Panda 45 in Antigua

Hi again,

Not sure why there is an opening in the pipe. It should be a solid pipe going into the airbox. As for the fumes, mine is also really messy and kicks out lots of oily smoke. I have changed the set-up on mine so that the breather off the rocker cover goes into an oil catch tank and then exits to atmosphere. The catch tank collects a hell of a lot of water/oil mix but I cant see anything wrong with the car. I expect it is just worn valve stem seals, so should be nothing to worry about. Are there any mayonaise like substances on the oil filler cap? Mine has a lot of white residue on the filler cap but no apparant signs of a blown head gasket. Just a dirty little engine

Si

havent checked the oil cap - but the good ole catch can mod is def an option...just need to find a can on this island


thats good to know - lol this is the first open dump i have seen - i think i will route an extension to the pavement so that i dont smell that smoke when i drive.

Haha, I know exactly what you mean. Really bad smell isnt it and unfortunately it seems to spray the oily water all over the alternator which causes charging problems. Thats my bad, a better position of the breather outlet would solve that problem

Si

PS I used a robertsons orange squash bottle till I got my catch tank Bodging panda style...on a budget.

What's wrong with just replacing the pipe and attach back into the Airbox?

The breather system is always smokey even on relatively new engines that's why it shouldn't be to atmosphere, It's not a problem...unless as said the head gasket is gone and you'll fill the carb with crap. Just make sure there is a gause of sorts to break the smoke down before going to carb....Or make an oil catch system but with the extension pipe going into the airbox rather than the atmosphere.

-- thats the guy in red that vents it out --- should i send it to the pavement[question mark] normaly the fumes travel down that pipe into the airbox, but i guess when the box gets saturated excess pressure builds up and backs up into that vent


here is the dam starter that has been giving me waaaay too many problems

the terminal is stripped and i cant get the fastener on tight[explanation point]



when i connect it - nothing...sometimes a click --- when i short it with jumper cables - nothing - even tho every wire reads 12.3 - 12.4 volts. - the ignition wire reads 12 volts as well [the lights do dim when i turn the key]

once dissattached the alternator from the terminal and attached a jumper cable from the positive terminal directly to the starter...it worked but i havent been able to replicate it

when i short the two terminals with a screwdrive the starter spins - when i short the stripped terminal with the ignition switch solenoid thingy---nuthing--just sparks

[sorry my shift key is gone]

One thing at a time. I don't have clear enough pics of the vent/pipe but it also seems to go to the airbox or carb? but would need better pics from someone who has a 903 engine to confirm.

These are some pics I found.
Pirst pic seems there is a pipe attached but shown in reverse.

This pic is parts on eper

A=accelerator cable, B=choke cable, is C the pipe from that vent?

Re the starter if you can get it to turn/spin when out of the vehicle there should be no reason why it shouldn't spin when on the vehicle. However the starter takes a lot of Amps and if the connection is poor then that is the only reason why it's not working can you not put a new thread on that terminal with a die and then find the correct nuts to suit.

When out of the vehicle does it continue to spin when the power is attached or does it spin then stop with power still attached?

ah ha[exclimation point] finally figured it out.

yes it was working 90 percent out of the car [had to wiggle the cable and voltage was fluctuating]. it was baffling...

but then i noticed something...the positive lead was 'sparking]. the order of current goes ----positive cable from battery --starter stud--bolt--washer--washer--braided cable thingy that goes into the starter. well i noticed that the big jumper leads, which i was using to spin the starter out of the car, caused the current to spark and 'jump' over those two washers[exclimation point]. i removed the washers - cleaned them with a wire brush and viola. starter started to spin - solenoid started to click and i was reading greater than 12-13 volts. hehe the 25-plus year old italian starter lives again lol. i am assuming that the car was only starting before b/c i was jumping the car -- which provided the additional voltage to jump those two washers

yes - next order of buisness - 66 yes c is that dump i was looking at. i think i will run a longer line to the street when i wrap up with all the other work.




i think over the weekend i will get to all the engine stuff...and then to the toe settings. everything begins to look brighter when you can actually get the car to start

You'll get there, BTW hows your weather......and whereabouts are you on the island? Just curious and jelous

ahh - i live in a suburban section just 10 minutes from the capital. antigua itself is 100 sq miles and has a vaaaaaaaaaast interior that, as students, we barely get to explore. the interior expands from gorgeous beaches to dense rainforests.

the gated community i live in was built by a retired italian 30 years go when he left his seat in some high govt position in italy [i think this is how it goes]. about a decade ago he had a stroke and was unable to continue expansion of the community. he lives in one of the houses here. his fiat was left dorment just opposing his house. i moved in only a few weeks ago and got that little pasta rocket started


--dont be jealous--med school is tedious. luckily i have another semester of premed before i face the full front of the basic sciences. then it will be off to some crappy hospital rotations back in new york [my home town]





--.

my polo rental--until i can get the panda to pass inspection

this pictures are worth their digital weight in gold. i already see some errors on the panda over here. for instance - the fuel lines displayed here are placed above the engine mount - on my panda here, the fuel line is wedged inbetween the engine mount and the fender . i knew something did not look right over there [exclimation point]

one more guy---anyone know what these creatures purpose is?




the panda on the island has this wire twist and tied together...i need to find a soldering iron

It's either the water temp sensor or the oil pressure sensor, if you remove it and it's covered in oil I'll let you guess which one

Showing these pics and you don't think I should feel jelous

BTW one of our Panda friends Jim, has taken his Fiat 500 over to New York just a couple of weeks ago and will be joining it shortly to do a cross America adventure. When you get back to New York Join the FLU (Fiat-Lancia Unlimited) website. They are the biggest italian car site in the US and have many meets all over the states.

I'll post the rest of the engine pics I have if they are of any help. They are from a 1986 Seat Panda....






Re the timing, you can see the nut you need to loosten to turn the distributor just below the clip....

A couple more pics here....http://www.fiatforum.com/panda-class...rogress-4.html

Post 53 in particular.

And here....http://www.fiatforum.com/panda-class...er_carb-2.html

Post 23 re carb's

Love the pics of the place neal! I thought we had nice views of the sea, lol.