tough to start when hot!

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steve8462

tough to start when hot!

Post by steve8462 »

i have a 1979 with a carb. it starts and runs great cold but after i driver it and it gets up to 190 and i shut it off, i have to crank the crap out of it to get it to start. i have flushed, refilled, and burped the cooling system. i have adjusted the carb to the best of my ability.(which isn't saying much) i have checked for any vacuum leaks (none) any ideas?

i looked for a thread about this problem and most of them involve the fuel injected cars which wouldn't apply to my car i don't think
CajunMike
Posts: 313
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:44 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by CajunMike »

Check the magnetic pickup. If it's failing it will be hard to start if it gets hot. One of the less expensive items to start troubleshooting with.
steve8462

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by steve8462 »

CajunMike wrote:Check the magnetic pickup. If it's failing it will be hard to start if it gets hot. One of the less expensive items to start troubleshooting with.
your talking about under the distributor cap, correct? if so how do i determine if it is failing? will the problem be visable?
joelbert2k

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by joelbert2k »

If you still have the original carb,(I think you have the 28/32 ADHA), your problem is most likely that carb.
I have an '80 with the same carb and besides it being a poorly designed smog carb they tend to lose all the fuel in the bowl when shut off hot. 15 to 20 minutes was the worst time for mine and the smell of gas was pretty strong.
I fixed mine with an electric fuel pump but it still ran pretty crappy until the plugs cleared. I tried other carbs as well but the problem is still with me. I currently have a 32/36 DFEV and 1800 single plane manifold. Love the performance improvement but the fuel problem boiling problem did not go away.
So Cal Mark

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by So Cal Mark »

are you using a phenolic spacer under the carb?
CajunMike
Posts: 313
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:44 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by CajunMike »

steve8462 wrote:
CajunMike wrote: your talking about under the distributor cap, correct? if so how do i determine if it is failing? will the problem be visable?

I don't think you can check it. Just change it. It's a $25 part. It's probably never been changed. Mine gave me fits for weeks before I figured it out. If thats not it the you are probably back at the carb however I never experienced warm start issues with my 28/32 and put 90k miles on it.
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azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by azruss »

on my cars, i have had the insulation cook off and serious wire corrosion and still had the mag pickup work. all you need is a break or short in those wires to not have it work. if you have a working vaccuum advance those wires are moving all the time. should be able to check continuity with a meter.
majicwrench

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by majicwrench »

Don't just throw parts at it. Good grief. As Joe mentioned, is likely boiling/flooding when shut off. But test some things. When it is not starting, can you hold coil or plug wire near ground and have someone crank engine?? Spark should just 1/4". If it does, all that ignitions stuff is fine. Now pull a plug when it is hard starting, is it soaked with fuel?? Do you smell gas when cranking it?? DOes it blow smoke when it finally starts??
Keith
Fi8spider
Posts: 378
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:12 am
Your car is a: 1974 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by Fi8spider »

I thinking majicwrench is close to the money here and also trying to save you some.

I'd probably try a colder sparkplug to try work around the carbi issue you may have.

Also - A hot engine with a hot plug can ignite fuel prematurely.
ssk124

Re: tough to start when hot!

Post by ssk124 »

Had the same issue.. Turned out to be the capacitor on the points was failing.. replaced it and did well..HTH
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