New Spider Owner

[dghii]

Nice car!

Don't fret, the alfa was designed to strand you with no prior sign of impending doom.

You get use to it after a while.

I didn't see an intertia switch on the firewall but that is another culprit of "it was running fine but now it won't run at all'

Your ignition switch has a wire to the starter and one to the fuse box. Do your gauges work while trying to start the car?
The ignition switch is easy to bypass if you need to test it.

[preconnect]

question - does this scenario make sense for my no-go situation?

During our 2nd cruise as Spider owners, my wife was fiddling with buttons and switches. I think she put the a/c on (knob at bottom of console numbered and turns) and the green fan switch. Could this have over loaded the alternator and put a draw on the battery thus shutting down the ecu??? All else has checked out ok so far in terms of l-jet/spark/fuel.

thanks

[Zunige]

Quote:

Originally Posted by preconnect question - does this scenario make sense for my no-go situation? During our 2nd cruise as Spider owners, my wife was fiddling with buttons and switches. I think she put the a/c on (knob at bottom of console numbered and turns) and the green fan switch. Could this have over loaded the alternator and put a draw on the battery thus shutting down the ecu??? All else has checked out ok so far in terms of l-jet/spark/fuel. thanks

[mmolto]

Congrat on your purchase! The quads are beautiful and yours looks great. I hope your able to get your issues sorted out.
*
I find there is always something you either need to do or want to do with these cars.... for me it's all part of the ownership experience.

Enjoy

[shadowburn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by preconnect question - does this scenario make sense for my no-go situation? During our 2nd cruise as Spider owners, my wife was fiddling with buttons and switches. I think she put the a/c on (knob at bottom of console numbered and turns) and the green fan switch. Could this have over loaded the alternator and put a draw on the battery thus shutting down the ecu??? All else has checked out ok so far in terms of l-jet/spark/fuel. thanks

[i_87spiderquad]

I have a 87 spider quad and it too would not run after sitting in the parking lot for a few hours on a hot day. It drove fine in the morning (weather was in the 60-70s). In the afternoon (weather now in the 90s) it started fine and I pulled out of the parking lot and about 100 yards later engine idled very rough. I pulled over to the side and it died. I tried starting it again, but it would only turn over and idle very rough then die. I had it towed to my mechanic that afternoon. The next morning (weather once again in the 60-70s) the mechanic said it started and ran just fine. After warming it up for a while he said that the problem was the fuel pump.

[preconnect]

The verdict is in, my Spider needs a new fuel pump (external not the in-tank pump). I'm going to change the filter as well while I'm at it. I had the mechanic give it the once over and there are a few other "things" she needs to pass Pennsylvania State inspection. So it will be a busy summer under my Spider. Thanks to all for the valuable info and advice. I'm sure to be posting more soon.

Thanks again.

[preconnect]

She's back!!!

Well after a good long month I have the Spider back home. She ran well yesterday, but still has some electrical issues to resolve. I'm tackling them in another post. I just thought I would share some pics of her in her new home. I'll share some more as my work progresses. I do have one question. We're the 1986 Spiders clear-coated after paint? I used some GRIOTs Machine polish on a small spot last night with GREAT results but wasn't sure I saw any silver residue on the rag (I'm told evidence the pain job was single stage).

Thanks to all for the invaluable help so far!!!

[90Quad]

Yes they were clear coated. Yours looks to have been at least partially repainted, but it almost certainly still has a clear coat.

Seats look great. How many miles on the car?

[shadowburn]

Actually, I don't believe they were clear coated. My 87 still with original paint is not clear coated. If I ever decide to repaint, my preference would be for no clear coat as well. Depends on what may be available in future in the way of "legal" paint. I also like the single stage because if you get a scratch or ding you can touch up with color and just blend it in. If my paint gets oxidized and hazy, I just polish it gently and it shines right up.

[preconnect]

90Quad the car has 105K on the ODO. Shadowburn thanks for the response. Anyway to definitively tell one way or the other. I know enough not to try to polish or "blend" a clear coat paint job.

[90Quad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by preconnect Anyway to definitively tell one way or the other. I know enough not to try to polish or "blend" a clear coat paint job.