105 Spider Mysterious Engine Cut

[Angus Dawson]

Hi Guys.
I have a 105 Spider 2000 Veloce. My son had a bit of time in recent months so he has been overseeing a major body work restoration. As part of that the body guy took out the fuel tank and while doing so replaced the sender. (Not our usual mechanic)

It was off the road for six weeks. It now has a mysterious issue where once warm, after you drive it a bit it starts spluttering like it is missing (I haven't experienced it as it is in Newcastle and I'm in Wollongong) then dies. You can turn it over but it won't start till its cold.

It has perplexed the mechanic (who used to own a 105).

Any ideas?

I think it could be some blockage or air in the fuel system.

[Colin Byrne]

Is it a standard car ie, mechanical pump and points ignition?  how long can you drive it before it stops? does it just cut out at once or does it slowly die?

as we say I've never met a fuel problem that was electrical but since the tank has been out first thing i would check is that the tank breather isn't blocked, the pump will struggle to suck fuel in if there is negative pressure in the tank, easy to check, just undo the cap and see if it starts.

[poohbah]

Have you checked the little filters in the carbies for blockage by crud from the tank?

I had a similar issue with my 81 GTV - after letting fuel get really low before refuelling. That stirred up 35 years of dirt in the tank, which made it all the way to the filters in carburettors.

The symptoms you describe are very similar to what I experienced. It would start adn run fine for a while when cold (I assume because the sediment would settle after turned off for a while) but after driving for while, the sediment would pile up again and block the filters.

[Paul Byrne]

Had a similar experience 30 years ago! Finally found it was the clogged filter in the glass fuel bowl. Bowl fills up at first then empties as you drive and car stops. Repeat.
Taking out the tank etc may well have sent a dose of sediment down to the filter/bowl.
To test just take the filter out, replace bowl (without the filter if you don't have one handy), and drive to see if its fixed. Then run some fuel though the system into a container to flush any remaining gunk.
To replace the element you can just buy one of the in-line plastic filters and cut the element out, they seem to be the same size as the original and work well.

[105junior]

Yes + 1 on the clogged fuel filter, same happened to me, same symptoms