Engine Maintenance and Modification Bradley Artigue
FIAT 124 Spider Engine Maintenance + Modification - Artigue.com
FIAT 124 Spider Engine Maintenance + Modification - Artigue.com
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FIAT 124 Spider<br />
<strong>Engine</strong> <strong>Maintenance</strong> + <strong>Modification</strong><br />
be erratic during operation. Inspect the wires at every oil change <strong>and</strong> change if they are<br />
suspect.<br />
Rotor or Cap Failure<br />
Old, brittle, or over-tight rotors can explode inside the distributor cap. They can spin<br />
themselves to pieces. The contacts inside distributor caps can also become brittle over<br />
time, as can the cap itself. Inspect <strong>and</strong> change them when necessary.<br />
9.6.2 Conventional Ignition Failures<br />
Points <strong>and</strong> Condensers<br />
Poor operation, acceleration, <strong>and</strong> other running problems may be due to worn points.<br />
Inspect the points for the appropriate gap <strong>and</strong> dwell. Check that the points show even<br />
<strong>and</strong> not excessive wear. When replacing, change the condenser(s) at the same time.<br />
9.6.3 Common Ignition Failures<br />
Spark Plugs <strong>and</strong> Wires<br />
Bad plugs <strong>and</strong> wires can arc, causing misfires <strong>and</strong> poor overall operation. Plug wires<br />
should not be brittle or have any corrosion on the contacts. At night with the hood open<br />
you should see no arcs between the wires <strong>and</strong> the engine body. There is no substitute<br />
for high quality 7mm or 8mm wires like Magnecor or Bosch. The spark plugs should be<br />
of the resistor type <strong>and</strong> free of corrosion. When removed from the engine they should<br />
be very clean <strong>and</strong> with a brownish-white “burn” on the electrode.<br />
Coil<br />
Missing or poor combustion can be caused by a malfunctioning coil. The coil <strong>and</strong><br />
electronic coil pack are extremely durable <strong>and</strong> reliable units. The shop manual has<br />
procedures for testing each unit. When replacing do not use any coil unit on the<br />
electronic system not specifically designed for this purpose.<br />
Poor Operation <strong>and</strong> Erratic Tachometer Display<br />
Poor operation accompanied by a tachometer that is jumpy or otherwise erratic is often<br />
caused by a short circuit inside the distributor body. On both electronic <strong>and</strong> conventional<br />
distributors this may be caused by a broken rotor or metal in the cap. On the electronic<br />
distributor this is usually caused by the wires leading to the pickup unit becoming frayed<br />
<strong>and</strong> interfering with the metal advance plate.<br />
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