Spica rebuilds - who does better job?
I have a '74 Spider with Spica FI. The FI pump needs rebuild. Who has experience with Ingram Enterprises, Gary Martin from So Dakota (advertising in Hemmings), or other rebuild sources?? I need some guidance concerning the positive / negative results on the rebuilds on their SPICA pump, and who I should engage to rebuild mine.
Thanks for your comments.
Thanks for your comments.
1 - 20 of 32 Posts
I'm sure you'll get this repeated several times, but you can't go wrong with Wes Ingram and Herb Sanborn at Ingram Enterprises. My pump failed shortly after it was rebuilt - very rare, but it does happen - and Wes took care of the problem promptly and on his own dime.I have a '74 Spider with Spica FI. The FI pump needs rebuild. Who has experience with Ingram Enterprises, Gary Martin from So Dakota (advertising in Hemmings), or other rebuild sources?? I need some guidance concerning the positive / negative results on the rebuilds on their SPICA pump, and who I should engage to rebuild mine.
Thanks for your comments.
-Jason
Ditto - Herb at Ingram (Wes doesn't do that much with the actual rebuilds anymore.
(I have the luxury of living in their backyard.)
(I have the luxury of living in their backyard.)
I'm not at all familiar with Gary Martin here in my hometown, Rapid City, SD. I looked up his ad in Hemmings and it seems he does carburetor rebuilds, but no mention of Spica injection pumps. I'd be very surprised if he does Spica pumps, given the very specialized tools, test bench, experience, and replacement parts necessary to service them. Since very very few new parts are being produced for the pumps, rebuilding a Spica pump is a black science of small production (read expensive) of special parts, as well as re-combining used parts as in the case of plungers and barrels.
There are only two rebuilders of Spica injection pumps that I know of . . Wes Ingram of Ingram Enterprises, Burlington, WA and Dan Wells at Foreign Auto Menders in San Diego, CA. If Wes or Dan decide to drop their Spica biz, we Spica owners are in some very deep kimchee.
Both have excellent reputations, but I've only personally dealt with Wes Ingram whose reputation is iconic in the Alfa community.
Contact info for both companies is located here . . . http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/anything-about-alfa-romeos-alfabb-com/4361-supplier-list.html
BTW, what symptoms exactly is your injection pump exhibiting that makes you think it needs a rebuild? Many times mechanics that have little knowledge of the system will advise owners that "it needs a rebuild" when all it might need is a new TA, microswitch, or merely a accurate tuneup.
There are only two rebuilders of Spica injection pumps that I know of . . Wes Ingram of Ingram Enterprises, Burlington, WA and Dan Wells at Foreign Auto Menders in San Diego, CA. If Wes or Dan decide to drop their Spica biz, we Spica owners are in some very deep kimchee.
Both have excellent reputations, but I've only personally dealt with Wes Ingram whose reputation is iconic in the Alfa community.
Contact info for both companies is located here . . . http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/anything-about-alfa-romeos-alfabb-com/4361-supplier-list.html
BTW, what symptoms exactly is your injection pump exhibiting that makes you think it needs a rebuild? Many times mechanics that have little knowledge of the system will advise owners that "it needs a rebuild" when all it might need is a new TA, microswitch, or merely a accurate tuneup.
If Wes or Dan decide to drop their Spica biz, we Spica owners are in some very deep kimchee.
there's always you, right
BTW: Welcome to AlfaBB, gmonrad! If you haven't already done so, you may want to read the sticky threads in this forum (which were initiated by the Roadtrip, who shares his extensive knowledge of Spica pumps very generously).
The symptoms resulting in the analysis of a "need rebuild" include:
1. the car sat for seven yrs without proper preservation,
2. fuel is mixing with the oil when I crank the car,
3. when I take an injector from the intake and crank the engine, I get a very weak dribble of fuel from the injector
4. the TA works properly
5. car has 97,500 miles, and it appears the FI pump has never been removed (still has the plastic adjuster cap with wire and lead seal), and lots of road grime consistent with mileage
6. primary electric pump works correctly (9 PSI) as does the fuel pressure bypass valve (18 PSI).
This is my first Alfa with SPICA injection, so my understanding is limited to all that I've read and discussed with Wes and Gary, and the folks at DiFatta Bros (alfa repair and parts warehouse in Baltimore). So...if there are other characteristics that I should assess before committing to rebuild, I welcome your suggestions.
1. the car sat for seven yrs without proper preservation,
2. fuel is mixing with the oil when I crank the car,
3. when I take an injector from the intake and crank the engine, I get a very weak dribble of fuel from the injector
4. the TA works properly
5. car has 97,500 miles, and it appears the FI pump has never been removed (still has the plastic adjuster cap with wire and lead seal), and lots of road grime consistent with mileage
6. primary electric pump works correctly (9 PSI) as does the fuel pressure bypass valve (18 PSI).
This is my first Alfa with SPICA injection, so my understanding is limited to all that I've read and discussed with Wes and Gary, and the folks at DiFatta Bros (alfa repair and parts warehouse in Baltimore). So...if there are other characteristics that I should assess before committing to rebuild, I welcome your suggestions.
