Re: Alfetta blower switch problem

[David Rubie <drubie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I have a question regarding the green 3 pos. (off, hi, lo) rocker blower
>control switch on my '79 Alfetta Sprint Veloce.  For some time now I have only
>been able to get the high speed function from the fan.  I know that there is a
>resistor, that often goes bad, to provide the low speed function.  I would
>like to replace the fixed resistor with a variable resistor/rheostat to have
>some control over the low speed.
> Now the problem.  According to my Haynes
>manual, it shows a rotary switch for the 79 SV and SC with H,M,L speeds.  Even
>the picture shows what appears to be my little green switch, but it does not
>seem to jive with the schematic.  Was the Euro switch different? Again,
>according to Haynes there is are a yellow/black, violet, and yellow wire going
>from the blower switch multi connector to that resistor.  I don't have a clue
>where that resistor is physically located.  The yellow/black seems to
>illuminate the blower on light on the center pod.  This leaves the yellow and
>the violet.  Do I insert the variable resistor between these two wires?  Or am
>I missing something?  Also, is there a way to rewire the switch so that it
turns off when the ignition is turned off?  Wiring straight to continuous
power really seems silly.  Advice, schematics, instructions warmly accepted.

The resistors are buried on the blower unit.  The connectors are easy
to get to but you have to dismantle the entire unit to get the resistors
out.  I know because I tried to salvage them from the working heater
unit on the floor of my garage (replaced it with an A/C unit).  If you
want to bypass a resister, simply trace the wires down to where they
connect to the blower unit itself and pull off the connectors, re-route
them back to your rheostat and everything should work.  I think I prefer
the set value type though, as I'm guessing they're less of a fire
risk with the amount of power running through this system,

The Australian switch is a green, illuminated unit that's identical
in operation to the switch on the earlier Spider etc (mine was badly
cracked originally and was replaced with an earlier bakelite switch).

If you're looking at a rotary switch, you're probably staring
at a schematic for an air conditioned car (they had three speeds)
or *perhaps* a later (say post '82) car, I don't know what sort
of switch the "new" dashboard had.

My Haynes Alfetta manual has several different wiring diagrams, including
amendments for US cars.  Make sure you're looking at the right year as
the A/C equipped cars are different enough to be totally misleading
(there's two extra relays for a start).  The colours are totally
different too, but offhand I can't remember what they are.  The switch
itself is easily popped out of the dashboard, looking at the back of that
might make the wiring diagram make more sense.


Jerry in Houston

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