Got fuel, but not starting

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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davery
Posts: 806
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:51 pm
Your car is a: 1985 Spider
Location: Ohio

Got fuel, but not starting

Post by davery »

I am working on replacing the master cylinder. I have the cylinder off and the brake servo loosened, as I need to repaint in the engine bay due to a leak. I wanted to move the car, but it would not start. It is getting fuel (I can hear the pump working) and there is fuel getting to the engine. It seems maybe there is no spark to the starter? Did I knock something loose? Any ideas?
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet
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divace73
Posts: 1380
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2010 5:59 am
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat 124 Spider Silver
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Got fuel, but not starting

Post by divace73 »

do you mean distributor? Check all the connections from the dizzy to the coil, that is the white cable that connects to the module
Cheers David
-=1980 silver Fiat 124 Spider=-
If you want to see pics of my car (and other random stuff) >>click here<< OR
see my >>You tube channel<<
rlux4
Patron 2022
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Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: Got fuel, but not starting

Post by rlux4 »

The starter doesn't get spark, it gets constant voltage until you release the key from the start position. Are you saying the starter won't spin? If this is the case (discounting a dead battery and a bad starter/solenoid) it could be the ignition switch not making contact to the starter wire or a loose connection on the red wire (I'm assuming it's red, not knowing what year car you have) going from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid.
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
davery
Posts: 806
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:51 pm
Your car is a: 1985 Spider
Location: Ohio

Re: Got fuel, but not starting

Post by davery »

rlux4 wrote:The starter doesn't get spark, it gets constant voltage until you release the key from the start position. Are you saying the starter won't spin? If this is the case (discounting a dead battery and a bad starter/solenoid) it could be the ignition switch not making contact to the starter wire or a loose connection on the red wire (I'm assuming it's red, not knowing what year car you have) going from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid.
Ron
The starter is not spinning, but there is power. When I loosened the brake servo I had to get up under the dash. Could I have knocked something loose? I have an 85. Thanks.
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet
rlux4
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 4211
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm
Your car is a: 1982 2000 Spider
Location: Granite Falls, Wa

Re: Got fuel, but not starting

Post by rlux4 »

The power is at the red wire at the starter solenoid? This is the one that connects with a female spade onto a male spade under the main lug connection. Tight connection on this solenoid lug with the large wire coming from the battery? If these are good you have a bad starter or not enough voltage from the battery. It would be very unusual for a starter to fail suddenly with no advance problems however.
Ron
Ron Luxmore
rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
davery
Posts: 806
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:51 pm
Your car is a: 1985 Spider
Location: Ohio

Re: Got fuel, but not starting

Post by davery »

rlux4 wrote:The power is at the red wire at the starter solenoid? This is the one that connects with a female spade onto a male spade under the main lug connection. Tight connection on this solenoid lug with the large wire coming from the battery? If these are good you have a bad starter or not enough voltage from the battery. It would be very unusual for a starter to fail suddenly with no advance problems however.
Ron
Found it. It seems the wire going from the ignition to the solenoid came unhooked. There was a connection directly under the master cylinder and when I was sanding the bubbled paint the connection came loose. Thanks for all the help. Now I still have to figure out how to paint the area under and around the master cylinder without having to take all the hoses, cables and wires off.
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet
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