Bummy's '77 Spider newbie Fiat owner questions

[rjbaum12]

Hi guys, I've started work on the '77 Spider I picked up last week. One of the PO's had installed the Crane Fireball ignition kit - the PO I got the car from was trying to start it without the module, trying different coils, etc and wondering why it wouldn't start. Needless to say that helped the pricing. Got it home, researched the Fireball, tested the coil, hooked it up the right way, and viola, it sprang to life? Now going through the engine bay wondering what else had been changed by the various PO's over the years. Was stumped by the carbuerator at first - not anything in the manuals - it took awhile but I ended up IDing it from the Vick's catalog, it's the Weber 32/36, which helped explain all the disconnected and plugged hoses and ports I was finding.

I do have another item I haven't been able to ID - pic below. Mounted driver side firewall. Haven't found in manual - surmising it's emissions stuff since the one hose that is hooked up goes to the header. Or is this something to do with the old carbs water choke? Remove?

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=D ... oto%2c.jpg
Now we'll see if I figured out how to post pics...

[MrJD]

Weird. They are clearly electric valves of some form, and appear to be water carrying. I do not believe they have anything to do with a water choke though.

[So Cal Mark]

those are emission valves, not water. With a 32/36 there isn't any provision to use them

[vandor]

You can safely remove those valves, just plug the ports they go to.
I see you are in Round Rock, the Houston and DFW Fiat Clubs will have a meet on the 20-22nd of this month in Kerrville at the Inn of the Hills resort. Come to meet other Spider owners and to get ideas on what ppl do with their cars. We will have a trackday on Thursday and drives and evens on Friday and Saturday.
I can put you in contact with the club, we have an email mail list to keep up on events, ask tech questions, etc.

[rjbaum12]

Thanks all, I will remove those valves. Good to know they are not needed.
Csaba, I do know of the Houston group and get the emails, unfortunately I can't make the upcoming events. 2 highschoolers yet so life is busy.

[rjbaum12]

So all, is it better to keep posts/questions for the same car in one thread or start a new thread for new questions? Since it's a restoration project I thought it'd be best to keep it all together? Preferences moderators/readers?

I have an issue with the fuel pump - when the battery is hooked up you hear it running, even with the ignition 'off'. The ignition wiring itself seems intact except for the wire noted in the pic below which is twisted together, and the larger green wire which is cut. Haven't traced these to the wiring diagram yet.



Oh yes, and the ignition will not shut the car off when running...I assume that's related and may indicate a bad ignition?

I did notice that there is only one wire going to the fuel pump but the wiring diagram shows 2, the power and a ground, but it appears I have no ground. I'll pull the pump off today and see if somethings been cut off but if not any other ideas? Anyone else with 1 wire to the fuel pump?

Thanks all for any ideas!

[mpollock]

General practice here is to put a new topic in a new thread.

The fuel pump from the factory on a '77 is a mechanical pump so this is an aftermarket add-on. If turning off the key doesn't turn off the engine I would say you definitely have an ignition switch problem. I have an electric pump I'm getting ready to put on a '79, which also shipped from the factory with a mechanical pump. The pump will be wired through a relay, with the positive side of the coil connected to the ignition switch and the negative side connected to the oil pressure idiot light sender. The oil pressure sender is so fuel will stop flowing and the engine will shut off if oil pressure is lost.

[fredguaz]

The fuel pump from the factory on a '77 is a mechanical pump so this is an aftermarket add-on.

Not if it's an early '77. My titled 77 was mfg on 8/76 and it has a stock electric fuel pump setup.

[vandor]

Correct, earlier '77s had the electric pump from the factory. So this one could be factory, or installed later.
Since it appears that the alternator is on the passenger side (one of the many things that was changed mid'77), I'd say that the electric pump is factory.

[rjbaum12]

Yes this is an early model '77. The pump is stock and matches the fuel system diagrams so I think it more likely an ignition problem. I did pull all the interior yesterday and got to the wiring harness - some cobbling together under the dash so the pump may be hooked up incorrectly or the ignition is bad.

Starting in on the floor pan work and putting together an order list: floorpans, brake kits, belts...new master cylinder as this one appears to not be working. Another post on that later, gotta head to work.

[rjbaum12]

Well now, the original restoration project, hereafter referred to as the White 77, has been replaced by another 77, known as the Red 77. The Red 77 is a driveable restoration, body all good, no floorpan issues, actually little to no rust at all. Stock unmolested motor that runs well, so a new thread will begin as I work through replacing, upgrading certain items on that car. White 77 is relegated to parts duty... maybe a future restoration, maybe sell her, haven't decided yet.

[rjbaum12]

I've actually been working quite a bit on the red '77. Here's a pic - not the best. This was as bought - before bumper removal. This will be for the most part a driving restoration. No body work needed on this one! Done already: CA emissions removed. 4-2 exhaust manifold and all new performance exhaust installed. Engine compartment cleaned up a little - repainted fan housing, switched the ignition and carburetor from the white '77 to this one, switched out and moved the fuel pump from engine compartment to trunk and swapped out the center console for a better condition one, swapped the top out with the top from my original '71 which was in nearly perfect condition. Lots of little cleaning up...lots more to go!



Yesterday I finally got the bumpers and front turn signals mounted. Turn signals are LED off the shelf lights. I added a metal backing plate to the hole and mounted the turn signals on it. Pic shows a little dirt from my drive - had to test the lights ya know!

[rjbaum12]

Testing imgur as I'm making progress and may actually have some new photos to post soon - of a freshly painted car!

https://imgur.com/a/UUNcQh1[img]https:/ ... /a/UUNcQh1[/img]
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Well - none of those worked. Oh well.

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/UUNcQh1"><a href="//imgur.com/UUNcQh1"></a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

https://i.imgur.com/6xhIbhM.jpg


AHA!! Success!

now to remember that...