A cute little berlina Berlina Register
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Electrical System

Most of the Berlina electrical system is common to the other 105/115 cars of the time, and is a combination of Bosch, Marelli, Paris-Rhone, Jaeger, Carello, and Altissimo components. The non-US cars usually have a Bosch distributor, while all US cars have Marelli distributors. All cars use Marelli coils. Many 2000 cars have Marelliplex electronic ignition installed, but this was either a dealer option or added later. The alternator, voltage regulator, and starter are usually Bosch (though I've also seen a French Paris-Rhone starter, alternator, and regulator on a 1972 US 2000 Berlina). Marelli starters, which are light and delicate, are also used on 2000 Berlinas. Early Spica (US) fuel delivery pumps were made by Spica, while later ones were made by Bosch. Non-US cars use a mechanical fuel pump as on earlier Alfa engines.

The electrical system is 12-volt negative ground, has color-coded copper wire with plastic insulation, and has a 10-fuse (on US 2000s) fuse box under the driver's side of the dash board. US cars have an extra two-fuse fuse box attached to the side of the steering column support, which contains fuses for the fuel delivery pump and on 1750s, the fog lights. A large cable feeds from the positive side of the battery to the starter, and from the same terminal on the starter to the fuse box. The battery has a heavy cable running from the negative terminal to ground just next to the radiator. The engine/transmission unit has a braided ground strap running from the right side of the body near the bellhousing to one of the engine/transmission attachments bolts.

The battery (Group 24 in the US) is usually in the left front of the engine compartment, though air conditioned cars usually have the battery moved to the trunk. Most of the electrical system is not wired through the ignition switch, so most electrical items work without having to turn on the key. About the only things wired through the key are the ignition circuit, the engine instruments, and on US cars, the electric fuel pump and the electric components of the Spica injection pump. Early Berlinas have a Nieman ignition switch (German), also used on Giulia Supers and perhaps Duettos, which has a Bosch replaceable electrical switch component that is held on by two screws. Later cars have a Sipea (Italian) ignition switch licensed from Nieman, also used on Spiders and GTVs, which has a replaceable electrical switch component held on by a circlip. Note that there are two types of Sipea ignition switches, one with a deeper electrical switch part than the other; the two different types are not interchangeable.

Berlina instruments are either Jaeger or Veglia; the turn signal/light switch on the steering column was made by Jaeger. The lights and light fixtures are Carello or Altissimo. On the 1750s, the outer, 7 inch headlights have the low and high beams. For non-US cars, the inner, 5 3/4 inch lights also work on high beam. On US 1750s, the 5 3/4 inch lights are wired separately through a switch on the console as driving or fog lights. Those lights will illuminate only when the main lights are on low beam. On the 2000, the four lights work conventionally: the outer lights are high and low beam, and the inner lights come on as part of the high beam. Berlinas have Fiamm horns, placed behind the grille, one on eithe side of the car. Non-US cars have a height-adjustment device on the headlights to compensate for heavy loads in the back seat and trunk.



Copyright © 1997 by Andrew D. Watry
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