79 Spider 2000 flooding problems.

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barnesjtsl
Posts: 203
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:13 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider
Location: Hillsboro, OR

79 Spider 2000 flooding problems.

Post by barnesjtsl »

Got rid of the stock carb and manifold and installed a 32 adf. Ran great for a year then had the electronic fuel pump go out. Installed a new fuel pump and soon after started having flooding issues.

Checked the pump pressure. It was at 5.5 psi so I thought that might be the problem. Put a regulator on and dialed the pump psi down to 2.5 psi.

Still having flooding issues.

Any thoughts!
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: 79 Spider 2000 flooding problems.

Post by 18Fiatsandcounting »

How did you determine the new (2.5psi) fuel pressure? With a separate good quality gauge, or by markings on a fuel pump regulator? I wouldn't trust the latter...

But let me back up a bit. Does it flood when you drive for a while, turn off the engine, then do a hot restart? Or when first starting when cold? Or ??

The Poor Man's Solution to flooding is to hold the gas pedal to the floor while cranking. Don't pump it, and let it up when the engine fires.

-Bryan
barnesjtsl
Posts: 203
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:13 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider
Location: Hillsboro, OR

Re: 79 Spider 2000 flooding problems.

Post by barnesjtsl »

I used a fuel pump pressure/vacuum tester at the end of the hose feeding the carburetor.

It starts cold. After it heats up and I let it set for a moment it will flood and not restart. It has died from flooding while I’m driving it, then restart after sitting for 10 minutes or so.
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: 79 Spider 2000 flooding problems.

Post by 18Fiatsandcounting »

OK, thanks for that info. If the engine floods while driving, I can think of only two possible causes:

1) (more likely) The float valve is not seating properly, so the carb float bowl is filling up with gas and spilling over into the venturis. Or the float level is set way too high.

2) (less likely) The float bowl is sealed and somehow it's pressurizing, thus forcing fuel out the only path it has, which is into the venturis. Do you have any hoses leading to the float bowl (other than the fuel inlet and return)? If yes, try disconnecting them to see if it makes a difference.

-Bryan
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