Starter's replaced, but DANG!

[rlux4]

I got the replacement starter in without much trouble. It's hard to tell how good the starter is, the car started on the first click. So, I'm sitting in the car, listening to it hum, and I start smell a strong gas odor. I shut it down, looked under the hood and the whole side of the engine under the fuel rail is wet. I couldn't tell where it came from, so I restarted it, looked in the engine bay and saw massive amounts of gas spewing from the hose connected to the hard line coming from the tank. I put the starter in from the top side (easy to do with the 2 litre FI, there's about 8 inches clearance below the manifold.) In the process I pushed on the rubber fuel hose and it broke. So... I got the replacement FI fuel hose put in and started it up, looked good, so I went on a little drive. When I got home and parked it, as I was walking around it (kind of admiring it, you know, the way ya do), and my right rear tire is flat! I repaired it and it's good to go.
I think I wore out the Fiat Gremlins, so I should be safe for the drive up to Oregon 09 next month.
Ron

[ventura ace]

Good thing you caught it there and not after it burst into flames! Be sure to check all your rubber parts and replace them now if you don't know when the last time they were replaced. Don't wait for them to break to replace them -- that can be really dangerous. This applies to all hoses (fuel and coolant), all brake lines, belts, guibos, motor mounts (well,check them to see if they're good), windshield wipers, and anything else I left out. Glad you caught it, Ron.

Alvon

[mdrburchette]

Good gracious, Ron. I believe you work on your car like I do mine! Glad you have it fixed, and like Alvon says, before you go off to Oregon, better make sure all rubber is in good working order.

[narfire]

Lucky,Lucky, Lucky. The other day after backing out of the carport, I got out to close the carport door (handraulic opener) and smelled gas. Popped the hood and same sort of thing ..gas spewing from the hose to the cold start injector. Like you, quick fix and back on the road. I had replaced all injector hoses, and soft line on the injector rail to hard line from pump,but for whatever reason did not change this one out.
When in doubt.. change it out.

[ga.spyder]

Two winters back I had the same line rupture on my 82...while running in the garage in front of a roaring wood heatstove!!
Craig

[mbouse]

yup, usually happens right before a big event. with me, it was the cooling system right before leading a pack of Fiats to FFO in Pennsylvania from Michigan. down to the wire mechanical work preceded the two day cruise...

dunn envy you a bit. grateful that i have not an '82.

[rlux4]

I remember that post Craig. Luckily, there's nothing hot on that side of the engine on first start up, so it wasn't too dangerous.
This hose makes the last of the rubber parts on my car that has been replaced, so thanks for the warning, but I should be good to go.
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

what normally causes engine fires in Spiders is fuel that has dripped onto the starter. The spark from the starter brushes when cranking will ignite that fuel instantly

[Tappy]

glad to hear you got it out easely , i also worked on my starter few days ago , took 4 h to get it in and out , in fackt i didn't got it out at all , with the waffle manifold there isn't much room for getting it out , so it was kind of hanging when i got the solenoid of , cleaned up contacts , replaced the missing bolts , after this she fired right up

i'm actually keeping the spider up and running since i've tacled the heating / compression leak. Feels like i moved on from novice to experienced mechanic

[azygoustoyou]

When I pulled the engine out last week to clean it up. I started to remove all the items on the block. When I got to the starter I noticed there was only two bolts holding it on. The last po was a mechanic and said he rebuilt the engine. So far I've noticed there also was a bolt missing on the motor mount. I'm thinking to myself. What else did he just throw together? Well , I got lucky with the starter. The bolt was in between the starter and block. I plan on replacing all the hoses. Wish me luck on the rest. Hopefully you guys got your Gremlins out and hopefully my Gremlin isn't the last PO.