Battery positive cable split loation

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fredfrey
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Battery positive cable split loation

Post by fredfrey »

Im having intermittent problems with my gear reduction starter. Where is the thick positive wire split before it reaches the starter to feed the alternator located? Here is the image from the wire diagram.
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68 Fiat Dino Spider, 73 Giulia Super, 66 Giulia Super, 71 Fiat 500, 72 GTV, 83 AlfaSud, 74 1600 JrZ, 2012 Abarth
Georg
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by Georg »

Hi Fred, you wil find the split on the bulkhead in the passnger's footwell behind the carpet, direction center console.
Georg
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fredfrey
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by fredfrey »

Thanks! This starter issue has driven me crazy. I've changed everything:

Starter removed and checked at rebuild shop - OK (BTW the smaller gear reduction starters CAN be removed without removing anything else)
New ground wire to from the frame to trans mount.
Added another ground wire to the stater bolts on bell housing.
ran new trigger wire from engine bay to starter
New battery and cleaned the terminals on both ground and hot wire
Cleaned all connections to the stater.

When hot... starter will not work and even when cooled = dead

Reason to think its the split - last year I hit a small bump drive way ramp and everything completely died.
68 Fiat Dino Spider, 73 Giulia Super, 66 Giulia Super, 71 Fiat 500, 72 GTV, 83 AlfaSud, 74 1600 JrZ, 2012 Abarth
Georg
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by Georg »

Fred, have you checked / changed the starter solenoid? Did you check the switch at the backend of the ignition key lock. It has 8 positions for plugs. 50 feeds the starter. Have you checked that there is tension on cable 50 when turning the key in starting position?
Georg
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fredfrey
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by fredfrey »

After many days of testing and changing various items its come down the to starter. When cold it will work fine - starts over and over .. a trip around the block (10 min) and than shut down... wait a few min - starter fails... next day when cold... works again. This is a gear reduction starter perchased from a guy in Saratoga Springs. Hopefully he will honor his "lifetime warrantee"

When I get the starter sorted out I'm thinking of wrapping the headers on that side of the car to ease the heat on the starter.... anyone do this?
68 Fiat Dino Spider, 73 Giulia Super, 66 Giulia Super, 71 Fiat 500, 72 GTV, 83 AlfaSud, 74 1600 JrZ, 2012 Abarth
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fredfrey
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by fredfrey »

Since replacing and checking everything connected to the starter I came to the conclusion that the gear reduction starter was failing when hot.
As the exhaust is so close to the starter - it gets hot easy and fast.

October of 2021 I contacted the seller of the gear reduction starter:
Classic Car Performance, Inc.
142 Wagmans Ridge Rd
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

They claim the starters they sell have a "lifetime warrantee" But, getting them to honor or even discuss starter issues is difficult.
I purchased the starter almost 10 years ago and simply wanted to send mine back to them for repair or replacement and was even willing to pay. They only response I got from them was basically: "its not the starter that is the problem". So, clearly they don't want to honor or even discuss starter issues. All correspondence since October 2021 has been unanswered.

I recently purchased a new gear reduction starter from WOSP performance.
13421 Pumice St. Norwalk, CA 90650 USA
T: 562-229-9929 | E: info@wosperformance.com | W: www.wosperformance.com

The price is only $285 (Classic car performance was over $400 back in 2012)
I received the new unit from WOSP and it looks great and was told it has a true DENSO motor - not a knock off Chinese one.
As a plus - the new WOSP is a slight bit smaller and is able to be installed with a bit less difficulty from under the car without removal of anything else.

I wrapped the rear left exhaust tube where it comes close to the starter. Hopefully this will help.
The new starter seems to work very well.... so far.

New Starter from WOSP
1024-1476.jpg
Old starter in place - failed when hot. Added extra ground strap, heat-wrapped + cable and added new trigger wire with heavy gage heat resistant wire.
2021-09-28-1968 Fiat Dino-10806.jpeg
Old starter
2021-09-21-1968 Fiat Dino-10787.jpeg
68 Fiat Dino Spider, 73 Giulia Super, 66 Giulia Super, 71 Fiat 500, 72 GTV, 83 AlfaSud, 74 1600 JrZ, 2012 Abarth
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ThomasK
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by ThomasK »

Good choice. I drive with a WOSP starter since years in my 2400 Coupe with no problems.
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fredfrey
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by fredfrey »

Thanks for letting me know.
Did you do anything to block any of the heat from the starter?
68 Fiat Dino Spider, 73 Giulia Super, 66 Giulia Super, 71 Fiat 500, 72 GTV, 83 AlfaSud, 74 1600 JrZ, 2012 Abarth
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ThomasK
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Re: Battery positive cable split loation

Post by ThomasK »

No, I have done nothing special regarding heat.
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