Spider that up and dies

["Douglas R. and Julia R. Harris" <dharris@domain.elided>]

    I bought a beautiful '77 Spider last summer and have subscribed to
the digest for about two weeks now.  I've been reading and watching the
activities in the digest, so that I can learn the tenor of discourse
among you guys before I zing you with my first big question.  I think
now's the time for me to seek some advice.
    My Spider has only 28,500 documented miles on it.  So, it's been
sitting for long stretches in a garage over the last 24 years, but has
been well maintained and seems to be in good running order.
    Soon after I bought it, I had a problem with it just flat out dying
during a drive and refusing to restart.  I paid a local Alfa mechanic
$200 to adjust and calibrate the SPICA system.  I've also replaced the
plugs, wires (which were the original -- complete with the plastic
housing and spring that snapped over and around the distributor), rotor
and cap.  The points had been replaced some time ago by the previous
owner who installed an electronic ignition module attached to the fender
well near the coil.  (It has a brand name on it -- Gerson, I believe.)
    The problem still exists and is extremely frustrating.  I generally
try to drive it on the weekends at at least one evening during the week
to circulate the fluids and keep things in order.  Many days when I go
out to start it, it'll turn over but won't fire.  The next day, it could
fire and run for three minutes and die.
    I don't drive it much because I don't want to get stranded.  It
happens when it's cold or hot.  Generally, it just dies after about
three to five minutes' running time, and then refuses to start.  It
turns over fine but won't fire.  I usually smell fuel.  After sitting
for five or ten minutes, it will often restart after many seconds
cranking time.  (Great on the starter, right?)  I've tried every
alternative with gas pedal position:  Leaving my foot off, depressing it
about half an inch, and depressing fully.  Nothing seems to be the magic
answer.  Several times when I've actually been gutsy enough to pull it
out of the garage, I'll head down the road, clutch to shift to second
and it will do it's usual opossum routine, complete with a five to ten
minute hiatus before thinking about firing on restart.
    The mechanic mentioned that he had a similar problem with an Alfetta
some time back, replaced the cold start solenoid and fixed the problem.
He doesn't think its the thermostatic actuator.  I've ordered Wes
Ingram's book, but I have no idea if I'll be able to decipher any of it
once I get it.  (I'm pretty handy with the basics, but I wouldn't fool
anyone when it comes to a complex fuel injection system.)
    I'm frustrated by my garage queen and I'm missing out on all the
top-down driving I could be having during this summer-like weather.  If
you have any suggestions or can relate any similar experiences that
would point me in the direction of a solution, I'd be grateful.
    Anyway, thanks to all who took the time to read this long email.
Happy holidays.

[demime 0.98e removed an attachment of type text/x-vcard which had a name of dharris.vcf]

--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided