Air filter blown off

[Ellie]

Just an update on this issue, valves were sticking in number 1 & 2 cylinders. the seats were clogged up with years of carbon? any way sent them off and had them cleaned and re-seated. She starts and runs fine now, however I now have another small problem...on my joyous test drive she started coughing and runs rough when accelerating so I went over all the air hoses as a first check. There is a hose missing. There should be a small hose that connects right underneath the throttle coil. I know because I've checked it before and seen it, but not there now. Can anyone tell me where the other end of this hose connects?

[bdinardo]

Just an update on this issue, valves were sticking in number 1 & 2 cylinders. the seats were clogged up with years of carbon? any way sent them off and had them cleaned and re-seated. She starts and runs fine now, however I now have another small problem...on my joyous test drive she started coughing and runs rough when accelerating so I went over all the air hoses as a first check. There is a hose missing. There should be a small hose that connects right underneath the throttle coil. I know because I've checked it before and seen it, but not there now. Can anyone tell me where the other end of this hose connects?

Hi Ellie,
I'm experiencing your exact issue as I'm trying to start my 1979 Fuel Injected Spider after a rebuild (pressure build up on intake that it blew off the black plastic plenum connecting the air box to the intake manifold). I did replace the timing belt upon my engine rebuild and the teeth are where they should be (crank pully notch lining up with large pointer and cam sprockets lining up with their pointers). My compression readings are all between 120-140 PSI. While I'd like them to be closer in value, I feel they are high enough to at least start the engine.

1. to answer your question, the vacuum hose that goes to the little nipple under the big throttle torsion spring should go to the distributor. Other vacuum ports are for charcoal canister, brake booster, and automatic transmission vacuum.
2. Do you have any other advice on what else I can check to get my car started? I lapped the valves so they should be sealing sufficiently. Where did you set your distributor as a starting point? Thanks!

[Ellie]

Hi Bdinardo, the main issue I had was a faulty distributor, I don't know how this occurs, probably age. I originally checked and cleaned the leads and the dizzy but ended up taking it to an auto electrician who found it was arcing. Benefit of having appropriate tools and knowledge, so it was replaced and zoom I was back on the road. The coughing was solved by finding the missing hose, which was hanging loose after the sparky replaced the dizzy.

Both relatively easy fixes in the end, but I did end up having the timing belt changed and my valves cleaned in the process. Both were more expensive and complex issues to do but needed doing and I definitely noticed the smoother running and extra power.

Cheers

[bdinardo]

Thank Ellie. All is good on my end too. While ignition timing was off a bit my fuel pressure regulator had gone bad so replacing the regulator and setting timing correctly and I'm back on the road!