Fiat Virgin needs help!!

[rlux4]

All right Clark! How fun to hear when someone gets one of our cars going and feels the excitement. Now for the electrical.
Oh boy!
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

now you need to get the right dipstick

[TulsaSpider]

Today was great! I got my blond Swedish girlfriend and we went for a spin! It started right up and ran pretty good, we had a blast! Our first trip to Sonic drive in! The tach even started working!!!! The idle bothered me a bit. After it warmed up it idled up to about 2500. Any ideas what might be causing this???
happy in OK
Clark

[bradartigue]

Idle speed on a 1978 with the stock Weber ADFA is controlled by either the choke or the fast idle solenoid. Likely your water choke is too tight, when you said you tightened everything did you mess with it? It is easy to set/test; I have the document somewhere or can describe the procedure.

Maybe it was the blonde. You didn't say if she was attractive, just Swedish and blond. That could have some affect on the car's idle speed.

Today was great! I got my blond Swedish girlfriend and we went for a spin! It started right up and ran pretty good, we had a blast! Our first trip to Sonic drive in! The tach even started working!!!! The idle bothered me a bit. After it warmed up it idled up to about 2500. Any ideas what might be causing this???
happy in OK
Clark

[TulsaSpider]

Of course she's attractive !! I didn't touch anything on the carb until I got it running ok, then the idle seemed way high so I adjsted a couple of things. The idle adjustment according to my book is located adjacent to the throttle linkage. I tried adjusting that but had no noticeable change and it's pretty hard to get too with a screwdriver, clearance is low. It sounds more like a choke issue to me it has the water choke. It doesn't idle up till it gets warm so.... I still haven't been able to find the engine type stamped on the block and the carb type that is supposed to be stamped somewhere on the base....

[TulsaSpider]

I drove it to my apt. this evening, (underground parking) and experienced the same phenomenon. After about 5 miles or so the RPMs at idle went up to about 2500 then I noticed that the temperature indicator began to register. I didn't think it worked but there it went! A bit later the idle calmed down and went back to normal We'll see what happens next time I drive it!! Perhaps it was just sticking? I have never heard of using water temp as a choke mechanism. Is it an efficient design??? I drove about 10 miles with no problems! I did notice a large wiring connector to the right of the steering column, just under the dash got pretty darn hot!! I was kinda worried about that. Is that normal?? anyone???
Happy in Tulsa!
Clark

[rlux4]

Clark, do you have the wiring diagram for your car yet? Download it from Brad Artigue's site: http://www.artigue.com/fiat.php
Look at what color wires are going in and out of your hot connector and you'll see what it serves with the wiring diagrams.
If it's something that's high amperage it could be resistance from bad connections or ground.
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

that wiring connector needs to be addressed. The connections get loose and the high resistance will eventually melt the connector and burn the wiring connectors. Take the brown wire out of each side and solder the ends together, then insulate the connection. Otherwise it won't start one of these days.

[TulsaSpider]

That sounds like a great tip! I'll do that! I remembered that the PO wired the fan so that it is on when the key is on. I'd guess that's a pretty big draw.

[TulsaSpider]

Update:
Cleaned the tail light connections and that cured the brake light problem!! Now I gotta do the other side, that side was in such bad shape i know I need to do some preventave maintenance there!

There was no idling up this time!! I drove it a few miles to let it warm up and there was not an issue it ran very well!

I didn't get a chance to work on the connection just behind the ignition switch. Maybe tomorrow..
Every time I drive her something pops up... Ok I went to the gas station and put 5 gallons in. On my way back home I noticed that the fuel guage was trying to work, basically the needle was jumping around. Does this mean that the sending unit could be good and I just have another bad connection???
Sorry to be a pest, but I am ever so greatful for your assistance!!!
Clark

[So Cal Mark]

the usual problem with the fuel tank sender is that the resistance wire breaks, and it's almost always right in the middle of the gauge. The sending unit isn't dampened, so fuel slosh makes the arm on the sender constantly work back and forth on the resistance wire, and that wears it out

[TulsaSpider]

So that means a replacement is in order? OR I could carry around a broomstick I suppose...

BTW is the fan supposed to be on the switched ignition circuit? I don't mind having it on manually, but I would at least install an on/off switch.

[So Cal Mark]

the cooling fan is not switched, it needs to run after the engine is shut off until engine temp comes down