[dabigboy]

Hi folks,

A while back my '83 Spider stopped getting spark. It was driving fine, then just quit. I knew it was spark because the tach did not budge while cranking. I did some checking this week and thought I had isolated it down to a bad ignition module.

Today I installed a new module, but this did not help. I am getting 12v to the green wire on the passenger's side of the ignition module (the positive marked terminal), but strangely, I also get 6v on the driver's side (negative). Could it just be voltage bleeding over from something that is on the same circuit as one of the wires going to the negative lead?

I did check both crankshaft sensors as per the tune-up guide, they are right in the middle of the acceptable range.

Matt

 

[sloboy89]

Have you checked the battery? I had similar condition earlier this week. All the lights, etc worked, and the battery showed 12.4 v. That apparently wasn't enough. After it started being jumped, I bought a new battery, and it fired right up.

 

[dabigboy]

Yes, forgot to mention.......I did just put a fresh charge on the battery (and also tried jump-starting). When it first happened, I was driving....car died, tach went to zero, right in the middle of the road.

Matt

 

[dabigboy]

OK, fixed it....was something dumb. I had forgotten that when I first got this car back in 2007, there was (for unknown reasons) a damaged fuse holder in line with one of the connections to the drive relay. At the time I thought it was supposed to be there, so I replaced it with a new one. Of course I have since discovered that there is no such fuse, I have no idea why anyone would put it there.

The fuse was blown, and the fuse holder was pretty rough looking also (looks like it had partially melted over time, perhaps the cheap clear plastic was not up to the heat down there). I took the stupid thing out altogether and spliced the wire back together...vrrroooom! Purrs like a kitten.

My wife asked for a ride last night, so we spent about an hour cruising in the Alfa. Her first comment upon getting in was "Matt....don't ever sell this car." :grin2:

Matt

 

[ghnl]

My wife asked for a ride last night, so we spent about an hour cruising in the Alfa. Her first comment upon getting in was "Matt....don't ever sell this car."

A smart man would listen to such a wife! Don't ever lose her (or the car).

 

[dabigboy]

I know it! She even puts up with me having the front end of a retired business jet in the garage. I am one very blessed fellow for sure!

Matt