motor stall out at hight rpm

[carlfowler]

I have a 1980 spider 2000. It starts good and run purty good,but when you go in gear and give gas it take off ok but when it get to about 3000 or 3500 rpm it stalls out and it dose that in all the gears. Can any body tell me if thay know what it is .

[rlux4]

A 1980 can be either carb'd or fuel injected, depending on where it was imported to. Which one do you have?
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

probably a fuel delivery problem. But with the scant information provided you might as well have asked us to guess what color your house is

[LE759]

Carl I feel your pain. I have the same problem on my fuel injected spider. And to make matters worse, now that it is cooler, the car will start fine but misses terribly until the temp. gauge reads about 190 degrees. What does the cold start vave do and should I hear the fuel pump run continueously even when the ignition is on and the car isn't running?

[So Cal Mark]

the pump won't run with the key on unless the engine is running or cranking. The afm flap has to move to supply power to the pump. The cold start injector sprays fuel into the intake plenum on cold starts for a few seconds.

[LE759]

Mark my fuel pump runs with out the engine running. you can here the fuel pump and the fuel circulating through the fuel lines. What will be the evidence of a bad cold start valve and can it cause the problems I mentioned during cooler weather?

[So Cal Mark]

if the pump runs without the engine running, either a PO has changed the wiring or the switch in the AFM is misadjusted or the door in the AFM is not closing completely.
If the cold start injector is leaking or staying on it will cause a rich condition. A leaking cold start injector can cause some hot restarting problems because the engine is flooded and the FI system would have no residual pressure

[LE759]

Will any of these problems cause the car to start missing at 2000-3000 rpm's

[So Cal Mark]

no, usually problems at higher rpms are related to lack of fuel. Have you checked or changed the fuel filter? The other possiblity is that when the vacuum advance starts to work, the wires to the ignition pickup short out due to fraying. Have you checked the AFM flap to make sure it doesn't stick at some point in its' travel?

[LE759]

The filter is new. I will check the AFM flap in the morning for freedom of movement. I will take a look at the wires under the dist. cap as well.
Thank you for your help. I just bought this my second 81 spider this summer and it is the first time I ever drove one or had to fix one.
I do have the LE759 but it never ran. I've had it for about 9 years. I saw it in a parking lot and felt it needed rescuing. I'm in the process fixing some of the rust and getting the body ready to paint. I already have a new motor for the car; the original motor was blown because of the aux shaft busting through the side of the motor. My fiance doesn't understand why i need two fiats, especially one that looks like a piece of junk, to the untrained eye that is. I don't know maybe it is!

[pope]

Tell her its harder to get a good Fiat than it is to get a good Fiance.

[mbouse]

isn't it fun when the original poster never returns to acknowledge our efforts on his behalf? maybe we should have a rule... no technical questions until you have posted at least 10 times in social interaction.

Mark... my guess is blue.

Pope... disagree, look at the beauty we just parted out. at the same time, Fiance(s) are a dime a dozen.

[LE759]

Gentlemen, I have to disagree! I've been divorced for 14 years and finding a good woman is a rare find. If it came down to it I would have to give up the fiat. The good thing is since she is a good woman I won't have to do that.

[mbouse]

well, you may be right. i can recall only twice that my Spider has let me down .. and one of those was because of my neglect.

[So Cal Mark]

if you're going to compare Fiats and women it all comes down to one thing, when it all goes badly with either one you can still spend the night with the Fiat