Orphan Wire

Gotta love that wiring . . .
ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Wed Mar 08, 2017 9:51 pm

This brown wire is not connected to any part. It appears to be exiting from a wire harness on the intake side of my 1981 FI 2000. Any idea where this goes?
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Last edited by ralphcap on Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby fiat218 » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:02 pm

ralphcap wrote:This brown wire is not connected to any part. It appears to be exiting from a wire harness on the intake side of my 1981 FI 2000. Any idea where this goes?

[img][IMG]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx157/ralphcap/Fiat%20Wire%20152_zpsa0hs61zb.jpg[/img][/URL]/img]
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:08 pm

Sorry Jim. Finally got the pic. We're a bit slow down river!

vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby vandor » Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:45 pm

Looks yellow to me. Horns?
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:23 am

Horn is working fine. There is a yellow wire in the photo that is connected to the alternator. The wire I'm referring to is definitely brown and it exits a wiring harness.

spider2081
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Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Wallingford,CT
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Re: Orphan Wire

Postby spider2081 » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:30 am

I am assuming your car is a 1981 is that correct??

In the area of the photo I don't know of any wires that color. I looked for a white, brown, or yellow wire and didn't see one. Does the wire have any numbers stamped in it?? If the wire was originally in a black sleeve it could be something related toe the fuel injection system. Does the temperature switch located under the intake manifold have a connector on it?? Can you post more photos of that area of your car with the other wires in the photo.

The side light has a small diameter yellow wire in it but that wire comes out of the fender well with the wires from the headlight.

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:55 pm

The brown wire is lying on top of the alternator and leaning against the alternator.
Last edited by ralphcap on Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:57 pm

The brown wire is lying on top of the alternator and leaning against the alternator bracket.

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby klweimer » Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:05 pm

The only brown wire on my '82 in that area is the one going to the starter terminal to bring power up to the ignition switch. I have a yellow and black wire running to the oil pressure idiot light switch.
Kirk

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:38 pm

OK, I think it's goes to the windshield washer fluid container that I remove from the car eight years ago!

spider2081
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Re: Orphan Wire

Postby spider2081 » Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:56 pm

OK, I think it's goes to the windshield washer fluid container that I remove from the car eight years ago!


You could be correct however the color of the washer pump wires should be gray/black and black violet and they should both be part of a 2 pin bullet connector. This connector is usually on the driver side fender well, forward of the alternators pulley.

ralphcap
Posts: 137
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:35 am
Your car is a: 1981 2000 Spider
Location: New Orleans, LA

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby ralphcap » Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:51 pm

Thanks spider 2081. Yes, I see the connector you are referring to lying disconnected in my engine bay. Guess I'm back to square one. I still think it's brown but I have a larger brown wire going to the starter. The side light is working fine as is the horn. I have undergone many eye exams and was never told I was color blind. In 1969 I passed my physical exam for the draft with flying :lol: colors! of course that was almost 50 years ago. Maybe it is a discolored yellow.

klweimer
Posts: 550
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:45 am
Your car is a: 1982 Spider 2000
Location: Arvada, Colorado

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby klweimer » Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:08 pm

Have you traced the wire back into the cabin?
Kirk

spider2081
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Re: Orphan Wire

Postby spider2081 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:22 am

I still think it's brown


I would not question the color. I know taking photos of wires is not a true representation of the color one sees when looking at the wire. I have also found particularly with the first cars changing to fuel injection Fiat did not always follow their color code.
You might put a volt meter on the wire. If you find it has voltage in certain conditions that might help you identify its purpose.

zachmac
Posts: 1278
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:20 am
Your car is a: 1978 Spider [1979 2 ltr engine]
Location: Aiken, SC

Re: Orphan Wire

Postby zachmac » Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:17 am

If it is brown and you have an 81 then per the wiring diagrams it has to be part of the infamous "brown wire fix". There are simply no other brown wires in the wiring diagrams anywhere, particularly of that gauge, that would be in the engine bay. There are smaller gauge brown wires for lighting and misc. feeds but those are all under the dash and don't go out through the firewall anywhere.

Does it have power in the on ignition switch position? Check and see if you have a brown wire coming off the back of your ignition switch and take a continuity reading between there and the wire in the engine bay.

Refer to the wiring diagrams posted on Mirafiori to see excellent diagrams for your car. They are here: https://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/8 ... MPLETE.pdf
Jeff Klein, Aiken, SC
1980 FI Spider, Veridian with Tan (sold about a year ago), in the market for another project
1989 Spider, sold
2008 Mercedes SL65
2008 S600 Mercedes V12


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