Electrical gremlin? | FerrariChat

Electrical gremlin?

Discussion in '308/328' started by buzzdoc, Mar 20, 2017.

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  1. buzzdoc

    buzzdoc Karting

    Oct 28, 2016
    56
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Michael
    I have spent much time over the last couple of days searching the forum and studying the wiring diagram. But I still have no clue what's happening. So here's yet another question.

    '82 308 GTSi starts and runs when cold. Once warm, it dies. It will start and run beautifully with the safety switch unplugged, but it only fires with the key in position III when it is warm and the safety switch is plugged in. If I unplug the safety switch to start the car, it dies immediately when I plug the switch back in.

    When cold, I get a frequent click from the fuel pump relay. As it warms up and is running smoothly, the clicks become rare, and as it starts to die, the click becomes MUCH more frequent as it spitters and sputters to a halt (2-4 clicks/sec) until it dies. I replaced the relay with a new equivalent from Waytek, but I get nothing but a click from the relay when it's plugged in. Nothing from the fuel pump with or without the safety switch plugged in. I replaced all of the relays with new equivalents from Waytek and everything else works just fine.

    While trying to figure this out, I had the air filter off and was looking at the air metering plate. I was touching one of the fuel lines and I got shocked. It happened several times. I got my multimeter and discovered that the entire air metering unit and fuel head are carrying 12V when the safety switch is plugged in and the metering plate is depressed. Is this normal? Is that how the safely switch works? I got my other CIS unit and carried it to the back of the car, plugged in the safety switch, and I get the same 12V reading from the housing of the uninstalled CIS unit when the plate is depressed.

    I assume I have some electrical gremlin somewhere. I have Birdman-style fuse blocks that we fabricated when he did not have his blocks available. I think they are good (they look identical to his), but I'm going to put his in place of the ones I made to see if there is a difference. Could it be an intermittent ground somewhere? Any other ideas?
     
  2. Ferraridoc

    Ferraridoc F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 20, 2012
    16,057
    Gold Coast, Aust.
    Full Name:
    Patrick
    12V shouldn't give you a shock - the HT leads will, though. I'm not sure how the switch is earthed, but if there's no current, you'll read 12V everywhere in a circuit.
     
  3. buzzdoc

    buzzdoc Karting

    Oct 28, 2016
    56
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Michael
    #3 buzzdoc, Mar 20, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2017


    I wouldn't have thought I could feel it either, but I did. And I have plenty of experience with getting shocked, so I can promise that's what it was. I'll share those stories over the beers I owe everyone. Hell, if we can get this all sorted out y'all come to north Georgia for BBQ and I'll open my bottle of Pappy van Winkle.

    I haven't changed the HT leads or extenders. Didn't think about those as a cause of the shock. Wonder if I have a break somewhere that's arcing over and I'm feeling through the engine? As I've been messing with the fuel system, I have only really touched the CIS system with the engine running.


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