quick alfa fusebox question

miju

anyone know where i can get or download a diagram for an alfa '00 146 or even which one controls the front lights

cant find one anywhere, two of my front lights have gone but the fogs are still working so reckon it's just the fuse but don't know which one

thanks

miju

don't matter i found one at last , so next question

how do i tell a fuse is blown? it's not one of the small fuses it's a medium sized grey fuse shaped like a block

thanks again lads

want2play

Just replace the fuse and if they work, that was the problem.

Try posting here; http://forum.alfa156.net/forum

louie

Also get a test lamp from a Motor Factors and test the fuses one by one.
All fuses has 2 metal pins.
800px-Car_fuses.jpg

If it lights up on one but doesn't on the other end then is gone and needs to be replaced.

miju

@wanttoplay: thanks for the tip will try there

@ louie: thats not the fuse that controls the head lights, it looks like the one below except grey in color and has 6 pins

louie

That's not a fuse, it is a relay.
They don't really go faulty cause are designed to take high usage.

miju

ah ok, my bad

would a phase tester work on these fuses or will i defo need a test lamp?

louie

If you know how to use one then it should be ok. Check to see if you have an output from the relay.

If you can access the wires at the back of the light that is not working then check there for power. if there is power, then the bulbs are gone, if not I will look for the fuse. Some cars have fuses under the bonnet as well as below the dashboard.

MercMad

Which light exactly dont work ?

Some of those Alfa's use a dim/dip arrangement where there is a resistor in the lamp circuit that allows the dipped bulb to glow when the sidelights are on and the engine is running.

The relay can be tested easily, if you know the correct one just switch on the curent consumer and it will give an audible click, or you can feel the click with your hand on it !

Most fuses are easy to spot when blown !

miju

thanks for the advice guys will check that now

in the picture below its the circular lights (both left and right hand sides on my car) which have gone which is why i'm reckoning a fuse has gone as both dont work, though one did stop working about a week ago and now the other has gone

miju

just checked there and the relay for the front lights click when they're turned on , would appreciate any other ideas as it's obviously something simple and dont wanna pay a garage for 2 seconds work

louie

Isn't that the high beam?
Check the power going to them.

miju

yeah its the high beasm, have checked connections both bulbs and they're attached fine

colm_mcm

Isn't the circular light the dipped beam? the main beam is in the centre?

have you tried replacing the bulbs? seems unusual that both lights didn't fail at the same time,

I had a 146, and the lights stalk was a bit tempremental, rear fog switch never worked, and the main beam sometimes didn't engage when you pulled it. so i wouldn't rule out a faulty switch (sourced from Tipo if I remember correctly)

miju

dont think its the switch , just checked there and there doesn't seem to be any power going to the from the contacts on the leads to the contacts on the bulbs

anyone any idea what could cause this or is it time for the garage?

colm_mcm

when you're checking the contacts on the leads and bulbs, is the bulb installed?

miju

by installed do you mean leads connected to the bulbs??? if thats what you mean then no

MercMad

Leave the bulb fitted to the assembley but pull off the electrical connection and the rubber boot, then run a wire direct from the "+" side of battery to the bulb connection to see if it works.

AFAIK this may be awkward on the passenger side of a 146 due to the airbox pipe.

Either way it does sound more like the bulbs than anything else since they failed at seperate times. The 145/146 and 155 used to suffer from regularly blowing bulbs as the heat used to build up inside the lamp unit. Higher wattage bulbs compounded the problem.

If you can hear the relay click then it makes sense that the switch is switching !!

miju

thanks for that mercmad , will try that and thanks to everyone for the help in trying to sort out this niggly little problem much appreciated