stalled and would't start on hill

[scotty356]

Fiat spider 81 FI, 88000 miles. First time it died was actually in the parking lot of my motel after my wife came home for lunch. You turn it over it fires up and dies even with foot to the floor or halfway and pumping it. To get it going again, I played with the idles adjust screwbeside the throttle sensor. I opened it right up and it started after a couple of tries. I let my wife drive it again and it lost power on a hill. She could not get it started. It would turn over for a few seconds and die. She tried this for 15 minutes at least before I drove out to get her. I let it roll down the hill and let it sit for a couple of minutes and it started right up no problem. It was a perfect example of no fuel or a clog in the filter. However I was working on the water pump today, replacing it. And I had the front end up on ramps for a few hours. Got the pump back in and started it up to check for leaks and it ran fine for 5 minutes so turned it off and installed the fan. Started it up and it stalled right away. could not get it to keep running, it would die even if pumping the pedal, absolutely no power. Rolled it off the ramps and opened up the idle adjust screw for max air and it started like a charm. Every once in a while it had stumbled when really pushing the motor up hill but you released the pedal and back down again and it was fine. The fuel filter is less than a year old. I was thinking maybe that the tank can't get air when it is on a hill. Is this possible and if so where do I start on this one?

Thanks for any ideas......

[kmead]

I don't have the solution to your problem, but it is not a good idea to pump the pedal when trying to start a fuel injection car as you can easily flood it.

[narfire]

HHMMMM... could be several things. Is the tank clean? if it's rusty the filter will plug up in no time but the pump usually stops first. The fuel pressure regulator, Lordco sells them. If you have a fuel pressure tester,try checking the fuel pressure,not sure but should be 35psi or so.
I had the hood liner push my sensor connector located at the cooling tee, off and the car did not run/start.
Can you get it to Summerland one day and we could have a look at it? Great to hear there's more spagetti racers around these parts. Funny thing,yesterday another fellow came by the shop from Penticton and said you(me) had a fiat and started to ask questions as he is restoring one as well.
Chris shop # 250 494-4471

[So Cal Mark]

I'd inspect the intake air boot closely for cracks or splits and verify the air flow meter flap moves freely