Car starts bucking when running

Keep it on topic, it will make it easier to find what you need.
Post Reply
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

Greetings everyone!

I have a 1973 124. When the car is running, either cold or at full temp, the car will begin to buck. The pattern is rhythmic, 1 about once per second. Gradually worsens in intensity and the car slows. If I tried to power through it, it gets worse. Up shifting makes it worse. Letting off the throttle eases it a bit, but it doesn't go away. When I put it in neutral and coast a bit, the bucking ceases. When at rest, in neutral, and I throttle up, the engine sounds good for 15-30 seconds then develops a subtle "stumble". :?

I had the top end freshened up this fall. Ran great after that. Also upgraded to Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition. Headlight relay system installed.

Reading through the messages, the symptom seemed like either a fuel filter or gas pump. I replaced each one, separately, so I might know which worked. Nope, neither one :cry: Pulled the plugs: the first one had clean oil in the well. the first three plugs had some black shoot around the outside, tan/wire near the electrode. I got too frustrated to get the 4th one out :oops: . The oil is fairly clean, but smells alot like exhaust. I tired some Sea Foam, both through the carb and then in the tank. No real difference.


So, I am hopeful someone can use their clairvoyant powers and give a diagnosis!

Jim
tima01864
Patron 2021
Patron 2021
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:01 pm
Your car is a: 1983 FIAT Pininafarina Spider 2000
Location: Wilmington, MA

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by tima01864 »

Clogged jet?
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

I haven't taken them out , YET. Hoping to do that this weekend, if it doesn't rain too much.
tima01864
Patron 2021
Patron 2021
Posts: 702
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:01 pm
Your car is a: 1983 FIAT Pininafarina Spider 2000
Location: Wilmington, MA

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by tima01864 »

Those orifces are very small, If a grain got in the bowl. Happened to my 73, long gone, With 40IDF's.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

FYI: the carb is a 32/32 DMSA series unit.
jasonsanders11
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:25 am
Your car is a: 1973 Fiat Spider

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by jasonsanders11 »

I know it sounds silly but check your flex disk. I had a similar issue and it turned out the disk has fragged.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

Hhmm,,.. I never would have thought to look at that. I expect that would back more of a klacking/knocking noise.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

Well, the drive trained looked fine, no signs of rubbing, or checking in the flex joint.

Turned out that the entire problem was dirt in the jets.

Now the only little irritant is the idle is inconsistent. Sometimes it is fine at 1000, but then it seems to stumble and drop to nearly stalling. I especially notice this when coasting to a stop light/sign and begin to brake. Why? It had the alternator upgrade so I'd thought there would be enough juice to keeping it running?

I will try turning the idle speed up a 1/4 turn and see what happens.

Thanks for the help.

Jim.
wubie317
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 3:54 pm
Your car is a: 1977 Fiat Spider
Location: Sonoma, CA

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by wubie317 »

Have you checked the float? Could be sticking a bit.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

No, I hadn't checked the float. I reckon I am just being "super positive" & naive - I expected the mechanic who stated that he had "cleaned out the whole carb", actually had.

I have a lot of learning to do about the finer aspects of carbs.

Jim
User avatar
blazingspider
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:44 am
Your car is a: 1977 fiat spider
Location: Nanuet, New York

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by blazingspider »

This may not be your problem but I'd thought I'd share my experience with you. I upgraded my 77 distributor with a Pertronix ignitor and could never get the car to run as well as it did with the points and condensor set up. I tried another ignitor unit and had the same problem, the car would start and idle fine cold or hot but once I started giving it some throttle it would buck, mis-fire, lose power and I could not accelerate through the problem. I contacted Pertronix support and after running all the diagnostics for power and ground they thought there was a problem with my distributor. I had rebuilt that distributor about 50,000 miles ago with new bearings and a seal. Back then I did notice there was quite a bit of vertical slop with the unit but neither points nor a crane xr700 exhibited any issues from the slop. I finally upgraded to the later style electronic ignition and have never been happier. Try going back to a points and condensor set up to see if that resolves your problem.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

Ah, now that is interesting. This fall I had the conversion from points to electronic ignition! The work was done by a specialty shop, but I should have some of the parts around.
FiatJim
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:29 pm
Your car is a: 1973 spider refurbished
Location: Greensboro, NC

Re: Car starts bucking when running

Post by FiatJim »

After much trial and error, I set the idle at 1000 and things seem to have settled out. A bit of a sputter, kind of intermittent. But, now I don't have to toe-heel at stop lights/signs.
Post Reply