Hi Guys:

I love your web site, it's full off all kinds of good stuff. I have a question for you regarding a 1979 Fiat Spyder 2000. It might seem kind of simple, however, I want to get it right because it deals with the starter motor and the wires that connect up to it.

A couple of years ago I purchased the above car for $20 and replaced everything on it mechanically, from a new short block to lining the gas tank. The car did not have a starter motor in it when purchased so I scrounged around and found one and am now wondering what wires connect to it and what terminal of the solenoid they hook up to.

Here's what I have come up with:

• 1. The battery cable hooks up to the upper terminal on the solenoid
• 2. The two smaller cables (one of which connects to the alternator) connect to the lower terminal (one closest to the starter motor) of the solenoid

Oops! Incorrect, they also connect to the upper terminal. The only thing that should be on the lower terminal is the wire that goes into the starter.

• 3. and the remaining wire (I think it's the ignition wire) slides over the "male" post on the solenoid.

??? The ignition wire has nothing to do with the starter! There is a wire that comes from the ignition switch that goes to the top of solenoid to actuate it.

I can't find any information regarding these electrical hookups in any of the manuals, so any help or advice you can offer will be great.

Thanks a lot

Jeff Mouser

The reason that they are not in the shop manual is because Fiat put them in a special book called the wiring diagrams. I would suggest you get one of these, it will probably answer all of your above wiring questions and more!