Re: [alfa] Why won't it run the way it should?

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Doug:

I can't do much to diagnose your Spider from here, but I can share what I'd 
do if one of my Spider's was misbehaving as you describe.  First, you've 
got two systems in play that may be causing the problems, either separately 
or in concert, and they are obviously the ignition and injection.

Ignition is much simpler, so let's start there.  I'd pull the entire system 
off the car, meaning the distributor, wires, plugs, and coil, and set them 
aside.  Best thing to do would be to borrow another system that is 
factory-stock and bolt it on the car.  New points, condensor, and plugs 
would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.  What I'd be looking for is a 
problem with the Crane, and also install a system where you can easily spot 
any problems that are present.  I've got a Crane system on my '74 Spider, 
and it's been trouble-free for 4+ years, but initial setup can be tricky 
and it's impossible to visualize all the electrons running through the 
spark box.  Not so with an old set of breaker points.  If you drive the car 
and it's better, then the Crane has some sort of problem.  But, if you 
drive the car and it's the same, the problem should be in the injection.

The injection may be more problematic to troubleshoot, not because there's 
anything inherently weak about the Spica, but I really question how many 
mechanics out there really understand how it works and needs to be 
setup.  Setup is straightforward, but that assumes that the proper 
baselines have been set, and from there the required adjustments have to be 
made in very specific order.  For example, mess with the mixture settings 
before properly adjusting the reference gap, throttle plates and linkage 
rods, and assuredly the mixture will never be correct.  Adjust the throttle 
plates after the mixture has been set, and again, the mixture will never be 
correct.  It's literally a chaos system, as one setting has effects on all 
the others.  Incorrect settings can seemingly have benefits, such as 
quicker cold starting, but what confounds most mechanics is getting all the 
settings ideal, which will make hot and cold starting quicker, give better 
throttle response, more power, and better fuel economy.  If it's setup 
properly, everything works well, if not, only one or two things might be 
OK.  It's truly a system where 1+1=3.

So, if it's the injection, which is where I'd place my bets, look for an 
expert, no disrespect intended towards your present mechanic.  Spica Alfa's 
aren't very tough to set up, but not everyone has the patience, experience 
or proper training.  Ask around with local club members, and rest assured 
that once the Spica is set properly you won't have to touch it in the 
foreseeable future.  I know you're in VA, but stop reading the IAP catalog 
and their misinformation about the Weber setup they're selling.  If you 
want a set of carbs, that's fine, but using adapters on a Spica manifold is 
at best a half-assed approach, which will surely result in problems of both 
performance and reliability.  An entire system from a non-US car, including 
manifold, linkage, air cleaner, etc., is the only proper way to perform the 
conversion.  And, then you'd only have to find a Weber expert, and I 
suspect they're not much more common than Spica experts, at least in the US.

Finally, I've made almost too many assumptions about you, your mechanic, 
and your Spider to even count, so take my advice with a grain of 
salt.  Maybe your Spider has a fuel pump problem, or  low compression, a 
worn Spica pump, defective TA, incorrect (or missing) thermostat, etc., 
etc., ad infinitum.  I've just related to you what I'd do with one of my 
Spider's, both of which I know intimately.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, FL
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's


At 11:50 AM 5/22/2004, you wrote:


> Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 11:49:18 -0400
> From: "Doug and Julia Harris" <dharris@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Why won't it run the way it should?
>
>     At the risk of being labeled an Alfa lightweight, I'm going to share my
> frustration with my '77 Alfa Spider.
>     I bought it three years ago.  It's a low-mileage survivor and is very
> clean.  But it has left me stranded several times.  I've never had a car that
> had to be towed three times!
>     The Spica system has been calibrated by my Alfa guy here in Richmond, VA:
> Aren (at European Classics and Sportscars).  He's great.  All filters have
> been replaced.  I have a Crane Cams ignition module (second one, as the first
> failed).  All ignition parts have been replaced.  Every obvious maintenance
> item (that I and he know of) have been addressed.
>     Yet, since I've owned it, it has been in my garage more than on the road.
> I've been a bit hesitant to use it and rely on it because I've never been
> stranded so many times by my car -- not even my old TR6!
>     Finally, this Spring, I thought I'd be able to trust it and atually 
> USE it
> and enjoy it.  But it still has some driveability and reliability issues.
> It's hard to start hot.  (I've heard different methods of starting and have
> tried them all.)  Yesterday when I took it out, it ran fine for most of the
> jaunt, but it had problems starting hot again.  Towards the end of the jaunt
> and when I pushed it beyond about 3,000 RPM, it started to bog out, as if it
> were either starved of fuel or getting too much (the latter is my guess as the
> exhaust smelled a bit strange -- but it always has to me in a way I've come to
> guess is due to the Spica system).  I found myself in a familar place:  Hoping
> I could just get it back home and in the garage.
>     HELP, GUYS!  I love my Alfa.  But I'm tired of looking at it and I 
> want to
> drive it.  I don't want to part with a car if there's some easy way to get the
> level of reliability you guys talk about, trust it and get the enjoyment out
> of it that I want.  I don't have the $$ for a Weber conversion (doesn't sound
> like a cure-all, anyway).  If I sold it, I wouldn't nearly recoup the 8 or 9 K
> I've put into it (including purchase price).
>     Any advise or helpful comment appreciated.
>
> Doug
> Richmond VA
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