[joe]

Thanks to everyone I got the car running now I have loss of power. I have read other treads by everyone and tried the following.
1. Cat. I took it over to local muffer shop he made a couple of holes from the front and back and his review Cat was fine. cost $10.00
2. Fuel pump.
Old pump gauge read the folllowing: on starting 37 psi give gas to go up to 39 psi, still not much power get off the gas down to 26 psi.

I had an old pump from last change out 7 years ago. On starting 38 psi car started and had more pick up guessing 30% more power. Give it gas goes to 39 psi, get off gas to shift down to 28 psi, ideal at 30 psi .

Based on Ghnl I am going to replace fuel pump, THIS ALSO WAS HIS FIRST THOUGHT BACK ON 6-8-2011.
Thanks I will let everyone know when I change out main fuel pump

 

[ghnl]

I suggest you also change the fuel filter. If fuel pressure is not well regulated the fuel pressure regulator might (also?) need replacing.

And inspect very carefully for intake air leaks. The four short hoses for the intake runners (located under the plenum) are difficult to inspect but it is vital they also be secure with no splits/leaks. L-jetreonic does not tolerate intaje air/vacuum leaks. A quick test is to remove the oil fill cap with the engine idling. The idle speed & character should deteriorate (rougher/slower). If it does not it is likely there is an air &/or vacuum leak. Also consider cleaning out the Oil Vapor Seperator. When it gets clogged it messes up the intake air system - mimicing an air leak.

 

[joe]

I did a little shoe gou and replaced a couple of hoses. I had already cleaned out oil seperator. I have not cleaned out the canister behind the fender. I will clean it out tomorrow. I will not be getting fuel pump until Monday.
wITH ALL HOSES ON I REMOVED OIL CAP WITH CAR WAS IDELING, AS SOON AS CAP OFF CAR RAN ROUGH AND WHATED TO DIE. CAP ON IDEL GREAT.
thanks for the help I will keep fixing things

 

[ghnl]

The test with oil cap removed likely means there are no large air/vacuum leaks.

How do the spark plugs look? They might benfit from cleaning/re-gapping or replacing. Then a proper 'Italian Tune Up'...

 

[joe]

I cleaned the plugs a couple days and also changed out the fuel filter, what is aproper italian tune up. Since I have changed out about everything why stop now

 

[radamm]

The simple answer is ... FUN! It amazes me how much my Alfa appreciates a good hard warm-up. It purrs out of appreciation.

 

[ghnl]

what is a proper italian tune up.

Run it hard and fast long enough to get the combustion chambers really hot to burn off any deposits fouling the plugs, valves, pistons, etc.

Italian Tune Up

 

[joe]

While I am waiting for main fuel pump I thought I would some addtional checking and found the following when checking the intank pump and main pump.
Intank pump
1. Battery 12.5
2. Battery on cranking no start 11.2
3. Drive relay on cranking 10.5
4. Rear gas pump 10.3

Main pump
1. Battery 12.5
2. Battery on cranking no start 11.2
3. Drive relay on cranking 10.5
4. Rear gas pump 10.2

Do the pumps need more volts to pump to full capacity or are my volts ok. Just checking while I wait.

 

[ghnl]

I would expect close to battery voltage at the pumps (but they should be OK as measured). Cleaning all electrical connectors in the fuel pump circuit should help reduce the voltage drop.

 

[joe]

I cleaned everything great, looks new. That why I was worried. But I will wait to see what happens when I put on new main pump. thanks for hanging in there with me.
Joe

 

[joe]

ok I put in new fuel pump cranked the engine and after a few turns started then cut out, could not get it to fire again.
If the car ran great for over a year could the timing be off by 180 or is possible that i burnt an exhaust valve. Everything seems to check out.
I have run out of ideas.

 

[ghnl]

If the timing is off by 180 degrees it wouldn't run at all.

Did you measure fuel pressure after changing the fuel pump (& filter)?

If a valve were badly burned compression would be low. Can you do a compression test? The right way is to have fully charged battery, remove all spark plugs and prop the throttle wide open.

And how old is the gasoline? Gas does not store well - I've seen it go 'stale' in a few weeks.

 

[joe]

measured fuel pressure again. It was 41 psi when cranking and the filter is new.
I can go to auto parts store and borrow compression test tools. If I take out all plugs and srew in tool with gague, try to start and push pedal to the floor. Gas is new put in 4 gallons of premiun three days ago.
Is it any help to try to figure out problem. Car started then died tried to feather throatle but could not keep running.
I will try compression tomorrow. thanks again, I thought for sure it was going to run

 

[ghnl]

Sometimes when changing the fuel pump/filter it can take a few extra cranking cycles to purge the air introduced in the fuel lines.

How is the in-tank pump? When the fuel level is below ~ 1/2 tank the main pump cannot suck enough fuel up & out of the tank to maintain fuel flow/pressure.

 

[joe]

I went out after your e-mail and the car started right up sounded great then died. Tried again and it started then died.
Yesterday I took the in tank pump out of car to test, put 12 volts to it for 2 seconds sounded good. I put it back into tank and connected short hose to a can. Put 12 volts to it and it pumped right into the can with no problem.
Sure feels like a fuel problem but I have nothing left to check.

 

[ghnl]

Make sure the fuel return line (from fuel rail to tank) is not restricted.

Make sure the Air Flow Meter's flap is moving freely (you should feel smooth movement with only the spring tension resisting motion - no binding/scraping). Make sure the harness connector is firmly attached to the AFM. Look inside the harness connector to make sure none of the small female spade connectors are displaced.

P.S. do not test either fuel pump without fuel in them. The fuel is used for cooling & lubrication. A few moments running 'dry' can ruin them.

 

[joe]

How do I check return line. I put fuel gague in after regulator and fuel line, I got no reading, Gauge only starts reading at 10 psi. Check AFM harness connectors female spade all look good spring tension easy movement harness attaced tightly.
I recheck both flywheel sensors top 1010 bottom 1020.
Could it be my coil cutting out

 

[ghnl]

The fuel return line should have no restrictions in it so just disconnect hose #5 from fuel rail/regulator and use a blow gun to make sure it is not clogged.

 

[65Sprint]

How long does it run before it dies? Longer than three to five seconds? If not, then this sounds like the familiar "starts and dies" issue. There are lots of posts discussing this. Another thought is that if this new problem (starts and dies) only manifested itself after you installed the new main pump, then it almost has to be related to something that happened during the pump installation. Probably not what you would like to do, however, if you reinstall the old pump, does it still start and die?

 

[joe]

I will blow out the return fuel line tonight, should I take off return line at tank so I can feel air coming through.
After I check return line I will put old pump back on and see what happens.
In reading Papajam old post, I tried this to check Drive relay. While trying to start car I jumped #30 to #87 on Drive relay, I could hear main pump running but the car started and died. so I think it is not the drive relay. Maybe coil or Main relay I will continue to read old posts.
thanks everyone for the help not sure what I was going to do if no one wrote back.
THANKS AGAIN