1985 fuel injected pininfarina not starting

[Pongo70205]

Hello all, it has been a while since I tinkered with a fiat. It All started with my first 1969 fiat 850 spider followed by a 128 sedan, a 1300 sport and1978 spider 2000 and my favorite and last fiat a pair of 1979 and 1980 fiat x1/9. But that was in the years BC( before children) . Any way, I just bought a 1985 pininfarina Azzura (124 spider) for my son. For a father and son project. I got my first spider at the age of 17 . and now that my son is 17 he will have his first real fiat. And just his Jeep that is powered by fiat.

My problem is, This one is different than my previous fiats. This is fuel injected and it is an automatic with air. And it’s been butchered and tortured by it’s previous owners.

Anyway that is the car. Here is the problem. It was running rough, but it was running . We filled it half way up with premium gas and now it is not. He drove it to work and On his way back home that night it stalled with no warning. It has not started since. It will turn but just not catch. The previous owner said he would fiddle with the thermostat sensor and it would. But that has not helped.

Here is what I have done and what we have ruled out.

I have fire/spark . I tested the #1 plug and it sparks.
I have replaced the sensor at the end of the fuel injection body. I thinks it’s the cold start sensor . I used a BMW piece same unit but hose goes out the side and not from the bottom.
I have replaced the air tube between the air filter and the throttle body. Not sure if I broke it, or it was broken. But it’s now new and pliable.
I have a broken hose at the charcoal filter. I don’t think it is a problem as was running with it broke.

Now for the glimpse of hope, and the possible problem.
The car will fire up on starting fluid and idle until it’s evaporated.

I have power at the fuel pump on both spaces . So it must be responding to the ignition. I do not hear the pump though. I put 12v power to the pump directly it only click but not whine. As I would expect.

Could it be a fuel the pump has something lodged in it, I ha e anew filter and waiting for the new pump to arrive. I have been reading the previous post and they all seem to lead to the fuel pump. I have a fully charged battery and the double relay seems to click and respond to the key. One post referred to a fuse on the O position in owner’s manual. . I am not sure what or where that is. I did’t get the owners manual only have a an old international auto parts workshop manual .

Thank you for your help and sorry for the long intro.

[tima01864]

I would give the gas tank agood inspection, Install a filter before the fuel pump. I have thought it a good idea to put gas in a new pump before running it, but just a thought. That maty get you thru, next up I would pull the injectors and have them cleaned. https://hurstinjectorservice.com/

[Pongo70205]

Hello again, just an update and fix to the problem. We received the new fuel pump , and installed it and new filter. The car fired right up and has been starting up every time since. Bottom line seems that the fuel pump was bad. Also found a broken wire to the fuel pump negative side. Most likely from previous owner probing the wires. May have been adding to the problem with low voltage to fuel pump. But thank you problem solved , Now only need to replace the odd brackets and the worn gaskets holding up the pump.

[Pongo70205]

Hello again, fuel injected 1985 spider Azzura stoped again. I was tinkering under the hood and moved the wires by the drivers head light. Now the fuel pump is not working . I can jump it and it will run but there is not power to the pump. What is there that would cause it to not have 12v power to the fuel pump. I connected a direct source to the pump and it ran and started the car no problems. However I had fuel spewing from the passenger side.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

It sounds like a connector or a relay or something got knocked loose, but I'm not at all familiar with the '85 layout to be able to offer much more than that. If you can find an electrical diagram, you can perhaps trace how the fuel pump gets its power, and see where the issue is.

As for spewing fuel, where exactly is the fuel coming from? Leaking hose or connection? I thought most fuel delivery stuff was on the driver's side, but again, I don't know the layout of your model year.

Sorry I can't offer more.

-Bryan

[Pongo70205]

That is what I was thinking must have hit some ground wire to the sensors. There are three of them there . There is the cold start, thermostats and another one I can see under the water pump. I don’t have any clear diagrams. My books didn’t go this far. I have not had a fiat since my 1980 and 1979 X1/9 that was back in the mid 80’s. And both were prior to the fuel injection models.

The fuel injection I system as all on the drivers side. But the ECM is on the passenger finder along with the air filter and breather tubes.

[redcars]

On my 82 there's no fuel on the passenger side of the car. As for no power at the fuel pump. There is no power at the pump unless the engine is running or the starter is on. If you do a search this has been covered a lot on the form.

[Pongo70205]

Thanks for the help once again, Car starts once again . I cleaned the white fuse holder under the dash above fuse box drivers side and it fired right up. Not sure if that was the fix or sitting but it stays again.

[ORFORD2004]

You can check your double relay under the glovebox. Sometimes the soldering broke inside the relay.