Bernie the Berlina has a stuttering problem......

[Alfasedanman@domain.elided]

Greetings Alfisti !
     Good to post on the digest again, after more than a few months of hard 
work,way too much sadness, my company going chapter 11 and zero computer time 
. My beloved 73 2000 Berlina, Bernie to those who know; has developed a 
rather curious problem.The car is driven daily. 
     It started about 2 weeks ago when I was leaving work; I manage  a rental 
car co. and  was going to make sure the rental cars left on the lot were 
secured. I store the rental cars in a lot above my office; it s a rather 
sloping hill. I started the berlina, warmed it up as always and drove it up 
the hill. I stopped, shut the car off and secured ( a word with an entirely 
new meaning  here ) my rental cars, and went back to start Bernie for my 
daily trip around the DC Beltway . The car was parked  sideways to the hill 
(hill runs "north and south" in slope, Bernie was parked "East to west" on 
the slope.) The fuel pump was on a higher level than the tank and the fuel 
was low, 1/4 tank or less) 
     Bernie does not start. Turned over like it always does but does not 
start. I waited, tried it again, fouled the plugs. Waited 30 minutes, tried  
it again and no start. Finally , get the car started by turning the switch on 
and rolling it down the hill, and popping the clutch. Car finally starts, but 
stutters. What I mean by 'stuttering" is that the car hesitates now, 
constantly and at varying road speeds and  rpm. Thinking I'd dredged up junk 
out of the fuel tank, I replaced all the fuel filters and drained the tank. I 
have changed plugs  (Lodge HL's as always)and points (single point marelli 
distributor) and plug wires; but still have the same stuttering problem.  I 
did a compression test (125 in all 4 cylinders, like 4 Italian indians in a 
row, surprisingly even) and am going to check the timing  next. The fuel pump 
is working with no problems that I can tell. The SPICA on the car is 
operating normally; although it is running a bit rich. Could I have burned 
out an idle cutoff or cold start solenoid on the SPICA???     
I'm running out of ideas on this, if anyone can offer some other ideas on 
this please respond off post or to my work Email address, TAkins 
@domain.elided  I could really use some help on this one; It has to be 
something minor that I'm missing; I'm running out of Ideas (and hairs to pull 
out of my head).
Thanks in advance,
Terry Akins 
Alexandria, VA
1973 2000 Berlina (Bernie, being cantankerous but no longer reeks of burnt 
jet fuel !)
1978 Alfetta  sport sedan (sadly totalled in a windstorm by a "tarp from 
hell" over new years and  due to be parted out. Looking for donor alfetta 
Coupe??)
1979 Fiat X 1/9  (needs a 4 speed transmission because it's an airplane car 
now. Just goes in one direction-forward, no reverse.....)
106 rental cars   

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