Alternator replacement? Voltage regulator gone bad?

[alfadude1]

It cranked just fine but I knew something was wrong when I turned the key and didn't hear the fuel pump start.

You probably already know this, but the fuel pump shouldn't run when you turn the key (unless you start the car and the engine is running). This is, however, a condition that many Spider owners live with. The detrimental aspects include needless running of the fuel pump while you're listening to the radio to a serious fire hazard if you are in an accident and the pump continues to squirt fuel.

So, did someone do something to my '83 Spider that made the fuel pump run with the key in the On position without the engine running? If there is a "fix" that I need to undo, that would be great.

[KevAndAndi]

It cranked just fine but I knew something was wrong when I turned the key and didn't hear the fuel pump start.

You probably already know this, but the fuel pump shouldn't run when you turn the key (unless you start the car and the engine is running). This is, however, a condition that many Spider owners live with. The detrimental aspects include needless running of the fuel pump while you're listening to the radio to a serious fire hazard if you are in an accident and the pump continues to squirt fuel.

So, did someone do something to my '83 Spider that made the fuel pump run with the key in the On position without the engine running? If there is a "fix" that I need to undo, that would be great.

It's possible. You can search the forum and find some threads. Here's one that I started:

http://fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29615

There is an arm inside the AFM (you can see it if you pop off the cover, though the cover doesn't easily pop off) that moves when the air flap moves. The movement of the arm closes a contact that energizes the fuel pump. If the arm is bent, it may never open that contact when the air flap is closed. Therefore, the fuel pump becomes energized as soon as you turn the key in the pre-start position. The AFM "thinks" air is moving through it because it "thinks" the air flap is open.

Another possibility is that someone messed with the dual relay.

The bent AFM arm appears to be very common, but I'm still not sure if it is done intentionally or if it just happens.