>I have started having a problem with my '79 Spitfire 1500 and was hoping to
>get some suggestions from the group on what to look for.
>
>The problem is that the car is stalling. [...] Upon trying to restart it, the
>engine cranks fine, but doesn't start.
>[...]
>When I then tried it started with no problem. It had, however, been
>sitting for several hours and the engine had cooled.
>[...]
>This morning, it started just fine, but after about 5 minutes while
>driving to work it quit again.
>
These symptoms are very similar to those I experienced when I owned a '78
Spitfire 1500. My problem turned out to be vapor lock, which I
successfully squelched with the installation of an electric fuel pump.
I don't know what the temperature in your area's been like, but my problem
only occurred in the summer here in Texas on hot days. After I allowed
everything to cool down, it would start up just fine again. And it nearly
always occurred after a period of running followed by shutting the car off
(allowing fuel to vaporize), after which it wouldn't start again until
after a long cooling-off period. It would also happen if I got into
stop-and-go traffic after a period of highway driving.
Make sure the heat shield between the exhaust manifold and the carbs is in
good shape, although the fuel pump is on the other side and the fuel line
runs around the front of the engine (right up next to the head, too) and
leaves plenty of opportunity for fuel heating. The electric pump allows
you to route the lines away from the engine.
Of course, if this is happening in cool weather or when the engine is cool,
then -- "Never mind."
Lee M. Daniels - Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding - Texas A&M
daniels@lmsbvx.tamu.edu | DANIELS@TAMLMSB.BITNET | (409) 845-3726
|