tuning issue ?????

[alongcameaspider]

1978 fiat spider replaced the carb with one of marks empi units, replaced timing belt and water pump ( preventative measure) set timing at what i believe to be 5 degrees btdc replaced points, replaced plugs and fouled them already, was running rich and blowing black smoke with old carb, idle is somewhat better now ,no black smoke or any for that matter , but still seems to run rich, plugs are black ( not oily carbon I would say) idles but going down the road in the rpm range around the shift from 2nd to 3rd it cuts out , violently kind of a whiplash surging, fire shoots out of carb throat when this happens melted my ram flow air cleaner stumped any input would be welcome I apologize in advance if a post of this nature already exists but a search of multiple pages revealed no threads of this nature

[So Cal Mark]

popping through the carb is usually a lean condition. I'd test the fuel pump pressure and make sure your filter is plugged. How is the integrity of the fuel hoses from the tank and the short connector hose near the left trailing arm?

[alongcameaspider]

fuel filter is new , pump is mechanical not certain where you would check that if at all , will check lines , I guess black plugs certainly didn't have me thinking it was lean

[bradartigue]

Carburetor's don't know what gear you're in - unless - did you hook up that high idle thing somehow? If so, block it off, you're letting air (LEAN) into a carburetor that isn't made for such abuse.

Reset your timing by ear for starters, with it idling set it to the highest point of smooth operation (no pops, no funny business), then reset the idle speed. Use that a baseline. Once you do that turn off the motor and take your plugs out and clean them, then tune the mixture.

[alongcameaspider]

I think i routed all the lines from the old carb properly I took the vacum line from top of canister to the port on base of carb plugged the throttle nudger line and the return fuel line i attached to a return port on my new fuel filter checked my fuel pressure it was 4 psi at an idle but that was with the line dead headed into the gauge i will install a tee tomorrow and check flowing pressure still think it may be high is it possible that the diaphragm in the line leading into the pump is a regulator that has failed

[bradartigue]

Unplug everything except for fuel in and fuel out. Block off the ports with little rubber caps or something similar. Drive the car. Any difference?

[alongcameaspider]

I checked my fuel lines replaced the connector hoses next to trailing arm on left side, had a discussion with a very helpful fellow about fuel pressure and such, tried it with lines for charcoal cannister plugged at brads suggestion , It is not fixed , but I have a much better grasp of what is going on , It is lean, running out of gas in fact
I was sure I had it fixed I replaced the fuel pump with an electric unit , but the problem persists , if not worse , I have had the sending unit out , replaced strainer It will idle fine rev up good but when I take off down the road it cuts out , just like its running out of gas, I know i am overlooking something simple here Patience thin tonight gonna play with it saturday

[124ADDHE]

Have you tried removing the filler cap for a test drive? i have had this happen on my old 74dmsa powered car, she would work great till you started climbing a hill or needed highway speed (long duration+high consumption); sometimes those hoses get plugged that deal with the vapour recovery...i know, its a long shot but you have tried quite a few things.

Float setting?

good luck! im sure you'll get her

[alongcameaspider]

Good news after replacing several fuel lines dialing carb inand chasing down some ground issues I have got the spider up and running thanks everyone for the input did too many repairs at once to know which did the trick specifically but she is running and a blast to drive