Hi all you helpful people! ive just bought a seicento active sport a bit spontaneously. Its not really roadworthy yet as clutch cable had gone (now replaced thanks to the info on this forum. Definately needed the passenger seat out) handbrake cable gone and front bit of the exhaust but im kinda falling in love with it. i think! Any help/ guidance on replacing the handbrake cable would be much appreciated. im a bit confused about the active sport model. How is it different from other models? I know it's a 1108. thanks chaps!

It's so easy that no-one has bothered to write a guide.

Back the adjuster underneath the car (only one adjuster) right off. Use the old cable to show you the path of the new one (especially in the area of the cross beam). Do refit to all the clips (can be opened with a screwdriver). I like to replace the split pins/cotter pins with R pins, but that's just me.

Check that the actuators/elbows where the cable fits in at the drums are not seized.

Manual is in the downloads section. Dunno the spec of that model, but suspect it may have the wet type driveshafts.

Cheers for that. You say it's so simple but things have a tendency to go breasts up when I try stuff. Managed the clutch cable on Tuesday though. Aching body now from being in positions I never knew existed! Will have a butchers at the manual re the model. Thanks again. Ps. Ill google wet drive shafts. Should be interesting!

Ill google wet drive shafts. Should be interesting!

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Or scary!

A search on here should chuck lots up. But, basically (and for reasons beyond the ken on humankind) some 1108 Seis were fitted with a derivative of the 899 gearbox (albeit under a different code). These ones have the inner pot joint fitting straight into the differential, with only the rubber gaitor keeping the gearbox oil in. Sportings have a "dry" inner pot joint which is way more reliable.

Stee said:

im a bit confused about the active sport model. How is it different from other models? I know it's a 1108. thanks chaps!

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Put more emphasis on the active bit rather than the sport bit of its name

Active sport is just a slight sporty/rebadged SX, it was a bit of a stop gap model after the sporting model ceased in the UK and the seicento in the UK in general was winding down

i imagine yours will be a 2003/2004 model

Its only slightly (and i mean slightly) sporty in looks and maybe a slight trim difference (new coloured seats etc) they gave it sporty (in fiats eyes) looking wheel trims etc and wrote active sport on the side of it

It is no different in performance/bhp than any other MPI model - the gearing may slightly differ being a rebadged SX at end of day as that differed slightly from a sporting and being a rebadged SX its got a few more toys than an S but thats probably about it

fingers is right use R clips
if the rear wheels don't spin freely you need the errant drums off and your hands are going to be as sore as your back was
think there is a guide for drums
sorry

the wet gaiters need the gear box filler plug removed it is a large Allen keyed plug on front face of gear box
spray with WD40 to remove grit
undo stick in little pinky and if it does not come out covered in oil walk to factors for quart of full synthetic gearbox oil and replacement boot kits
normally the wet shaft boxes seize cause they are run dry...

thanks you lot. brill. looks like id better check the driveshaft. another job. Just realised it should have powered steering but its not working. any suggestions on that? As i say, im no mechanic but i love to have a try and all your help is really appreciated.

First check is the maxi fuses behind the battery. One for the rad fan, one for the power steering. Caps tend to fall off, get put on back to front, etc.

im on that fingers99 when i get home from work. cheers.

for future reference for your car seicento sporting boxes fit directly on to standard engine so if you want a bit more pace the sporting box is both safer from oil loss due to boot failure and bit closer gear ratios just need to swap clutch cable and shift cables oh and when you buy clutch cables in future don't refer to yours as a sporting far to long for standard box

You need the Sporting driveshafts, too (Cinq Sporting ones will do fine).

If this is the car I think it is it was parked outside my sons house on Croft Street for a few days. I had a look at it myself and wondered about buying it. If you got it for the advertised price you probably got an good deal but it does need a bit of tlc. (Not to mention a new bonnet, wing and front bumper!).

One warning though is that clutch cable failure seems to mean that the clutch is on its way out so I would budget for that and get a spare clutch cable to keep in the boot just in case.

With the handbrake cable I would try and run as much oil as you can into the outer sleeve and make sure the cable itself is a plastic coated one. The first one I got (from EK's) was not plastic coated and it siezed up within a couple of years. The ones EK's currently sell are plastic coated. Trickiest part I found about replacing the handbrake cable was loosening the adjusting nut as it's in a right awkward place and you have to do it lying flat on your back unless you have a ramp, you'll need to bend the heatshield out of the way too. Once it's loose enough take the cable out of the fulcrum thingy. Cable is just a straight swap but, as someone else said, make sure you get it in all the clips. Probably worth smearing a little grease on the fulcrum thingy too. Replace the split pins when reconnecting to the clevis pins. (First Stop DIY at the end of York Bridge sell a bag of split pins for 99p and you will have enough to last a lifetime!).

Ian.

wow. cheers guys. some great info there. Yes Grumpy old man, i saw it on the prom as i was cycling home. turns out i knew the guy selling it and a new front exhaust and handbrake cable were in the boot included. Got it for £250 inc tax till end of jan. Im not too arsed about the bonnet bumper and wing but i'll keep my eye out at Ken Allen's and ebay. As i said before, the eps isnt working. ive checked the fuse as fingers99 suggested and that looks ok so ill carry on eith the other suggestions but even if it doesnt get sorted its light enough lets face it.

I think for £250 you got a good deal. It was the bodywork issues that put me off as I was thinking of buying it as a project for my daughter when she finishes Uni and she definitely wouldn't have driven it like that! (She's a fashion student and worries about such things, lol). But if you still have it in 12 months or so and are thinking about getting rid, let me know.

Our Sei once had an issue with the electric steering but I can't remember what I did. I think it just righted itself after I turned the ignition off. Check your battery and alternator for full charge or see if any earths are a bit dodgy. Maybe disconnect the battery for a couple of hours *. Electric items can behave in weird ways sometimes.

Ian.

* expecting to be flamed for that comment, lol.

By the way, don't fall in love with it. It's just a machine. A way to get from A to B. It won't ever love you back, I guarantee it!

i'm more outraged by the last statement than the disconnecting the battery thing (although that doesn't take hours, few mins tops - you just want all the capacitors to drain and jobs a good'un)

EPS is very power hungry, so if the battery is weak or alternator not pushing enough current, it won't work.

Cheers

D

my mum's power steering stopping working properly just because her battery terminals were a little loose and dirty...

Now done clutch cable, front bit of exhaust and handbrake cable. Yes, as lots of people mention, one of the arms was seized. Bit if wd and manipulation got it going. One side's shoes were quite worn and when i poked the rubber bit on the break cylinder, a bit of fluid came out. I presume that wants replacing? I'm gonna do the cam belt too as I don't think it's been done. Anyway, it runs now. Quite chuffed with myself. Thanks again people. Cracking forum.

Replace the slave cylinder (you may as well do both sides -- they're very cheap.

Apply plenty of GT 85 or Plus Gas (a proper penetrating oil, not WD40) to the brake pipe union well before hand and use a 6 sided spanner to avoid rounding the nut off. Like this. Halfords do them, too.