Lancia Beta Forum

Hi guys would love some advice if possible .
I've finally got to the stage of turning my Spyder over ..
However didn't fire up . Fuel filter is bone dry so I'm guessing it could be the pump ?
Took this off and the mechanical lever part only seems to have around half an inch of travel ?.. is this normal ?
No luck with an initial fire up with easy start either ...
Car hasn't been started for years

I think so but I can't say for certain as I have an electronic fuel pump.
What set up do you have? engine and year

Hi there the fuel pump travel sounds normal. More importantly if the engine has not started for years have you changed the cam belt and the engine oil?

I would spin the engine plugs out ignition disconnected throttle wide open to get both fuel and oil where they need to be. I would also check you have a spark at the plugs. No start or cough with easy start suggestions an ignition problem not just a dry carb. Of course you can take the top off the carb and add some petrol directly to the float chamber and if you have a spark and compression you should get a start provided the choke is engaging.

Be aware old oil and old cam belt can wreck your engine quickly.

Good luck

Eric
PS if you get it started and warmed up do a compression test hot, throttle wide open. plugs out.    

I would suspect the tank is blocked, try setting up a temporary tank once you have fuel I'd check the spark. As Eric says don't run it without new oil and belts

All good advice as ever.

On mine, another long dormant car, I made sure the pump was doing something by checking the float chamber, but it took a while to get the pump to prime- quite a lot of spinning with the plugs out.

Mine then repeatedly broke down for crud in the tank so be warned!

I would also recommend a carb strip/clean before you start, these are old delicate instruments now and don’t take much upsetting.

Good luck.

Unless your pump is brand new you will need to prime the carb with fuel as above. Once started you can then check that fuel is going into the filter. The pumps don't usually fail completely, but as they age the diaphragm becomes porous, and they lose efficiency.

To start my car after a long time not running it takes a long time for the fuel pump to fill the line to the filter so I attached a cheap syphon pump to the filter to pull the fuel to the filter then reattach the fuel line to the pump then pour fuel down the carb after a couple of turns it will fire up hope this helps

2.0 litre 1977

First thing I did was change lol and cam belt  .
I'll try what you suggested  many thanks

Very possibly . May drop tank to inspect .
Will try your idea with temporary supply .
Cheers

Thankyou mate

Cheers for the advice . Will try the prime method

I have a drill pump . Maybe I can connect this to the fuel line somehow before the pump to draw the fuel up ?..

Last year I thought my fuel pump had packed up but when I took it off and cleaned it up making sure the little hole was very clean as this sucks the air to cause the vacuum, bunged it back on and it worked fine. Started her for the first time last week since last August and no problem.

I think that this would be too powerful. The float chamber only needs a couple of egg cups of fuel. I use a rubber priming bulb with some lengths of hose attached and fit it between the metal line entering the engine bay and the filter, bypassing the pump.

Didn't need to do this this year with the new pump fitted however.