Re: 74 Spider -- runs great 'til it's HOT and then KAPUT ! ! !

[C2slayman@domain.elided]

Tim, 
       A likely culprit is the thermostatic actuator on the Spica (God!  Is 
that what it's called?  I forget now!  It's been over 15years since I handed 
over the steering wheel of my first Alfa - 74 Spider to my brother-in-law!)  
At any rate, it's the thin copper tube that runs from the intake manifold 
area to the top of the Spica pump.  Run the car and pull the plugs after it 
has stalled hot.  If the plugs are a black sooty color, you are running too 
rich and the thermostatic actuator is not leaning the mixture out correctly.  
Get the Spica tune-up manual from AROC or Digest Advertisers.  It's really 
quite an easy unit to work with and trouble-shoot if you take the time to go 
thru the step by step procedures.  The only trick is to buy or fabricate the 
special crows-foot and castellated wrenches.  The other tools aren't really 
necessary.
       I'd give you the measurements of the thermostatic actuator protrusion 
cold and hot, but I don't have the manual.

Cheers,
Charlie


In a message dated 07/16/2002 8:38:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2002 16:50:12 -0400
> From: "Tim Sheridan" <tds6599@domain.elided>
> Subject: 74 Spider -- runs great 'til it's HOT and then KAPUT ! ! !
> 
> WILMINGTON, NC -- July 16, 2002
> 
> Hey cats ...  long time
> 
>      Hope all is well with everyone  --  my life has been a friggin' 
> whirlwind of late (usual stuff, you know; got married, moved to a new 
> place, 
> had to kick the cats out of the house -- blah blah)
>      So now that the flood of tasks related to said wedding and new place 
> are receding it's time to go fiddle with the red 74 Spider.
>      Last time we met I had issued a plea for guidance re: Spider, to wit:  
> the car starts fine, runs great, and everything's hunky-dory until the red 
> beast gits to around 175 deg and then it's "all downhill from there".  It 
> starts chugging and hesitating and generally begins hatin' life until it 
> stalls completely and says "screw this crap, I'm done"   - - -  it's at 
> that 
> point I glide the Alfa-turned-glider into its parking spot.
>      I recall a few folks responded to my earlier supplication for 
> assistance but I'd be damned if I remember what you all said for me to do !
> 
>      The car is completely stock with no mods whatsoever and the symptoms 
> have repeated now 4 times in the last 2+ months  ....
> "start -  run - warm - run - hot - gag"
> 
> Good to be back ....  will start reading me AD's again !!!
> 
> Tim Sheridan
> tds6599@domain.elided
> Wilmington NC USA
> 74 Spider (sputter me)
> 87 CRX Si (206K+)
> 94 Chevy friggin' Cavalier 4 door ! ! !  (bride's car... now MINE, too ! 
> !?!?)  WOO-HOO ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided