Brighter Headlights and Dash Lights (easy mod)

[spider2081]

I have a lot of respect for everyone in these chat rooms. So I would not want my opinion to be taken as picking sides.

I think the Fiat electrical systems are pretty darn good. Their wire diagrams seem to be very accurate providing you have the correct diagram for the the car you are working on. There are many variations depending on year and models.
I have stated this in earlier posts the wire and crimps are not the cause of most Fiat electrical problems. The main issue is the female push terminals by design loose there tension over time because of the current flow through them. The greater the current flow the sooner the terminal gets loose and becomes intermittent. I think the grounding pods and the cars side of ignition switch switch connector are examples of this issue.
I remove the grounding pods and use a good quality ring terminal on the existing ground studs to eliminate the ground issues. I would replace the female terminals in the car's ignition switch connector if they are available.
Any 30 year old electrical system in car, boat, airplane etc. will require attention. To think otherwise is wishful thinking.

I have seen a couple aftermarket harnesses and or relay kits at Fiat advents. The quality of their terminals were no better then the original Fiat terminals. So why replace a harness when the terminals on the ends cause the problems???

[RRoller123]

Here is my ground pod solution, absolutely no problems through this first season, just check for tightness every couple of months. Did this on both sides. (The relays for the lights can be seen to the left of the ground block.)

[kev]

I plan on replacing my cars wiring with the painless kit. I am rebuilding the car and don't see why I wouldn't replace it. It has always caused me problems and one problem typically lead to another. I have plenty of time, I plan to keep the car for a very long time and I want a perfectly working car when I'm done. I think if I'm going to replace everything else that's broke, why not the wiring.

Painless really needs to make a kit for the fiat.

[profcucchi]

I can almost guarantee that this quick mod is what my mechanic did. He couldn't make heads or tails what the PO did.

Eventually, I'd like to just clean it up.

[seabeelt]

I did mine under the dash. Ran a wire from the battery (as it is in the front) and then unplugged then wires at the fuse box. Really easy, took about a half an hour. Also switched the 3watt bulbs in the dash to 5watt. What a difference!!

[giuliot60]

I did mine under the dash. Ran a wire from the battery (as it is in the front) and then unplugged then wires at the fuse box. Really easy, took about a half an hour. Also switched the 3watt bulbs in the dash to 5watt. What a difference!!

A half an hour to replace the wiring with the Painless kit?

[seabeelt]

Ok, 35 minutes. It was the relay kit from Vicks. One relay for low beams, one relay for high beams. Those circuit wires from the column switch run to fuses (on my car) 3 and 5. Un plug those from the fuse box, connect them to the coil of the relay one side, ground the other side, connect the battery to the input side of the relay and the output side back to the fuse box at 3 and 5. Hardest part of the job was getting the wire from the battery into the passenger compartment.
R/

[giuliot60]

Ok, 35 minutes. It was the relay kit from Vicks. One relay for low beams, one relay for high beams. Those circuit wires from the column switch run to fuses (on my car) 3 and 5. Un plug those from the fuse box, connect them to the coil of the relay one side, ground the other side, connect the battery to the input side of the relay and the output side back to the fuse box at 3 and 5. Hardest part of the job was getting the wire from the battery into the passenger compartment.
R/

Thanks!

[seabeelt]

You are most welcome

[nelsonj]

Long-term followup: Even though my "hack" was working well, I liked the idea of the relays and eventually installed the kit from the now defunct IAP (sob). Kit was very good and the lights are brighter than ever. I really did it to save my ignition switch - but it's great to have the bright lights when needed.

Peace Out. End of Thread.