Starting Issues - It's been years

[jimmycakes401]

I've never started the car I was given. Been putting it back together. I'm getting current to the fuel pump, the air flow meter is clicking the relay fine. I'm reading some trouble shooting now and it mentions the cold start. When I got the car, the cold start was cut off. I rewired it back together. Could the PO have known something that I didn't? Should I unhook the cold start again?

It's a 1981 Fiat Spider 2000 FI

[Chihua33]

On my 82' that sat the injectors were clogged. I put fresh gas and seafoam in the tank and would try to start it a few times daily and it finally did start after awhile.

When I would disconnect my cold start I couldn't get it to run at all, but once I hooked it up it would turn over and then die out.
I'm still very new at this but I don't think you would want it unhooked.

[4uall]

mine did not start when this happened


Why does it smell like gas? by itzebtze, on Flickr


Why does it smell like gas? by itzebtze, on Flickr

I say keep the cold start valve.

[jimmycakes401]

Okay. I'm not getting gas up front. I unhooked the gas hose up front put in a long hose and ran it to a pale to see if gas was getting up there. It's not. The fuel filter is in the right way. Maybe my pump is in backwards? Keep in mind, I had to put this whole fuel system together not really knowing what I was doing. I used all the diagrams I could find. Do the electric posts on the fuel pump face towards the front of the car?

I also just put a pre-pump filter in. The arrow is facing the right way. I used a filter that many others have used with no issue. Maybe a bunch of gunk flew out of my tank and into the pre filter?

[jimmycakes401]

Okay. I'm not getting gas up front. I unhooked the gas hose up front put in a long hose and ran it to a pale to see if gas was getting up there. It's not. The fuel filter is in the right way. Maybe my pump is in backwards? Keep in mind, I had to put this whole fuel system together not really knowing what I was doing. I used all the diagrams I could find. Do the electric posts on the fuel pump face towards the front of the car?

I also just put a pre-pump filter in. The arrow is facing the right way. I used a filter that many others have used with no issue. Maybe a bunch of gunk flew out of my tank and into the pre filter?

[jimmycakes401]

Also I can hear my pump running.

[rrrrob]

You don't want to run the pump if the pump is dry. It will burn it up. The fuel actually has a cooling effect as it runs. can you run your long test hose from the out side of the pump to your bucket?

[rrrrob]

couldn't remove this message

[jimmycakes401]

Sorry. This has turned into a fuel issue rather than an electrical. Turns out the feed from the gas tank is clogged. By what? I don't know. I slowly tracked it all the way back. I didn't run the pump dry. At least not too long. I took the pump out and tested it with some gas and it worked fine. Soo... no I need to figure out a way to unclog my tank feed.....

[jimmycakes401]

Well. I assume it is clogged. I took the cap off, blew low pressure air into the outlet of the tank and I can't blow bubbles. I also can't draw gas from it...

[rrrrob]

Have you worked on the tank yet? I thought I had read that you had. I may be confused with another post. Anyway, if your tank is like mine the screws and the locking ring hold the pickup, the float and the lines in place on top of the tank. When you remove this there is a screen on the pickup line or should be. If your tank has foreign objects, slug from old gas, dirt etc it will plug up this screen. Some say there screens have failed as well. This could prevent fuel pickup. Also, if the return line is plugged, and the tank is sealed you would not be able to pull fuel either. The tank must be able to draw air to replace the volume of fuel being removed. Make sure the return line is clear before you go to all the trouble inside the tank. Is it possible you crossed these two lines when you reassembled? at the tank that is.

[jimmycakes401]

I had worked on the exterior of the tank. The PO sealed the inside prior. I got the clog out and now I'm trying to start. I put starter fluid in and it kicked on then off. Now I can get it to start, vroom vroom then it shuts down. I have a video uploading now to youtube. Will share shortly for a more detailed situation. Getting there...

[jimmycakes401]

I had worked on the exterior of the tank. The PO sealed the inside prior. I got the clog out and now I'm trying to start. I put starter fluid in and it kicked on then off. Now I can get it to start, vroom vroom then it shuts down. I have a video uploading now to youtube. Will share shortly for a more detailed situation. Getting there...

[jimmycakes401]

Video of my current problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptd-F7XtgqM

[rrrrob]

have you put some sea-foam or other injector cleaner in the fuel system yet? I know you said you don't have a full tank of fuel yet, but if you know you have say 3 gal in the tank then put in the appropriate about of sea-foam per the instructions on the can. Try starting it a few times then let it sit. Give the cleaner a chance to work. (like over night) then try again. Doe this a few times and the injectors should clean out. If however you have replace the injectors, then your looking at something else. Also have you checked the return line is not plugged.