Milano electrical nightmare turns out for the better

[Fltrplntman@domain.elided]

Ever since I purchased my Milano Platinum, I never had a high beam on the 
drivers side. The other day the low beam went out also. I talked my brother 
into letting me bring my car over to his HEATED garage. Getting colder here 
in Ohio. We started with the obvious, bulb was OK, but the plug was charred 
on the center pin. Down to Autozone to get a new plug. ($2.99 + tax). Wired 
the new plug in and the low beam worked, and still no high beam. Replaced the 
fuse and it blew immediately when we clicked the high beams. Time to check 
the wiring harness. We separated the loom from the front to the firewall and 
inspected the green / black wire. No damage. With test lights and meters, we 
narrowed the short to the wires between the fuse box and the firewall. Has 
anyone ever looked under the dash and behind the fuse box in a Milano? 
Egads!! There must be over 200 wires in that tiny space. Out comes the front 
seat.  This was so I can squeeze my big ass under the dash to get at the 
wires. The fuse box comes out easily, as did the fuse box access door. OK, 
now follow the green / black wire..... What the heck?! there's 2, 3, no 4 
green / black wires. AARRGGHH!!. Hook up the tester, pierce the wire to see 
which one it is. Got it!  We traced the wire around and around for an hour. 
We got a beer and a cigar and took a break. 
         What I found next made my heart stop. Behind the small cubby hole in 
the dash, (which also pops out easily) there was a black box approx. 6 inches 
long, 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick, mounted behind the dash by the steering 
column. I don't know what this is, but there was a name that had to do with a 
video company on it. And not so neatly run behind this box was the green / 
black wire we had been chasing, wedged between the box and the steel bracing 
under the dash. It was cut half way through. Thank God for fuses. I have no 
idea how long this was like this. After another half hour trying to get the 
red plug disconnected to get the harness out where we could work on it, it 
was spliced and soldered, well insulated, and retaped to the harness. We 
rerouted the harness, ( easier said than done), hooked up the battery, and 
replaced the fuse and Viola! 2 low beam and 2 high beams. But wait, 1 high 
beam is brighter than the other  (the repaired one) after checking out the 
other side we found mismatched bulbs. AAARRRGGGHHH! Switched the bulbs and 
everything is bright as day.  I'm happy, my brother is happy (to see my car 
out of his garage), and my Alfa can see in the dark.  It totally amazed me at 
how much wire can be STUFFED in such a tiny area.  Now I see why I love 
special cars like these. They can be such a learning experience. You get to 
learn a new vocabulary. Just make sure the wife and kids aren't around.  :-)  
Ready for the next job. Replacing the center flex disc.Yeehaw!!! 
Tim Timko
88 Milano Platinum 

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