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79 Spitfire Stops Running

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: 79 Spitfire Stops Running
From: Jonathan Leer <jleer@mv.MV.COM>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 1994 09:43:19 -0400
I have a 79 Spitfire, which I purchased at start of summer.
It was running, a bit rough, but running with a relatively high low idel of 
1300.
I turned it down to 900 and ran it for about a month. Boy did it stink.
Anyway, recently, I couldn;t get it started. It was low on gas, so I sprayed 
Gumout in the Stromberg and got it going. Real rough. Got it to a gas 
station and filled it up. Still problems keeping it running.
Somebody suggested that I got some crud in the carb from the low gas in the 
tank.
Ive hosed out everty orifice of the carb and tightedn
all loose screws. It finally started running, again. I readjusted the throttle
and fine idle as best as I could (sounded rather good). I went to adjust the
deceleration adjustment and found that the previous owner had dismantled the 
vacuum hose by the distributor (bye bye catalytic converter) and gave up on 
deceration adjustment.

Anyway, after adjusting everything and running it last night in the driveway
for at least and hour, I thought it sounded good enough for a test drive.
Now keep in mind that during this hour of testing, it never conked out, and
ran smoothly between 900 and 1700 RPMs (with me adjusting or stomping on the 
gas). The car was on a slight incline in the driveway.

I proceeded to take the car for a drive, proud as a peacock that I had 
solved the problem. Well, I get about 1/8 mile and it starts with a telltale
splutter, ever so slight. By the end of my road (1/4 mile from home), I 
downshift and it dies. Turning the key, I only get the grinding of the 
starter. It's almost as if the carb is not getting gas. But I know that 
during the previous week when I was trying to get the car running, taking 
the fuel line off the carb flooded everything with gas. And keep in mind 
that for the earlier hour of running, the carb was certainly getting gas.

So what's my problem? I cannot figure it.

Up in arms,

Jon Leer
HELP
 


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