Afterrmarket AutoRicambi Ignition Switch

[V12StealthHunter]

The afternarket ignition switch that came with my car started coming apart so I decided to replace it with one from AutoRicambi http://www.autoricambi.us/product/EL7-4 ... on-Switch/

The previous owner had made a bit of a mess with the wiring to compensate for the brokeness of the ignition switch. This is how I found it wired;

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    15 = Thick Pink + Blue/Black   &   Black + Blue/Red
    30 = Thick Black
  30/1 = Wired to INT
   INT = Brown & Thin Pink
    50 = Thick Red 

And this is the Instruction from AutoRicambi for the aftermarket (LADA?) switch;

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    15 = Pink + Blue/black
    30 = Black + Blue/Red
  30/1 = Thick Black
   INT = Brown
    50 = Red

And the Fiat wiring diagram looks like this;

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    15 = Thick Pink + Blue/Black
    30 = Brown (+ thin pink)
  30/1 = Thick Black
   INT = Black + Blue/Red
    50 = Thick Red

Any of you familiar with this stuff know if the AR instructions deliberately swap 30 and INT or is that a mistake?

I wired it up as per the AR instructions and it didn't work. I also tried the Fiat instructions, didn't work either. I did this without mounting the switch into the steering column. Is that important (for grounding)?

I'm going to go through it all again with a multimeter tomorrow.

[vandor]

Hi,

The switch does not have to be mounted in place, it does not need to be grounded.
The switch should work per AR instructions for your model year - you did see there are different wiring instructions for different years, right?
If you have any questions feel free to email us (info@autoricambi.us) direct.

[So Cal Mark]

I just installed one of their switches and it worked fine once it was wired to their instructions. If it was connected just as the original switch was it kept some circuits powered all of the time

[djape1977]

it's a lada ignition barrel. next best thing to original and probably the only choice you have. just wire it as instructed. or you can play around with swapping parts from one to other, depending what had gone wrong in your old ignition switch. for example, you can couple lada lock to fiats electrical part and vice versa

[V12StealthHunter]

I tried to take the lock out today so I can bench test it and it won't come out

Using the key I can unlock the steering wheel, but the lock will only come out part way. I think its binding on that spring/plate thing on the opposite side of the steering lock.

Link to a photo; http://imagebin.org/302982

How do I get that side to go back into the lock?

[djape1977]

push it in with a screwdriver while you hold the key in a position where starter motor would run

[vandor]

Ignition switch removal info on our site:

http://www.autoricambi.us/cgi/commerce. ... moval.html

[V12StealthHunter]

Phew got it out! And I was mistaken earlier about it binding on the opposite side. My mistake I was working in the dark.

The problem was the metal tab just above the actual steering lock. Don't know what its called. It has some numbers printed on it. It was about 1/16" too long. Going into the car, because of the angles, you can squeeze it in but coming out, the cylinder has to come out straight and that's when it interferes with the metal strap that holds the steering column. Lucky this ain't no Mercedes with tempered steel locks (still have nightmares of the lock jamming on my W201) so I took a hacksaw and cut that piece off and it came out beautiful.

Not sure if all cars have the same metal strap right next to the lock but if you car does, I'd remove 1/8" from that tab and make sure the lock can go in straight without interfering with the steering column. If it has to go in slightly sideways, that's a bad sign.

[V12StealthHunter]

Went through the switch with a multimeter and this is what I could figure out;

Reading the positions from the bottom of the key;

Code: Select all

No movement/Key out - Position III
   INT -> 30
No movement/Key in - Position III
   INT -> 30
First turn - Position 0
   Everything is disconnected (I triple checked)
Second Turn - Position I
   INT  -> 30
   30/1 -> 15
Starter
   INT  -> 30
   30/1 -> 15
   INT  -> 50

So if I got that right, then it looks like AR instructions swap INT and 30 for no reason or by mistake as it doesn't make any difference in terms of connectivity.

When there is no key, the headlight switch should work and Fuse #2 (windshield washer) should also have power.

In Position 1, the above plus Fuse #9 (rear lights and fuel gauge) and +B on the ignition coil should have power.

And finally while in Start, all the above plus the starter solenoid.

So that all would mean the switch is OK. I wonder whats going on. The car used to start with the old switch (also aftermarket) but it would often just die without warning. Took the old switch out and it literally fell apart in my hands. All sorts of springs and broken pieces of metal came out of it as I withdrew it from the steering column.

Could something have happened to the starter?

[vandor]

Check that the red wire at the starter (same wire that goes to the ignition switch) has good contact to the male terminal on the starter.
You can jump this terminal at the starter to the large cable coming from the battery. If the starter is functional it will come come on when you jump the terminals.

[V12StealthHunter]

Thanks.

I felt around that area today from over the car and I can feel the wires properly connected to the starter. Looks impossible to get a multimeter in there but I'll try make my own solenoid/red wire and see if that's an issue. Everything feels very tight with no slack in the wires at all.

Annoying coincidence if the starter died the day I took the old broken ignition switch out. If I need to replace it I'll just buy one of those Nippondenso gear reduction starters. Had one on an XJ12 once and it was awesome. Felt like you could turn that V12 using lemon juice it was that efficient.

[V12StealthHunter]

So I got a new starter. But looks like the flange on the new starter isn't machined properly either

I can't get one of the bolts through it. The starter is also from AutoRicambi. Is this how they all are?

http://imagebin.org/index.php?mode=image&id=304989

[vandor]

I can't get your picture to load, but we've sold a few hundred starters without any fitting issues. I've installed quite a few myself. Be sure none of the bolts are tight until all 3 have started to thread in.

[V12StealthHunter]

I can't get your picture to load, but we've sold a few hundred starters without any fitting issues. I've installed quite a few myself. Be sure none of the bolts are tight until all 3 have started to thread in.

I called AR and spoke to Ramsay. I also sent him the photo and he was able to see the problem. He said it would be OK to grind the body down a little to get the bolt through.

Once I've got everything back together, I'll post an update.

[Ramzi]

Thanks for taking the time to give us a call! It certainly appears that this flange was machined a couple degrees off. A quick inspection of the other starter on the shelf reveled that normally there is a slight gap once that bolt is threaded through the hole.

As you suggested, removing a little excess material on the housing is probably the cleanest solution. And I can't foresee that causing any issues in the future.

Thank you again and please let us know if there is anything we can do to help

Ramzi