no joy. Car still won't start.
Dang. Now I'm running out of ideas.
Anyway, I finally found my gremlin. On ECU side of the other connector (gray), I pull the boot back and see a cracked insulation on one of the wires that looks awful close to the bare shield wire. I separate the wire from the shield and Bingo! I have a running Alfa again!
I plan to redo that connector (parts again) but in the mean time, a little liquid electrical tape and I'm good to go.
The culprit...
![Motor vehicle Electrical wiring Automotive fuel system Automotive design Cable]()
I've been doing a few things to my car lately. New fuel injectors, new injector connectors etc. The new injectors lead to replacing fuel filters. The first order of business was tackling the in tank filter and step hose, which is not a big deal as I'd tackled replacing the in tank pump years ago.
It was good thing I did job as I found the positive pump lead was hanging on by only a few strands of wire. After fixing the wires I found my sending unit was bouncing around like crazy. I removed the unit from the tank again and tried cleaning the sending unit contacts but after 38 years, taking the sender apart proved to be its undoing. the plastic was so brittle that I couldn't put it back together worth a crap. No biggie put the unit back in the car and order another sending unit. I put everything back together and started the car....all good....
....until I decided, for no good reason, to put my windshield washer bottle back in place. I say for no good reason as the only time the Alfa sees rain is by mistake. The car is garaged as the the car in not the most water proof car I own. Anyway, I'd found the washer bottle in my trunk and while doing the in tank work, I'd added some cleaner to the bottle and let it sit.
With the fuel tank stuff taken care of, I decided to install tank as it now looked like new! I connect the hose and the electrical connector and set the bottle in place. Done!
Since my fuel gauge would be inoperable while waiting for parts I decided to go fill by gas tank and reset my trip odometer just to be safe. I hop in the car and turn the key and crank crank crank but no start. I try a few more times until the battery starts to go flat (you think a 10 year old battery would crank longer!). Crazy. I mean, I had just started the car after wrapping up the fuel tank stuff. You could hear the main pump get power when turning the key on so it wasn't a fuse issue.
I know the reference sensor and rpm sensor connectors are located in the same area of the washer tank and will make a no start condition, no problem. Thing is, I'd replace parts of the two connectors recently as the originals had disintegrated over the years.
I figured I must have a pulled a wire out or something and sure enough, I find a wire that had pulled out of one of the pins of one of the connectors (my bad workmanship, not having the correct crimp tool for open barrel pins).
Anyway, I re-terminate a new pin, install into the connector and crank the car and....
...no joy. Car still won't start.
Dang. Now I'm running out of ideas.
Anyway, I finally found my gremlin. On ECU side of the other connector (gray), I pull the boot back and see a cracked insulation on one of the wires that looks awful close to the bare shield wire. I separate the wire from the shield and Bingo! I have a running Alfa again!
I plan to redo that connector (parts again) but in the mean time, a little liquid electrical tape and I'm good to go.
The culprit...
....maybe turn signal, heater fan, electric window...something like that?
