Fuel Delivery Problem? or Electrical?

[SpiderGuy]

It's Alive !!! Hooray a Major Victory ! This Craigslist Find had been sitting silent for about the last 7 years.

I got my 1981 Spider 2000 fuel injected fired up for the very first time today by putting fuel into each cylinder thru the spark plug holes. Engine fired up and ran till the gas was used up.

Put some more gas in thru the air intake butterfly and it started and ran again until that gas was used up.

But it Won't start or stay running on it's own.

Electric Fuel Pump is running as it should and the Fuel Filter and Air Filter is new . Gas tank was drained of old gas and boiled clean like new in and out

What should I check or test or replace to see why it won't run on it's own?
Switches? Sensors? Mass Air Flow? Relays? ECU? Fuel Injectors?
The Plastic cap was off of the top of the Mass Air Flow device when I bought it and it did not look clean..pretty crusty and corroded so it may be part of the problem, but not sure how to check it to see if it is working correctly.

[SpiderGuy]

It has a new Ignition Switch Spark Plugs and Wires

[SpiderGuy]

[davidbruce]

Hi Spiderguy. Since it runs on fuel sprayed into the intake you know you have spark. Did you blow out the fuel lines? When you say the fuel pump is working properly have you confirmed fuel is getting to the fuel rail and is the pressure within spec? If it sat that long and the fuel system was gunked up and based on your symptoms. I'm thinking the lines and/or injectors may be plugged. Hopefully it isn't the MAF as they can be fairly expensive to fix or repair. Here is a link to a troubleshooting guide that may be of help.
http://www.type17.ch/downloads/Injectio ... ooting.pdf

[TX82FIAT]

Agree with checking the lines. The fuel pressure regulator has a diaphragm and is subject to failure. The Fuel injectors are pretty robust but they can get gunked up as well. I would pull the injectors and cold start valve to see if you are getting fuel to the injectors and spraying. If no fuel to the injectors, there is a great FI trouble shooting guide. Do you have any way of knowing if the car was running when parked? You cold have a 7 year old problem.

[SpiderGuy]

Agree with checking the lines. The fuel pressure regulator has a diaphragm and is subject to failure. The Fuel injectors are pretty robust but they can get gunked up as well. I would pull the injectors and cold start valve to see if you are getting fuel to the injectors and spraying. If no fuel to the injectors, there is a great FI trouble shooting guide. Do you have any way of knowing if the car was running when parked? You cold have a 7 year old problem.

According to the seller the car was parked because the starter quit working. (I found the red wire had come off of the Starter Solenoid) so that was an easy fix. The Fuel that was in the tank really wasn't noticeabley foul, discolored, or stinking like bad gas sometimes is but I drained it and took the Tank to the Machine Shop I work at and Boiled it clean.
But I have suspected the air sensor because the plastic top was off of it and it looked dirty and corroded.
I'm willing to replace whatever faulty parts are needed to save the old classic. Just need to figure out which part(s)

I was music to my ears when The Engine Fired Up for a few seconds with the 2 Fuel Transfusions...looking so forward to having it run right and Hit the Twisty Roads with the top down !!!

Thanks for your help Guys!! We'll get- er- going again

[SpiderGuy]

I bought this 58 Pg "Electrical Diagnosis and Trouble Shooting Guide" and it's worth its weight in GOLD for working thru the problems in my old Spider.

But it is printed in BLACK and WHITE which was EXASPERATING as heck. Would it have killed them to print it in full color so it would be intuitive to read, but nooo. So I took some time and tried to color in the wires and components which makes it so much better.

I ordered a new Fuel Pump, Pressure Regulator and Mass Air Flow Sensor and a few other new parts. Once I get the New parts installed I am keeping fingers crossed that the old Fiat-ararri-Not will fire up and run again