Frustrating no spark issue

[ga.spyder]

Hi all.I have been chasing an Italian Gremlin around my 82 Spider.I have an active post here http://fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33051 In short.I drove a perfect running car to town.After sitting approx. 10 minutes it will not start.Cranks and cranks but no fire.Towed it home..first time in 10 years it has left me stranded
I progressively have replaced all parts in the ignition system with known good or new parts.Coil,cap,rotor,mag p/u,control module have all been swapped out.I have no spark at the plugs.Today,I went thru all my connections and wiring.Voila,spark at the plug(#1 plug is pulled for testing).Car starts and settles into a nice idle.I let her run until up to temp and even took a short ride up the hill(so I could coast back down! )I shut her off and let her sit for approx 20 minutes and,yep,no start! I got her fired and she spit,bucked ,backfired and shurt down.Pulled #1 and no spark at the plug.I am at a loss as to what is going on.
Last year,I put a original Fiat ignition switch in ,as I had the dreaded burned connection at the brown wire.It has been fine ever since.Today,I pulled all the wiring at the switch and did an inspection.Looks fine.It acted similarly when the switch was bad.
I am at a loss,and would love any suggestion! When I have spark,the car runs great!
Craig

[ORFORD2004]

Did you check fuse A?

[124JOE]

do you have a capacitor on the distributor? small round aluminum with one wire
"get a new one"

[ga.spyder]

Thanks guys. I am not sure which 'fuse A' you are talking about?I did check the 2 fuses under the dash,in fuse holders,and both looked good.I did have a new spare capacitor/condenser and it has been replaced.I am running out of ideas!

[AriK]

Ignition switch "on" make sure for functioning idiot lights to rule out an intermittent fault with the pink wire at the ignition switch/harness connection.

[aj81spider]

From your description it sounds like you have an intermittent electrical connection. When that happened to me it was my ignition switch. That may not be the case with you. When it has no spark you need to trace the circuit with a meter to see where the voltage stops passing through. I would start with the coil, as it's easy to get to. If there is no voltage there I would go to the ignition switch, as it's easy to get to and at that point a leading candidate for being the culprit.

If you Google "Fiat Spider Electrical Diagnostic Manual" you will find that there is a diagnostic manual for the 80-81, which probably applies to your car as well, that has some debug procedures that may help you. I would send it to you, but I'm traveling the next two weeks and don't have access to my computer with the manual. If you haven't been able to get it via Google and still want it two weeks from now PM me.

[bobplyler]

I had a similar problem once. One of the hoses had a pinhole in it. When it got hot, it sprayed on the coil.

[ga.spyder]

Thanks again for all the replies! I am beginning to suspect that my switch is toast.I installed it 6 months ago,and opted for an older used OEM switch,rather than the aftermarket switch.I am on the road today,but will check the voltage at the coil tomorrow.

[AriK]

I noticed that you're still having this trouble.
I'm also +1 on the ignition switch even though you have replaced it in the past year. Some years ago i went through 3 switches in the period of 2 years or so until i settled on the one i have now. One of the first mods i did when i first got the car was a starter relay but when i installed my last ignition switch i relayed my headlights as well. Some weird things happen when the switch acts up and some of your intermittent symptoms remind me of the issues i had.
I've already tried a new aftermarket switch but i'm still a believer of a good ol used factory Sipea switch which is what i have now. Hopefully adding relays if you dont already have them gets the strain off it.

[blazingspider]

+1 on the ignition switch here too. Try hot wiring the car which would eliminate the switch.

[divace73]

i had this once and it was something completely different and took me ages to find the culprit.
The shaft in my dizzy had that much vertical play that it would rise to the point that the magnetic reluctor would not work. Then the car would cool down and the shaft would fall back in place and it was fine until I finally found it...

May not be that at all but just check the dizzy shaft is firmly in place

[ga.spyder]

Thanks for the suggestions.I am completely frustrated and out of ideas.I am going to take up a friends offer and let him rebuild my original switch.I will also check the dizz.The car will not start at all now.I have no spark at the plugs.However,with the switch 'on',I have full voltage at the coil pink wire and at the starter wire.No voltage drop. Also,full voltage at the switch( brown wire).I cant help but think it could be the dizz or even the ECM???

[divace73]

Thanks for the suggestions.I am completely frustrated and out of ideas.I am going to take up a friends offer and let him rebuild my original switch.I will also check the dizz.The car will not start at all now.I have no spark at the plugs.However,with the switch 'on',I have full voltage at the coil pink wire and at the starter wire.No voltage drop. Also,full voltage at the switch( brown wire).I cant help but think it could be the dizz or even the ECM???

If you have a strong 12V at the coil then the only logical (if there such a thing with Italians) failure would be in the dizzy circuit, either mechanical or electrical. The culprit could be

Coil is faulty
Module is Faulty
White cable to module is faulty
The magnetic pickup is faulty
Dizzy Cap
Dizzy Rotor
Dizzy mechanically not doing what it should.

Also ensure the coil housing is well earthed (some even have a wire from the housing to the cam box)

Just to note, if there is no signal to the ECU from the dizzy it wont fire the injectors.

Are you able to swap a known working dizzy with somebody?

[ga.spyder]

Thanks David. I am drawing the same conclusion about the distributor. I have replaced all of the other listed components. I do not have one I can swap with somebody but I have a source where I can probably get a good used one

[ORFORD2004]

I can probably get a good used one

I got one since I switch to EDIS4