engine (idle) problem? (or something is heating?)

[royaldust]

Hello guys,

i've just bought a 1975 spider which seems to be in great shape...
I drove it home with no problems, until i actually went to park the car and it started feeling like it was gonna stall in neutral so i had to keep a little bit of gas till i parked. Then i let it go on neutral to see if it would hold but it died.
Then after that it would not start until completely cooled down (hours).
water temperature is good, radiator kicks in and warms up, fan works, oil is good.

Do you have any idea of what it could be? When the car is cold it starts right up. I called the owner and he said it once happened to him long time ago and it was a fuse. I checked the fuses and they all seem okay, but also... I personally don't think that any engine stuff is fuse protected (right?).

Pleasee help ! Thanks !

[azruss]

If it has points and condenser, check that stuff

[So Cal Mark]

I'd start with checking the gap of the ignition points, then look to make sure a vacuum hose hasn't fallen off or split open.

[royaldust]

Thanks for the answer guys.

I'm actually new to this car so i'm still (slowly) understanding where is what, and how it works...

But this is a picture of the car's engine compartment. I don't know if i see all the vacuum hoses but what i see as far as hoses looks like a recent replacement so in good shape.

http://i48.tinypic.com/4in0af.jpg

The car runs "fine", accelerates great and drives strong... But the idle is really really weak.. a lot of popping and backfire, then it gets worse and worse (in about 3 minutes) and idles at lower and lower rpm. then it dies.
I don't know if this is normal or if it might help understand the problem, but when it does die or is about to die, i hear one or two quick and loud "air relief" sort of sounds coming from the engine compartment. Then after that, no luck starting it for about an hour.

As far as ignition points gap, you mean the spark plugs gap? (here's another problem... I'm actually italian, which is a little bit of a shame not to know how to fix a fiat, so not only i'm learning the car, but also the english language haha).

Thanks a lot !

[GeorgeT]

75's came with dual points. When cold, one set of points were activated and after the engine warmed up, it switched to the second, more advanced set. I would look at the dwell angle and gap of both sets. Better yet, just bypass the retarded set altogether and set the advanced set dwell angle to one that is optimum for your car both hot and cold.

[royaldust]

Thanks for the answer.

So basically, inside the distributor there should be two separate sets of points? (for start up and drive).

Another thing i noticed (which i don't know if it has anything to do or not) is that the oil pressure gauge is at 0, and the brake hazard light is on.

I'm really new to all this, so i apologize for asking 1000 questions !

I guess i would need a dwell meter to check the gap?

This is a little video just to hear the sound of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCEv71lwUzk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60K1TdIHV9o

[GeorgeT]

Yes, two sets of points in the distributor.

Observations from you videos:
1. You definitly have a misfire - your are up to operating temp so you should check the points gap, the points dwell angle and the advance of the active set of points. Check the spark plugs and replace if worn (set to the correct gap).
2. Your brake/Exhaust Emission light is on because your hand brake handle is up. If it stays on when the handle is down, then either the microswitch under the handle is bad or you need to reset the O2 sensor counter under the dash (after approx. 30,000 mi. this warning light comes on to remind you to change the O2 sensor). The O2 sensors countdown unit is a black box under the dash, just to the right of the steering column - there is a small hole in it that you have to press a slim object into (I use an ice pick) to reset the counter (you will hear a click).
3. Check the oil pressure sensor connection at the oil filter housing. Unplug the wiring and ground it to see if the gauge then reads. Check the wiring at the back of the gauge (since the other gauges work, the ground should be okay). Worse case is either a bad sensor or gauge.
4. Outside chance the catalytic convertor is clogged causing your idle issues.

[majicwrench]

With due respect, I don't think that 75 has an oxygen sensor or box to reset.
Also, plugged convertor will not cause idle issue.
Most idle issues on carb cars due to idle soleniod/jet plugging, or just out of adjustment idle mixture. Neither of those two will keep car from starting however.
Keith

[GeorgeT]

With due respect, I don't think that 75 has an oxygen sensor or box to reset.
Also, plugged convertor will not cause idle issue.

I was thinking of my '82 not the '75 I had; but if the "catalyst" light on his dash fires off, how do you reset that?
Additional thought on the brake light: check the brake fluid level and level sensor in the brake fluid resovoir.