Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

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lvacordian
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 1800
Location: Ventura County, CA.

Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by lvacordian »

I'm not finding much on the forums on suggested remedies for the percolation and heat soak issues with the Weber 32 ADFA carburetors. I have a 78 California spider. With the bowl vapor vent hose off and the engine off you can hear the fuel boiling inside the bowl after even a short drive. I could also see fuel bubbling out of the vents and tubes and dripping onto the throttle plates. So the fuel is to rich to ignite and The car has to sit for a good 45 minutes to an hour before it will start again. Any suggestions on specific types of spacers or any other remedies would be appreciated. I know that the bowl vapor vent is in working condition and the float is set to specification. The accelerator pump is also working properly. I'm currently running the factory mechanical fuel pump.
So Cal Mark

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by So Cal Mark »

what is the engine temp? What base gasket are you using under the carb? There are phenolic and nylon insulators available to put under the carb
lvacordian
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 1800
Location: Ventura County, CA.

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by lvacordian »

The running temp holds steady at 190 when moving, but the temperature jumps up significantly when the engine is turned off; right below redline. Currently I'm using the cardboard gaskets that came with my last rebuild kit; it was a walker rebuild kit. I've got a phenolic spacer I'll install that, give it a try and post the results.
So Cal Mark

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by So Cal Mark »

I like to use the cardboard on each side of a phenolic spacer
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Nanonevol
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Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:17 am
Your car is a: 1977 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: Medway, Massachusetts

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by Nanonevol »

The fan should stay running if it's needed when the car is off.
1977 Fiat Spider
1985 Jaguar XJ6
1967 Triumph Bonneville (hard-tail chopper)
1966 BSA Lightning
njoconnor
Posts: 614
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:06 pm
Your car is a: 1972 124 Spider

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by njoconnor »

I did as Mark suggested, cardboard on either side of the phenolic spacer (which was missing on my 72 when I bought it). Solved the problem completely. Car hasn't failed to start in over a year, in all temps/conditions.

Neil
Neil O'Connor
Madison, WI
72 FIAT 124 Spider
12 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
14 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Eco-Diesel
ex-71 FIAT 124 Coupe
and a host of Audi's, Saabs, VW's, MOPAR's, Fords, and a Bimmer....
lvacordian
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 1800
Location: Ventura County, CA.

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by lvacordian »

Excellent advice everyone! Thanks so very much. I'll follow though and let everyone know how this goes. I'm looking forward to getting my spider smogged so I can start doing local car shows. I'm located in California and so we all know just how fun the dreaded smog process is.
lvacordian
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 1800
Location: Ventura County, CA.

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by lvacordian »

UPDATE: I sandwiched a phenolic spacer between two cardboard spacers and I think it works but don’t know for sure yet because now I'm having issues with my dual point’s ignition not running the starting points on hot startups. Instead my hot starts are being done using the running points and the engine really needs the 10 degrees of advance in order to start. Maybe that was the problem the entire time, I don’t know. Anyway I’ll start a separate post regarding my dual points issue and then I’ll follow up on this post once I get the dual points situation figured out.
lvacordian
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider 1800
Location: Ventura County, CA.

Re: Weber 32ADFA percolation, heat soak, and hot start problems in a 78 California spider

Post by lvacordian »

So I've slapped on a pertronix ignitor kit and my ingtion problem is solved. I've gotten rid of the points, and I'm bypassing relays and switches and everything works totally fine. So much easier, especially since so many of these fiat emissions switches are no longer available.

The heat issue in the float bowl is no longer and issue so all is well. I'm wondering if the 79 factory electronic ignition setup would have been better choice, especially with the vacuum advance being available on that particular in that distributor.
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