Odd PO Ignition Switch Wiring

[RRoller123]

My 80 FI Spider has an odd wiring configuration at the Ignition Switch, and I was hoping someone could explain. (The switch was entirely replaced by PO) The switch is presently wired as here:

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... CHASED.jpg

The wire colors a the switch itself are not the issue. They resolve to the correct colors at C31. But there are (2) red wires coming off the 15 terminal, that branch to the expected pink/pink/blue/blue-red wires, which I assume go their correct ways. (Haven't traced all of them yet) There are NO wires attached to the INT terminals. The car runs fine, with the exception of no hazard flashers, which got me started looking closely at all of this. I don't understand what the different terminal labels on the switch imply, but it seems quite odd to me that there are no connections to the INT terminals, when they are called for in all the schematics and wiring diagrams that I have.

So my question is this: Does it matter that the Ignition Switch is wired this way? What is the effect of not using the INT terminals and effectively running all 4 wires (pink/pink/blue/blue-red) off that one 15 terminal? Is anyone knowledgeable in this area out there? Thanks very much in advance for any light you can shed on this! Pete.

[azruss]

Go to brad artique's website or to mirafiori. Brad has produced a fabulous schematic for 80-82 FI spiders. it will answer all your questions.

[Danq]

Leaving the wire that are on terminal 15 that should go to terminal INT will put more of a load on terminal 15 contacts in the ignition switch. If it was my car I would switch them back to the correct terminals.
However this might be a workaround for a bad terminal INT.

[RRoller123]

Are the INT and the 15 terminals internally connected inside the switch? If so, I think you are right and it makes sense to distribute the load around.

[Danq]

The terminal 30 feeds two switch contacts, terminal 50 and terminal INT.
On Brad Artigue site the scanned manual "1979-1982 Spider 2000 Electrical Diagnostic Manual" http://www.artigue.com/fiatcontent/spid ... 00elec.pdf has a good diagram of the ignition switch on page 14. This document show that the wire to C31 is 6 mmsq for terminal INT compared to 2.5 mmsq for terminal 30/1. But 2.5 mmsq between C31 and the switch.

[vandor]

Sounds like the car has the aftermarket ignition switch commonly sold by the vendors. The reason the INT terminal is not used, is because it is on all the time. So whatever you connect there will be on even with the key off.
This switch is configured like the pre-1972 Spiders, where you could run the wipers and the heater fan with the ignition off.

The stock wiring diagram will not help you, as this switch is wired a bit differently. What I don't like about these switches is that all the load goes through one set of contacts. What I usually do, and had a few customers do as well, is install relays to take the load off the switch.

[RRoller123]

Thanks for the great info, Vandor and Dan. I am in the process of moving the headlights to relays, and this probably also explains why I haven't seen voltage in some of the places where I would expect it, like the hazard flashers. Now knowing how the internal connections are, I can go ahead and make this thing right. I am also in the process of bringing a new clean 8AWG feed up into a power distribution box in the engine compartment. Will report on that when complete. My thinking is to generally not fight the under dash birds-nest unless necessary, and be able to tap direct, minimum-connector-loss power for whatever is needed, in the engine compartment, using relays to control it.

[RRoller123]

That Electrical Diag Manual from Artigue is excellent!! Thanks for the reference. Pete.