finally a RUST FREE project

[ga.spyder]

Chris..if you go to the Fiat Lancia Unlimited site http://www.flu.org there are several 850 experts there.I'm sure you can get some assistance.That is $200 well spent.I think the 850's are really cool little cars.Congrats.
Craig

[124SPORT]

I took coil to autzone and it reads 880 ohms.I'm guessing that's bad lol. My book says it needs to read 4000 minimum.

[spiderrey]

He took the coil out of my 70

[124SPORT]

Grrrrr...replaced coil and still no spark....

[124SPORT]

Can someone please post a pic of there wiring on coil.I can't find a diagram online or in my book.I'm stumped.power is getting to my coil but not my dizzy

[maytag]

Can someone please post a pic of there wiring on coil.I can't find a diagram online or in my book.I'm stumped.power is getting to my coil but not my dizzy

A quick google found this
http://www.familycar.com/CLASSROOM/ignition.htm
which has a basic diagram and a reasonable descritive course on how it all should work.

Have you checked your points?

[Ken]

if you have a ohm meter/volt meter or a test light check the + side of the coil for voltage with the power on, i am guessing you have a points system. if you have power check the points, you can clean the oil and dirt off by pulling a dollar bill through them, it wont leave fibers behind. if you dont have voltage to the + side with power on try using a jumper to a 12 volt sorce. its best to check for spark directly from the coil, it eliminates the rotor and cap problems.

[124SPORT]

I have power to the positive side of coil.I have new points and cap. I am checking the spark from coil lead to dizzy. In thinkin the coils wired wrong?

[maytag]

I have power to the positive side of coil.I have new points and cap. I am checking the spark from coil lead to dizzy. In thinkin the coils wired wrong?

How are you checking power to the coil?
checking it from + to chassis ground is only half the battle.

The negative side of the coil needs to be grounded through the points. And when the points break, so should your 12v path.

So your points need to be working for you to check voltage at the coil.

Does that make sense? Did you look at that diagram I linked you to?

[124SPORT]

I'm sorry. I looked at diagram? How to I test it with points working? Points are new and gapped correct. The negative side of coil flickers light when cranked. I don't know what else to do.

[So Cal Mark]

if your test light blinks on/off when cranking, you should have spark if the coil is good

[124SPORT]

I have a brand new coil and when I crank motor light flickers dim and bright on positive side .on neg side lights dim but still flickers when I crank it over. Maybe ignition switch? I had to replace it. When I did all wires matched in back except for the two blue and black wires that were originally in 15/54. In new switch they're on int. Any other open terminal would not turn lights on dash on when key is in on position.?

[kmead]

I would check the timing.

First remember that it is a reverse rotation engine so BTDC will be to the right of TDC not the left when looking at the engine from the back of the car.

With the ignition in the off position, put the car in 4th gear and with the engine compartment open rock the car forward to bring the engine to TDC. Remove the distributor cap to be sure you have the rotor pointing to the #1 cylinder's plug wire.

Once you are sure you have it at TDC for the #1 cylinder, rock the car back so the timing mark on the crank pulley/centrifugal filter is 1/2"-9/16" to the right of the mark on the timing cover as seen from the back of the car. Now set the hand brake and chock the wheels of the car.

Remove the wire from the screw on the side of the distributor that goes to the coil.

Using a standard incandescent test light or make one using a 12v light bulb with a wire soldered to the hot and another to the bulb's ground, attach one end of the test light to the screw on the distributor that the wire from the points attaches to. Take the wire from the coil that was on the distributor screw and attach it to the other wire of the test light.

Slacken the distributor hold down bolt. Turn the ignition to the on position. Now carefully rotate the distributor body until the test light lights up. The light lights up when the points close. The timing should now be correct or very close.

Tighten the hold down bolt. Turn off the ignition, take the car out of gear and try starting the car after putting the distributor cap back on and returning the wire from the coil to the distributor back onto the distributor removing the test light.

If the test light never lit as you saw the points open and close you don't have power coming from the coil.

[spiderrey]

He went to marks shop and looked at another 850. He saw that the dizzy was wired up a lil different, he now has spark. not yet running thou. Turns out the p o mis reassembled the wire thatruns from the coil. They installed both insulators on the inside of the dizzy.

[thechadzone]

It's good to see an 850 thread here, as I bought a similarly rust-free example just a few weeks ago. I'd attach pics, but right now I can only get to it at night, and the light in my garage is pretty poor. I love the car. I've read that 60% of its weight is centered over the rear wheels, which sounds bad, but it handles very well. I've gotten pretty crazy with it around some curves, and it takes a lot to get it to spin out. It has nowhere near the torque/bottom end power of my built 2.0 Spider, but its appeal is still obvious. Word is that the 903 cc motor can reach 90 mph, but I got scared at 80. The 850 also has heat, signals, joint lighter, courtesy lights, back-up lights, both brake lights, optional hard top, and other comforts that the other Spider hasn't had in some time...

I broke what I'm pretty sure was the 850's clutch cable late Wednesday night, and I'm unsure how hard it is to replace. The only R&R of a clutch cable I've ever done was on air-cooled VW 15 years ago... Any tips are much appreciated, as are more posts about Fiat's "Jr. Spider".

I look forward to reading about the progress 124Sport has with his 850. Since mine is running pretty well and seems to have had a lot of mechanical work done to it already, would I be crazy to drive it from Eugene, Oregon to were ever y'all said that show will be in Cali? If nothing else, I've got a Platinum AAA card...

Best Wishes, 124Sport!
-Chad