Atlanta area get-together

[digitech]

The weather here in the Atlanta area has been pretty mild and I'm looking to get some shake-down miles on the Spider; any interest in having a get-together breakfast, lunch or brunch on a weekend for the Atlanta area cars?

[ga.spyder]

If you decide on a drive up towards the mountains,let me know.I would meet you guys around Dahlonega for some 'curve-carving'.We did this last year,met early,rode the mountain roads,and had lunch in Helen.I would love to get some of us together.

[digitech]

I could go for that on a Sat or a Sun - anyone else?

[kmac33]

Since the boy's soccer season is getting started, Sundays will work best for me. I am definitely in for a repeat of last year's drive! Especially if it will be warmer! (It was in the mid thirties last year and all tops were down as they should be).
Digitech, sorry you missed it last year. Here is a little clip of the drive last year.


I took a drive yesterday and had the first major "issue" since my resto was finished. Hopefully I'll have her running right again before we get this scheduled.
Ran great for the first 25 miles or so, then major drop in power, feels/sounds like only running on 3 cylinders. Did not have time to really check into things other than making sure I didn't have a loose wire somewhere. Was close to a friend's house, but 25 miles from home, limped the car a couple miles to his place so at least she would spend the night in a secure garage. Hope to find some time today to try a few things and hopefully get her running right again. If not, tow back to the house and really dig in.

[leftfield6]

Kevin, yesterday must have been a bad karma day for Atlanta Fiats. Took my project Spider out for a drive for the first time after doing the timing belt and water pump a few weeks ago. She was running really nicely.......until.........I'm sitting a stop light and I hear something a little odd under the hood. Then the sound stopped, but my alternator light came on. OOPS, I lost the V-belt!! No alternator, and no water pump! Had to keep it running enough to get it off the road, but I was nervously watching that temp gauge rise. Got it off the road into a parking lot. Luckily had a spare belt with me. Should have just put a new one on when I changed the t-belt!

Anyway, now I have a new sound. Wondering if I blew a head gasket. Dang it!!

[kmac33]

If I had known the Fiat Gods were going to be angry yesterday, I would have postponed my drive
You'd think they would have been pleased knowing the Abarth commercial was set to run during the Superbowl !
I hope you didn't blow a head gasket. I doubt you did, since you were carefully watching the temp. Probably just over paranoid about every sound now - I would be too.

[leftfield6]

No, not my paranoia. Absolutely a new sound. Kind of a knocking sound, seems to be on exhaust side of head, in the general area of #2 and #3 cylinders.

[leftfield6]

Okay, maybe it is my paranoia after all. Just spent 30 minutes or so checking it over. Started it up, let it get to operating temperature, and mayhaps there is no new sound. My engine has always had a noisy cambox, especially on the exhaust side.

My reason for thinking I had done some major damage was, that since the v-belt loss yesterday, i have new coolant leak. It seemed to becoming from beneath the exhaust manifold about mid-engine. Of course I though it was the head gasket. I pulled her up on ramps and climbed under there to see where it was leaking. Whew!! It's just leaking at the heater hose-pipe from water pump connection. That hose/clamp was probably already weak, and my raised engine temps (although very short time) was enough to out it over the top. It leaks at that rear clamp, and then runs down the pipe to the lowest point, which is about mid-engine.

That's a relief.

[kmac33]

Glad to hear it's not anything major!

[ga.spyder]

Sorry to hear you guys had issues.The Fiat Gods were especially happy up here in the mtns. yeasterday.I ran mine hard for a full 1 1/2 hours,with no issues.The car is really running great.My car seems to really like the cool dense air!
A Sunday works for me,just give me a weeks notice.Digitech,the videos dont do the ride justice.We were haulin' ass thru the twisties!!

[kmac33]

I got the problem diagnosed. Cylinder #2 plug looks fouled. Checked all valve clearances - fine, checked fuel delivery - fine, put in new plugs - no spark on cylinder 2. Tried switching wires to see if I have a bad wire - nope, wires are good. The Computronix ignition module is not firing on the post for cylinder number 2. About to call Mark Allison and see if there is a potential fix, or if I am stuck replacing the unit.

[digitech]

Ok, lets get it narrowed down to a month, Feb. or March? Last year, my car was still on blocks getting put back together. It looks like it's going to hold up, no major issues I can tell but it will be great to get some other opinions. Oh, and it's no where near as nice as some of yours, especially Craig's. It's also no speed demon so I'll be the rear guard .

[kmac33]

I vote for the end of Feb or March. Computronix unit is out of warranty. Instead of buying a new one, I'm shipping the trigger unit from the Computronix set up to Mark. He then has to get it to the guy that designed and makes the units to figure out why it isn't working properly, hopefully fix it and then send it back to me. Just want to give enough time to be sure I'm up and running in time for an Atlanta area drive .

[ga.spyder]

The first weekend in March is out for me.I will be doing the Lemons race at Carolina Motorsports Park. I will do my best to represent the Fiat marque for my new team...Scuderia F.A.R.T. How about the week after?That should give everyone enough time to sort things out.

[digitech]

The second weekend in March should be good for me. Where did you meet last year and at what time?