So, the engine will not run at all, is that correct??
Certainly if fuel is bypassing the plungers, that's a mandatory rebuild.
Have the engine sit derelict for 7 years is very very bad for the injection pump, although it might have been worn out at the beginning of that anyway.
While you have the pump out for rebuild, soak the injectors in a jar of gasoline, or send them in with the pump to be tested by Wes.
Certainly if fuel is bypassing the plungers, that's a mandatory rebuild.
Have the engine sit derelict for 7 years is very very bad for the injection pump, although it might have been worn out at the beginning of that anyway.
While you have the pump out for rebuild, soak the injectors in a jar of gasoline, or send them in with the pump to be tested by Wes.
Yes, you're correct that the engine will not run at all.
I forgot to mention that, when I recently acquired the car, there were 20+ Lodge spark plugs in the trunk. The prior owner indicate it ran very rich and fouled the plugs constantly. This seems consistent with a FI pump on its last legs.
I'll have the injectors cleaned also.
I forgot to mention that, when I recently acquired the car, there were 20+ Lodge spark plugs in the trunk. The prior owner indicate it ran very rich and fouled the plugs constantly. This seems consistent with a FI pump on its last legs.
I'll have the injectors cleaned also.
Yes, you're correct that the engine will not run at all.
I forgot to mention that, when I recently acquired the car, there were 20+ Lodge spark plugs in the trunk. The prior owner indicate it ran very rich and fouled the plugs constantly. This seems consistent with a FI pump on its last legs.
I'll have the injectors cleaned also.
I don't know if I'd condemn the pump completely. It's possible a bad T/A or some other problem would cause the rich running. An overly rich mixture can cause gas in the oil just as a worn out pump will.Yes, you're correct that the engine will not run at all.
I forgot to mention that, when I recently acquired the car, there were 20+ Lodge spark plugs in the trunk. The prior owner indicate it ran very rich and fouled the plugs constantly. This seems consistent with a FI pump on its last legs.
I'll have the injectors cleaned also.
-Jason
I'm not at all familiar with Gary Martin here in my hometown, Rapid City, SD. I looked up his ad in Hemmings and it seems he does carburetor rebuilds, but no mention of Spica injection pumps. I'd be very surprised if he does Spica pumps, given the very specialized tools, test bench, experience, and replacement parts necessary to service them. Since very very few new parts are being produced for the pumps, rebuilding a Spica pump is a black science of small production (read expensive) of special parts, as well as re-combining used parts as in the case of plungers and barrels.
There are only two rebuilders of Spica injection pumps that I know of . . Wes Ingram of Ingram Enterprises, Burlington, WA and Dan Wells at Foreign Auto Menders in San Diego, CA. If Wes or Dan decide to drop their Spica biz, we Spica owners are in some very deep kimchee.
Both have excellent reputations, but I've only personally dealt with Wes Ingram whose reputation is iconic in the Alfa community.
Contact info for both companies is located here . . . http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/anything-about-alfa-romeos-alfabb-com/4361-supplier-list.html
BTW, what symptoms exactly is your injection pump exhibiting that makes you think it needs a rebuild? Many times mechanics that have little knowledge of the system will advise owners that "it needs a rebuild" when all it might need is a new TA, microswitch, or merely a accurate tuneup.
i have 2 ingram pumps and have delt with foreign automenders in poway. personally I think these are 2 of better alfa shops in the country. Dan Wells is no longer there on a day to day bases. Another Dan now runs the operation and is a super straight up guy.
What does it generally cost to have a pump rebuilt? Are these references still current for 2015?
Ingram Enterprises, Inc. || Home Page
I live 30 miles from Wes's shop and love going in there to see what he's up to. There is always something interesting going on. As far as SPICA pump rebuilds, Herb has been doing the actual work on them for several years and does an excellent job. They always have pumps there from all over the world. Last visit there were 2 Montreal pumps on the test bench and an engine sitting on Wes's dyno ready to to run in after rebuild.
I live 30 miles from Wes's shop and love going in there to see what he's up to. There is always something interesting going on. As far as SPICA pump rebuilds, Herb has been doing the actual work on them for several years and does an excellent job. They always have pumps there from all over the world. Last visit there were 2 Montreal pumps on the test bench and an engine sitting on Wes's dyno ready to to run in after rebuild.
just had my 1980 Spica rebuilt by Gary Martin. I couldn't wait for Wes. I have not yet started the car as I have been waiting for engine rebuild, but the work Gary did seems really good from all appearances. he also rebuilt a 79 manifold for me and it again looks to be a beautiful job. He seems meticulous and is less expensive and delivered everything in a couple of months. He has a test bench and also puts the system on his test Alfa and drives it for a while.
Wes went above and beyond for me!
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Interesting....where does one find Gary Martin?..just had my 1980 Spica rebuilt by Gary Martin. .... He has a test bench and also puts the system on his test Alfa and drives it for a while...
Larry Dickman Jr of APE here in Calif has gone through many pumps for me, fixing what's needed. Has a 69 pump right now that had stuck linkage and rack, now all freed up. He's good and doesn't have a lengthy turnaround, generally.
925 200-1998
Andrew
925 200-1998
Andrew
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