Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Make it go fast! Kick it up a notch. Post tips in here.
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Nut124
Posts: 748
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:39 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Nut124 »

Check the idle mixture screw for a reasonable setting, something like 1-2 turns open. If too lean, it will not idle. Don't want it way rich either.

To do the ign timing, you will need a strong idle so work on the idle mixture right after first start. A little rich runs better than lean.
Pescado
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Launch was unsuccessful...car turned over once and idled low then died then just cranked no starting. Some notes of our install.

Charcoal canister has two hoses at the bottom, one goes back to a hard fuel line the other one is now just breathing. Canister also has one hose on top also now just breathing out (as per Eldest Build).

The new fuel filter I installed has a return and that's where I plugged in my fuel return line the other two port on the fuel filter are just in and out.

The carb....oh boy! so I see the seals at the riser are saturated with fuel and leaking. When looking in the carb with ignition off I see drops of fuel falling on to the throttle valve plates to the point where a couple mm of fuel build up. Currently I have disconnected and plugged the fuel line.

not sure where to go from here.
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18Fiatsandcounting
Posts: 3799
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:23 pm
Your car is a: 1969 and 1971 124 spiders
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by 18Fiatsandcounting »

It sounds like you're getting way too much fuel into the carburetor and the engine quickly flooded. You have an electric fuel pump, right? Do you happen to know the output pressure? The carb's float needle valve isn't designed for high pressures, so if the fuel pump is putting out too much pressure, it will overcome the needle valve and just flood the carb. 3 or 4 psi fuel pressure is all you need for these carbs.

Another possibility is that the float is simply stuck. Take the float bowl cover off, and you should only see about an inch of fuel in the bowl. If more than that, there's an issue with the float or the fuel pump pressure is too high.

The good news is that the engine started, ran, and was idling for a while.

-Bryan
PS: Don't worry about the charcoal canister for now.
Nut124
Posts: 748
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:39 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Nut124 »

^^ Bryan's got you covered.

I recommend a fuel pressure gauge, at least for initial troubleshooting. Something like this, below. T it right into the fuel hose ahead of the carb. Remove when no longer needed.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/par ... re%20gauge
Pescado
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
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Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

thanks guys....picking up a gauge I'll report back.
Pescado
Patron 2021
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Two steps forward one step back.

Fuel pressure was tested at 3psi, took the carb apart and measured the float again, made a small adjustment and put it back together. The car did start and no more fuel leak or drips/pooling on the throttle valves. Adjusted the ignition timing to TDC and car is idling nicely at 750rpm. While testing the car I noticed a strange sound coming from the intake pully and discovered that its rubbing on the cylinder head. Hopefully I don't need to drain coolant AGAIN...if possible I'm going to take off the timing belt remove the new pully and put the old one back just to test.

Next issue is probably carb tuning related...when I hit the throttle now the car chokes and stalls.

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Pescado
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

sadly had to drain coolant again....waiting on parts from Vicks.
Nut124
Posts: 748
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:39 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Nut124 »

Those little phillips screws holding the flange back out and cause a mess. Need locktite. I replaced mine with longer ones and locktite.
Pescado
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Nut124 wrote:Those little phillips screws holding the flange back out and cause a mess. Need locktite. I replaced mine with longer ones and locktite.
Ya thats a good idea....right now I'm waiting for a replacement pully (the worst is waiting for parts) as the one I got measures smaller in thickness causing it to tuck in too far, got some warmer weather in now and just want to get things wrapped up.
Pescado
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Posts: 184
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Hey all,

Circling back to the coolant leak I had earlier....seeing as I dumped the coolant figured I'd remove the intake mani and inspect things. When looking at the new VAS intake mani I see no passage for coolant...however the gasket that comes with it has a cut out for one. Do I have the right gasket? can I plug the passage at the head? or like Nut said " some sealer around the passage to help prevent leaking

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18Fiatsandcounting
Posts: 3799
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:23 pm
Your car is a: 1969 and 1971 124 spiders
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by 18Fiatsandcounting »

Pescado wrote:Do I have the right gasket?
I think so, but I'd hold the gasket against the new intake manifold and also against the cylinder head, and make sure that everything looks right. Early on, intake manifold gaskets were specific to the model year, but modern gasket sets seem to include a "one size fits all" intake manifold gasket. As long as the coolant holes are covered, you should be OK.

I'd be reluctant to use sealant on this gasket, but you could certainly try. Also, did you check the flatness of the new intake manifold flange? I'm assuming the cylinder head flange is flat, but it wouldn't hurt to check the manifold.

-Bryan
Pescado
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Ok so parts came in…I got the pully on the intake cam changed out, took the intake mani off and cleaned things up plus new gasket…coolant leak solved and rubbing pully solved. Timing belt is back on and coolant back in, sadly found a fuel leak at the carb riser so had to take the carb off but now have that resolved. Fun part…start the car! After starting quickly found out my temp gauge isn’t working but had an old one that worked so all good…nope. Found out that my fan isn’t coming on…quick fix just a fuse. Finally I can get to ignition timing and carb tuning…I’ll let you guys know how that goes shortly. :D
Nut124
Posts: 748
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:39 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider 1800

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Nut124 »

Did you get the cam pulley bolts on tight to the spec? They can be hard to hold while tightening. I think the spec is like 80 ft lbs. I always use loctite on these as I had one come loose on the aux shaft.
Pescado
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Posts: 184
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

Nut124 wrote:Did you get the cam pulley bolts on tight to the spec? They can be hard to hold while tightening. I think the spec is like 80 ft lbs. I always use loctite on these as I had one come loose on the aux shaft.
Thanks Nut...they are hard to hold onto so I ended cutting my old timing belt and wrapped it around the pully to protect it from the chain wrench I used to hold onto it while I turned the bolt....worked out good.
Pescado
Patron 2021
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Posts: 184
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2021 6:55 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat spider 124
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Re: Installing 32/36 Weber and New Intake on my 79

Post by Pescado »

walked by the garage and smelt fuel....oh no. Yup fuel appears to be leaking from the riser again, why would fuel be leaking while the car is off?

Also found this leak while poking around....not sure what to do here, I can't tighten the bolt on the separator more without breaking it. Has anyone experienced this leak before? Seal is new..

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