78 Spitfire

[kcalexan127]

I have a 78 spitfire and it will start first pull everytime. Runs good at first. Saturday and sunday both I rode them to a friends house about 5 miles from my house. Both times it died within the last 3/4 of a mile to his house. It will then start after about 5 pulls and sometimes it will go a half mile and others it will go 50 feet before it dies. Hauled home both days. I didn't do anything to it after it died on saturday and it fired right up on sunday then it did the same thing. Thanks for any help in advance.

[JDT]

Was it overheating?

Look at the plugs and see what they tell you color wise.

[kcalexan127]

Finally got around to pulling the plugs out tonight and they are brown on the end. Does that mean not enough fuel?

[kreechur]

tan to brown is right where you want to be. If they are black they are rich, and if they are white or gray, they are too lean.

[JDT]

Could be a fuel delivery issue.

Plugged filter, pickup tube in tank. Carb plugged up?

[Joliet Jake]

I would look at the coils also they are notorious for running well when cold and then once they heat up shorting out.
Then they cool and the machine starts again.

You can check them with an ohm meter …………but you can also use the old method of examining the spark with the plugs removed when it runs well and then looking at them when it acts up. You should see a good blue spark when all is well and a weak yellow when it’s feeling ill.

Other things………. fuel pump .....pulse line ………and filters and fuel pick up as stated.

[Steven J]

I'm haveing trouble with my Spitfire. But its getting too much fuel. Cold it runs good,wide open is good,but idling,it loades up on fuel. Been through the carb 3 times,spark is good when running bad,compression is 120 on each side,no gasket leaks found,and fuel system is all new. I'm just at a loss?

[JDT]

Choke not closing completely?

[Steven J]

Adjusted on the choke today,still no change. Fuel is pooled in the intake manifold when i shut the sled down and pull the carb. New needle and seat is on back order. It doesnt leak fuel into the engine while sitting,so it seems to be shutting off the fuel flow.