b Colin, Glad to hear that things have improved by getting your car to run for longer than 3 seconds. Always nice to have progress!
I'm unsure if you can even find a reliable OE inertia switchb but maybe you can adopt a newer model from manufacturer. Or just eliminate it all together with a jumper wire - none of my Alfas (all two of them) ever had the switch. Normally, to start SPICA systems, you need to depress the throttle about 1/4 and hold it there when engaging the starter to get it to run. Did you put the old fuel pump back on and see if the idle improves? If so, then the two pumps put out different pressures enough so that it affects the idle. If not, then you'll probably need to tune the SPICA system. My recommendation is that you buy Wes Ingram's SPICA booklet ( http://www.wesingram.com/hp.htm#booklet) that gives an excellent explanation of the system, setup, tuning, and troubleshooting. Every owner of a SPICA Alfa needs this booklet to at least understand how it works. Here is a link to the official Alfa SPICA manual: http://www.veloce.se/bilderiet/spica_manual_fw.pdf. It has a section on how to change the main fuel filter (C3) and the SPICA pump oil filter (C11). And if you search the AlfaBB site (http://www.alfabb.com/) for information, you should be able to find all sorts of threads to help clarify the somewhat dry manual. If you have an owner's manual for your Spider, it probably has a section on to perform these maintenance tasks. Both are well within the scope of an owner with hand tools. The main fuel filter is a robust unit and can take abuse pretty well. But the three small nuts & studs holding the SPICA oil filter plate on are more delicate. You need to take you time getting the nuts off and on without stripping the threads on the studs - which might have been done by the previous owner. If they are stripped out, putting some washers under the nuts will move the nut to where there are good threads. Bruce > Thanks everyone. There's been a time lag in these posts.B > At present, the new fuel pump is in, the in-line filter and all flexible > fuel > line has been changed and the car RUNS--if you disable the inertia switch. > The > pump hums as before. We tried completely cleaning and rebuilding the > inertia > switch, but the car won't run when the switch is in place--or the car > starts > momentarily and then dies when it's in place. If you jumper the switch, the > car starts and runs. I drove it about five miles the other day.B > However, the car feels rough at idle in a way it hasn't before and you now > have to give the car some gas in order to start it--which was never the > case > before. I'm just wondering what those two symptoms might suggest.B > I'm still working on figuring out how to replace the other two replacement > filters that I have--one apparently an engine compartment fuel filter, the > other the small Spica oil filter. Are these easy to do by yourself, or > should > I take it to a mechanic. I'd like to save the money if I can. > Apologies for being such an idiot about these things--but I'm learning. > Thanks again to everyone. > Colin -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
