Curious winter problems

[acj803]

Hello all!

I just started having a whole bunch of fun problems with my '83 Pininfarina Spider that has ran so well for the past half year! I've owned it since June, drove it 2800 miles back east from Colorado with only one small hitch, and now, about a month ago, in the NYC cold, it's having all kinds of trouble.

It all started when I was moving the car for street cleaning (twice a week, joy!) and it just died on me while cruising at about 20 mph. I was able to coast into a spot (on the correct side of the street, thankfully ) but unable to get it started again. I had problems restarting the car after driving a few times before, but generally if I waited a day or two, it would start right up. It had never died while driving before.

I'd never been quite sure how accurate the gas gauge was, and I'd been driving a fair bit lately, so I figured, silly me, I let the gas run down and it built up some condensation and now was unhappy. So I trudged around with a gas can, filled up the tank, and added HEET. I also changed the fuel filter and replaced a fuel line between the fuel pump and fuel filter. I got some starter fluid and a jumpstart and BAM! it backfired and started up again (this was a couple weeks after dying).

It ran well enough to move for street cleaning, but it was certainly not back to normal. There was no idle to speak of; the rpms would just fall to 0 and it would quit. I found a crack in the air hose that I had patched before, and patched it again (a new air hose is on order now).

It idles roughly. I still have to keep it revved at red lights. It smooths out when it gets around 2-3k. Even when in park, if you step on the gas, it hesitates a bit, kinda chugs and gasps, and then will finally catch and the rpms will rise. I can hear the AFM snapping back into place, I'm pretty certain it's sticking. I've had the cover off and watched the swing arm move as I press on the gas, and then snap back.

Oil pools around the spark plugs, and has been doing so since I bought it. I think the cam cover gaskets have a slight leak, but it's hard to tell where the oil is coming from. I've already replaced one gasket.

There's one more abnormality: The fuel pump is louder than I remember... or at least seems that way because it is running all the time. As soon as I turn the key to on, the pump runs, whether the engine is running or not. I seem to remember reading on this forum that the pump should not run at all when the key is turned on in this car. I've also listened to the injectors; it sounds like fuel is moving.

An ideas what my problem is? Is it the fuel pump? Sticky AFM?

Thanks for your time and help!

Aaron

[vandor]

A sticky AFM would explain all those issues. Check and make sure the flap moves smoothly over all of its travel.
Maybe the temp change made it stick?
Also check for vacuum leaks.

[narfire]

The electrical connections at the sensors?
While your at it, how are the wires from the pick-up in the dist cap?
As Csaba mentioned ...vacume leaks perhaps. All conections tight and brake booster diaphragm is sound.

[acj803]

Thanks guys! I'll definitely check those things out. Any advice on how to get the AFM to stop sticking? I've sanded the top of the flap a bit, but didn't want to screw anything up. It definitely sticks more the further back you push it.

Thank you!

[RRoller123]

You can sand the AFM tunnel carefully until it is free swinging. It just takes a lot patience with some 220 or higher grit. It should swing freely through its entire travel arc. Mine was sticking and it made a big difference to free it up.