So I have no idea about engines, I can't picture what you guys are talking about and I can't fix my car (if ever I need to) if I dont know about engines.

I was jsut wondering how you guys got your knowledge. I was thinking of going to a scrappy's and asking whether I can take a fiat apart, that'd probably be best for me cos I dont want to kill my car just yet.
But I don't have loads of time to get to a scrappy's and will he charge me to rip it apart and then (hopefully) put it together again.

Or maybe I should buy a heap of junk and park it outside my house and rip that apart. Might be cheaper and I can always refer back to it cos its outside.

Im open to any other ideas, i will also be reading through the guides and FAQs trying to get as much clear as I can.

As it happens Ive gotta fix the tappets on my car, but the Haynes for the cinq isnt as clear as I'd like it to be, not enough pictures either.

So yea any ideas are welcome

Evilpaperclip

just dive in. i'd never worked on a car before until my cinq first blew its HG - garages quoted me £300 to fix, so i bought a tool kit (£100) and a haynes (£15ish) and got cracking with it.

As i said in PM. Dont think a scrappy would be too impressed unless you buy what you take off. lol.

Just buy the tools as you need them if money is a bit tight. Am sure if you cant find what tools are needed from the searches someone will tell you very quickly.

Most people on this forum will probably tell you the same to just read read and read the haynes, etc and then play and that is the best advice. Most of us will know where in the haynes each section is, which is really quite sad, but illustrates how useful it is. Pics are very carp but you get to know your engine from every angle.

Enjoy playing with your car, whats the worst that can happen. New engine is 100 quid.

The car itslef cost 600 lol XD Lovely car tho, just wish it had some more oomph, but Ill cross that road when I get to it

I started learning along time ago with my first car. Haynes manuals existed then, and i bought tools as i needed them.

I got a job as a mechanic on the strength of my self learnt knowledge.

Haynes makes a lot more sense when you've got the bits in front of you.

Cheers

SPD

Well hopefully Ill get my axle stands soon and be able to fix my tappets XD

Evilpaperclip said:

Well hopefully Ill get my axle stands soon and be able to fix my tappets XD

Click to expand...

Set of allen keys will do the job better.

Cheers

SPD

well according to Haynes I gotta lift the car to get it to TDC and cars tend to be quite heavy Besides I have allen keys How important is a torque wrench?

You don't have to lift the car to get to TDC.

Put the car on a level surface, put it in gear and let the handbrake off.

Moving the car back and forward by hand allows you to get the car at TDC.

Cheers

SPD

You sir are a genius! Damn and Ive been waiting for ages for these damn stands...
Would I need a torque wrench when trying to fix the tappets? Not for the tappets themselves but for any part that needs to come off to gain access.
Otherwise I can probably fix it this weekend
Thanks!

No need for a torque wrench, although be careful that you don't overtighten and bolts.

The rocker cover is allen bolts, after you've removed the TB. There is no need to remove the fuel pipes from the TB, remove the throttle cable and the TB will swing out the way with the pipes still attached.

Doing this whole job use spanners rather than a socket set, less likely to strip bolts by overtightening.

Cheers

SPD

Ahh cool and with the tappets, Haynes mentions a FIAT adapter tool or something to pre load them. Is it crucial or can it be done with spanners?
And will I need a feeler gauge, bearing in mind they, should be, hydraulic tappets Dad said I might need one anyway

No feeler guage needed.

Spanner and pliers to adjust/preload.

Cheers

SPD

Just re read yoiur earlier posts.

This is a ticking noise that goes away when warm, correct?

Cheers

SPD

Yea it is, sometimes it doesnt happen when cold ad so I assume theres enough oil in the tappets

but a cheap fiat/sei then you can use the parts off it to fix you own, its the way i learnt.

Brought a car for £150, fixed the problems then got bored with it so put a 1242 in. before this i could even change a spark plug, now i save 100's on services

Im a poor student currently, only JUST managed to get my current cinq I wonder if my friend has his totalled sei... thatd be quite good.

Evilpaperclip said:

Yea it is, sometimes it doesnt happen when cold ad so I assume theres enough oil in the tappets

Click to expand...

OK, In my humble opinion, don't take the rocker cover off. A tappet is a bit sticky, you are unlikely to find it just like that and then you are going to have to replace it.

Its preload will be fine, it stops ticking when it unsticks.

Save up your pennies and treat the car to another oil and filter change in 3000 miles.

Make sure you use 10w40 or 15w40.

Maintain your car in the best running order. Check the tyre pressures and all the lights and levels every week. mke sure the coolant is not only up to level, but bled and of the correct quality.

If you want to get the tool box out, check the gearbox oil level.

Do a search on this site for details. That will ber fa more beneficial thn trying to find a sometimes sticky tappet.

Cheers

SPD

Right ok, I was planning on changing pretty much everything as im not so sure that the previous owners took amazing care of it, so i was going to change the oil and filter, change the coolant cos it looks a bit nasty in there, change the brake fluid, pretty much just follow the Haynes on the weekly inspectiosn and do some of the yearly ones now.

I thought your earlier post suggested that the oil had been changed, but if not, thats your priority.

Remember the fuel filter under the car, you'll need your axle stands for that.

Cheers

SPD