Ignition switch?

[70spider]

Merry Christmas everyone. It was so nice out today that I went to warm up Pesto and he started fine but the tach was bouncing all over the place, this happened once before and I simply restarted the car and it went away, this time I tried to start him but nothing. Not even a click or anything. I tested the circuits to the starter and coil with the key in the run position and the light came on on the tester, so I assume their conections are good. I did notice an odd thing, the clock will run with the key turned to the start position but it does not in the run position. I am completely confused the car ran great yesterday and I never had this problem before. Could this be a bad ignition switch or something more sinister?
Well thanks for looking, have a great day.

[azruss]

check to see if all the wires are connecting on the back of the ignition switch.

[70spider]

I checked it and it seems all terminals are snug. There is no juice to any instruments, headlights or turn signals etc. When I insert the key and turn it I get a tick out of the fuel gauge needle, other than that nothing. The mystery continues. So has anyone in the past had there ignition switch go bad? If so were there any symptoms prior to failure? I hope it isn't the switch because it looks like finding one will be next to imposible.

PS would this (http://mrfiat.com/italian/fiat/fiat-850 ... a-new.html) work in the 124 Spider?

[azruss]

check to see if you have 12v at the top of the fuses. I think only one or two have power all the time. The ignition switch is a common fail point as they run a lot of power through the switch. Replacement switches are available through AR.

[70spider]

SOLVED!
Thanks azruss, I checked the fuse box and the two circuits were good, however when I reconected the battery to do the test the positive term sparked a little. I figured this meant I had a short somewhere so I went to looking and found the wire from the oil pressure sensor(?) had broke off. The one with the red circle was what I repaired, is this an emergency shut down switch? Is the yellow circle the pressure sensor?

After repairing the wire I tried to turn it over and presto Pesto he started. LOL this car is going to give me grey hairs. Again thanks azruss.

[azruss]

the large sensor is for the oil pressure to the gage. The small one is the low pressure idiot light.

[70spider]

Hey I guess I haven't figured out my problem because it occured again at Walmart and had to have the car towed home, first time. From what I have read about the non-sipea replacement switch led me to look at some alternatives. Those of you who know would the 850 ignition switch work in the spider? Mr. Fiat has one for sale, http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/310907630780
if not I found a 125 switch NOS which looks the same here is a pic of the terminals .
Any thoughts would be great if I need to replace the ignition switch I would like to have a sipea and Fiat keys, I know its a little wierd but it wouldn't be the same if the keys weren't FIat.
Thanks

[fiatfactory]

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[70spider]

fiat factory:

For as much as the 850 switch costs you could buy a genuine Sipea 124 ignition switch easily.. how many would you like...postage from Australia would be cheap as it's certainly not a heavy item, and it will last another 30 years.

I searched for hours trying to find a 124 sipea switch but couldn't find one. If it turns out to be the switch do you know where I can get one and how much? It will be a few days before I can get to the car, snow and ice here at the moment.
Thanks

[AriK]

Hurry! 3hrs left on this one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiat-Spider-Sip ... r#viTabs_0

[fiatfactory]

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[70spider]

Ok I tried a couple of things today despit the 18deg weather. I soldered the wire on the new starter instead of using a crimp. I checked my battery to starter cable and it looks bad, lots of black corroson running through it and real brittle, so I wonder would this be the problem? At any rate I reconnected everything up and gave it a shot and "click" then nothing. I was wondering if I should replace the starter cable? Seems like a PIA, the old one is somehow wrapped in with other wires and runs along the fire wall. Also is the starter cable 2 or 4 gauge?

[johnsje6]

I had a mechanical failure on the ignition switch on my '79 - wouldn't turn so I couldn't start it. Got a replacement from Auto Ricambi and it works great - IF that is the problem.
http://www.autoricambi.us/product/EL7-4 ... on-Switch/

[azruss]

both battery cables need to be good. you can check by using jumper cables as a jumper to see if that improves the situation.

[70spider]

Thats what I was thinking. I thought about running a new temporary cable from the battery to the starter and see if it works. But that will have to wait for a few days because of the weather most of us have been getting. Tough to own a Spider without a garage .