78 124 spider ign issues?

Redheaditalian · Post by **Redheaditalian** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:58 pm

I have a '78 124 spider 1800. Recent engine rebuild, new EMPI carb, new coil, rotor, points, dist cap, wires, plugs. Timing is correct. Eliminated one set of points.
Now this is what is happening: The engine purrs like a kitten at idle, transitions nicely thru entire throttle range while sitting in garage. As soon as I try to drive it, she starts to spit and buck and eventually quits running before I can go 100 yards! When trying to restart it just cranks and cranks but will not start. When I pull the coil wire to test for spark there is none or very faint spark (no blue snappy fire). The plugs don't show spark at all.
Will replacing standard ignition with aftermarket electronic ignition show the same symptoms if there is grounding issues with wire harness? Another tid bit of information is the tach has never worked since I've owned the car.
Any suggestions!! Getting mighty frustrated!

bradartigue · Post by **bradartigue** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:33 pm

Are you absolutely certain the timing isn't way off? You can have the timing horribly wrong and get a good idle but nothing else (because the fuel burns in the exhaust and is very rich, so it starts cold). Easy sign of this: the exhaust manifold will get very hot very quickly.

Redheaditalian · Post by **Redheaditalian** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:39 pm

Brad,
#1 TDC, timing marks lined up, dist pointing to #4. Is this correct?

Redheaditalian · Post by **Redheaditalian** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:42 pm

Forgot to mention #4 TDC on Compression

bradartigue · Post by **bradartigue** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 4:26 pm

Redheaditalian wrote:Brad,
#1 TDC, timing marks lined up, dist pointing to #4. Is this correct?

Yes you're solid there. Barring the usual ignition checks (coil test mainly) you didn't plug the primary points into the secondary relay set by any chance did you?

Redheaditalian · Post by **Redheaditalian** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 9:28 pm

I don't know, how would I check that? Also my car is a Spider not a Sport

seabeelt · Post by **seabeelt** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 1:48 pm

78 s had two sets of points in the distributor. One set for starting (10deg advanced) and one set for running ( 0 deg advance) (i may have the deg advance incorrect, but you get the idea). There is a relay under the dash that switches from one set to the other . Some folks get rid of the second set of points and just jumper the relay to the correct set. Need to be able to do this in any case for a proper tune-up for timimg and dwell if you run both sets of points. Check which set of points was removed. You could be running the wrong set. The other possibility is that the points gound wire is not tight and/or corroded. The tach connects to this wire. Just a thought.....

Redheaditalian · Post by **Redheaditalian** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 11:16 am

Thanks SEABEELT, I will check it out
I am going to work on the "LITTLE PACK OF FRUSTRATION" this evening!

bradartigue · Post by **bradartigue** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 2:50 pm

Redheaditalian wrote:I don't know, how would I check that? Also my car is a Spider not a Sport

Well Spiders have been called lots of things by FIAT, printed or otherwise:

Spyder
Spider
124 Spider
124 Sport Spider
Spider 2000
124 Sport Spider 2000
Sport Spider

78 124 spider ign issues?

78 124 spider ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?

Re: 78 124 spider ign issues?

Re: 78 124 spider ign issues?

Re: 78 124 sport ign issues?