Seicento My Little Red Sei...

That looks a fresh enough wee motor, did you loosen off the handbrake actuators while you were doing the handbrake cable/wheel bearing job?

Cheers

D

I don't know sorry, I got the garage to do the rear wheel bearings and they did the cable at the same time as I don't trust myself with things like that, I still need to be able to get to work the next day

Just a few strange noises...

When idling the engine/gearbox clatters until I push in the clutch ... :bang:

The steering wheel squeaks if I make small adjustments around centre....

The clutch squeaks near the end of its travel when I push it in...

Also I've had a few embarrassing moments at roundabouts, around 2000 revs I've floored it and got nothing for a second or so. Can't seem to replicate it though?

Clutch squeak is probably lack of lubrication along the cross beam (transfers movement from rh side to lh side)

Idleling whirring clatter may be the gearbox input shaft on its way out. It's a very common Punto issue, much less so on Centos. If you can live with it, wait until you need a new clutch (gearbox out job).

Steering -- no idea, really, but check that the cowling thingy (bit that covers the ignition switch) isn't fouling.

Hesitation -- assuming SPI or 899, check that the pipe to the MAP sensor is clear (remove and blow out).

Thanks for the reply

Firstly, how can I lubricate cross beam? (or am I being thick?)

I had a new clutch fitted recently so I guess the input shaft will have to wait

It's an MPI, it has a lumpy idle, sitting in it at idle is like being in my grandad's V12 E-Type

You'll see it running from the pedal box across the floor.



A little (be careful!) spray grease should help (on the moving bits.

A V12 with a lumpy idle? Surely not!

Aaah I see that's a decent diagram didn't know it worked like that (set up more for left handers I assume) , I will give it a go at the weekend if we actually see some sunlight around here....

This lumpy idle was before we realised the distributor had been dislodged in a standing mile at Woodbridge and messed with things, its been back on a rolling road since, goes like a train

Shame he won't let me drive it

Fun Fact: it was rebuilt by Richard Beaty at Wolf Direct Racing, shame he dissappeared before I got my Sei

Incredible near miss today, I've never felt luckier in my life so far.

The story goes like this:

On my way to work this morning, on this lovely rainy day, I got stuck behind this guy in a Mazda, we were in a NSL and he was doing a constant 30mph for mile after mile.

I finally reached a long hill with a long left hand curve at the bottom and with nothing coming I went for the overtake and just as I pulled alongside him he floored it too. This resulted in both of us doing around 85mph side by side at the bottom of the hill, I could see what was going to happen next and I'm pretty sure there was nothing I could do about it.

I came round the corner on the wrong side of the road with this guy still beside my at which point I lost the back end, I gave it some opposite lock to no effect. I spun across in front of him backwards, up the kerb and across a (thankfully) grassy area beside the road. I managed to stop it before I hit any trees. Of course he drove off not knowing the outcome of it and the same for the person coming the other way. I guess they assumed I was a stupid boy racer driving like a c**t.

Apart from collecting half a field on my car, thankfully AFAIK no damage was done apart from a slow puncture on the rear drivers side which I discovered after work.
I think it is as much my fault as it was his. I shouldn't of been so impatient and tried to overtake but on the other hand he shouldn't of floored it just because he didn't want to be overtaken by a little car.

I will be taking it down the garage tomorrow to get the puncture sorted and have it checked over. I'm sure I will be a hell of a lot more careful driver now than before.

Check tyres. (Type, wear, etc)

I will give it a proper check over tomorrow, guess I better get the garage to look at the alignment too....

It does feel ok when driving it but on the spare I can't get up enough speed to notice if anythings wrong..

I was thinking more on the lines of "it shouldn't happen". might be provoked by more wear on the rear tyres than fronts.

The tyres do have plenty of tread more so on the rear, nankangs though so that may be the answer.......

I was going fast enough that I could see I wasnt going to make the corner even before I got to it but if I'd of braked anymore than I did I think I would of gone straight on
I would of thought some opposite lock would of made some difference but it didnt, it just went.

You might try teaching yourself to "cadence" brake. You just hit the brakes hard until you feel lock up, get off them, and repeat ASOP (and so on). Pretty much a manual version of anti-lock brakes, although I'd not recommend it while cornering.

Cento186 said:

The tyres do have plenty of tread more so on the rear, nankangs though so that may be the answer.......

I was going fast enough that I could see I wasnt going to make the corner even before I got to it but if I'd of braked anymore than I did I think I would of gone straight on
I would of thought some opposite lock would of made some difference but it didnt, it just went.

Click to expand...

I found the only real cure is to get a set of 14 inch Abarth alloys and add Yokohoma A539

Wider, cheaper, tyres out there, though for folk with 6J 14s.

I would of done that already is just the insurance cost is ridiculous for me at the moment

I now have Accelera tires on it (well 3) got 2 punctures from yesterday. They seem better than the nankangs , I will get a fourth and have the new ones on the front soon.

glad your ok mate, similar thing happened with me on friday, silly bitch drove straight up the inside of me twice pushing me into on coming traffic.

hf turbo said:

glad your ok mate, similar thing happened with me on friday, silly bitch drove straight up the inside of me twice pushing me into on coming traffic.

Click to expand...

When situations like that happen always makes me glad I've got a small car. I do find though on country lanes oncoming traffic gives you no space whatsoever

so many people don't like being overtaken by a cento, just the way it is.. Until the day you have a really fast one you just need to learn to back off a bit in such a situation, alot of cars will be able to pull back along side too easily.

Just take a deep breath and let them go, they will get their comeuppance one day.

In the meantime, get your wheels checked out to make sure you not damaged them at all (cracks or buckles etc), check over suspension and steering parts and have your tracking checked.