Re: [alfa] Some minor, nagging Spider questions

["David Rubie" <rubies@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Bain, Bill" <Bill.Bain@domain.elided>
>
> OK, these are trivial in relationship to transaxle failures, sticking
> brakes, etc.  but still since we've had rain for what seems like weeks
> here in Atlanta (it's supposed to be hot and dry, not cool and wet like
> Seattle!) . .  ..
>
> 1.  What's the difference between the wiper arms on post 1985 Spiders
> and the pre-'85 Spiders.  The earlier ones are not available new, but
> the they have different part numbers from the later ones.

Can't answer this one sorry.
>
> 2.  My wipers are down to one speed (slow) and no longer auto-park.  My
> '83 Spider has two speed wipers.  When did Alfa add the intermittent
> wipers, and can they be retrofitted?  Wipers have always been somewhat
> of a mystery -- how does the autopark work ?
>
The auto-park on the early spiders is very similar to most old cars.  There
are three tracks on a big plastic wheel inside the wiper housing.

Of the outside and inner tracks, one is high speed and one is low
speed.  The central track is the self parking mechanism.

There are three matching "fingers" that follow these tracks.  The middle
finger
is powered all the time with the ignition on, but has a physical break at
the parking
point - the finger at this point runs on the plastic gear instead of a
copper track.
The other two tracks go all the way around.  What happens is that
depending on which speed you have selected, either the inside or outside
track is live along with the middle track.  When you switch the wipers off,
the power is chopped from the outer or inner tracks, but the wiper motor
still has power through the middle finger/track until it rotates to the
break in
the track  It's quite simple and ingenious until, of course, the fingers get
a bit tired/worn and lift the middle track when they catch on it, shorting
out the entire gubbins.

Happily, you can rebuild an early spider wiper box using the internals
of an Alfetta wiper box (trust me, in Oz they are much cheaper!).
The difference with the Alfetta is that it is a mirror image of the Spider
version.  Strangely, so is the heater box, near enough...

dave.
1975 Alfa Spider Veloce "rusty"
1983 Jeep Cherokee V8 "Gaston"
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