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General Punto 55s mk1 engine died and won't run.

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General Punto 55s mk1 engine died and won't run.

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bens

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Hi everyone,
Any suggestions welcome here to save my wife's 1995 punto!

Yesterday whilst driving on the motorway, engine lost power and died. She called AA, who simply towed her home, said its probably the head gasket, and should scrap it.

We've had it over 10 years, its done 110k and apart form a head gasket a few years back, its been trouble free and ultra reliable/cheap.
I had a quick look at it in the rain this morning, engine spins over fine, tries to start but not quite run.
Not lost any water, heater wasn't blowing cold at idle and the plugs / oil are clean, no mayonnaise, which were the warning signs of the head gasket failing last time.
In the recent cold weather, it has been a bit reluctant to fire up.
Any ideas?
I was thinking coil pack / or crank sensor?

Thanks!
 
bens said:
Hi everyone,
Any suggestions welcome here to save my wife's 1995 punto!

Yesterday whilst driving on the motorway, engine lost power and died. She called AA, who simply towed her home, said its probably the head gasket, and should scrap it.

We've had it over 10 years, its done 110k and apart form a head gasket a few years back, its been trouble free and ultra reliable/cheap.

In the recent cold weather, it has been a bit reluctant to fire up.
Any ideas?
I was thinking coil pack / or crank sensor?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

hi, :)
check key code, and fuel pump primes..;)

HG sounds ok,

timing slipped..?;)(belts CAN JUMP):eek:
these are tough / basic motors - CINQ sporting section will have more info;)

Charlie
 
There can be many reasons for the failure.
My gues would be the coils. There are 2 coils, if one fails then the engine will only drive on 2 cylinders. This will cause the engine to loose power and eventually die, which is similar to the symptoms you are seeing.
 
Cheers for the advice.
Checked this morning, there is a good spark at the coil packs, and fuel injector is priming. It tries to start, but extremely lumpy, and only for a few seconds if you keep trying to rev it. It sounds almost like the firing order is wrong?
My wife keeps saying the AA man said the HG has gone. I'm still not convinced....
Any other suggestions.
Betty the punto has become a member of the family and I don't want to give up on her, just yet...
 
bens said:
Cheers for the advice.
Checked this morning, there is a good spark at the coil packs, and fuel injector is priming. It tries to start, but extremely lumpy, and only for a few seconds if you keep trying to rev it. It sounds almost like the firing order is wrong?
My wife keeps saying the AA man said the HG has gone. I'm still not convinced....
Any other suggestions.
Betty the punto has become a member of the family and I don't want to give up on her, just yet...
Click to expand...

checking timing - is only a 20 minute ,4 x M6 bolt job.., use the Cinq section for info, https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecen...quecento-sporting-water-pump-replacement.html
my panda jumped 7 teeth unexpectedly - same issue
engine is a SAFE design, retime and away you go..,
Charlie
 
well if i understand correct then you have good spark and you have fuel.. So for it to not run at all its must not be injecting and/or sparking at the right time.

As charlie suggests, first thing to do is check the timing - its really easy job and its free. If it jumped a tooth or two it would run but not very well, few more you tend to get big bangs and pops as it ignites with a valve open so get it firing down exhaust or up inlet, any further it just won't start at all.

It will not be a crank sensor issue if you have consistent strong spark as when that fails you get no spark and no fuel. Did you check for spark from a plug supplied from each coil pack? They run 2 plugs each so you might get decent spark from 2 and not from the other 2 plugs.

Ignore the AA guy, if a mk1 punto is not rotten its worth fixing, even a whole new engine is under £100 and they are too rare now to just scrap a good shell!!!

Keep us posted on your progress ;)
 
Hi all,

Thank you for the advice. I've given it a compression test and its well down on 2 and 3, so I guess the hg has gone between these cylinders. Hope its nothing more serious!
I will take head off today and see if that fixes it.
I cant believe how few and far between mk1 puntos are now. I had a look on how many left for punto 55s 1995, and they are decreasing rapidly! down to last couple of hundred!
I've always greased the seams underneath ours and run gear oil through box sections, so it is pretty much rot free. So I'm going to give it a go.
Wish me luck!
 
bens said:
Hi all,

Thank you for the advice. I've given it a compression test and its well down on 2 and 3, so I guess the hg has gone between these cylinders. Hope its nothing more serious!
I will take head off today and see if that fixes it.
I cant believe how few and far between mk1 puntos are now. I had a look on how many left for punto 55s 1995, and they are decreasing rapidly! down to last couple of hundred!
I've always greased the seams underneath ours and run gear oil through box sections, so it is pretty much rot free. So I'm going to give it a go.
Wish me luck!
Click to expand...

where?
 
bens said:
Hi all,

Thank you for the advice. I've given it a compression test and its well down on 2 and 3, so I guess the hg has gone between these cylinders. Hope its nothing more serious!
I will take head off today and see if that fixes it.
I cant believe how few and far between mk1 puntos are now. I had a look on how many left for punto 55s 1995, and they are decreasing rapidly! down to last couple of hundred!
I've always greased the seams underneath ours and run gear oil through box sections, so it is pretty much rot free. So I'm going to give it a go.
Wish me luck!
Click to expand...

just for info;

the head bolts can be torqued twice..so can be re-used once,
and the Gaskets can fail with age.. my 55's didn't need a skim..

So @£10 for a Head gasket was the total spend,:worship:

always a good opportunity to flush the cooling, and change thermostat if necessary,

Charlie
 
Hi all,

Well, head off and valves / seats worn as well. Oil dripping through them which wont help. So doing valves and had it skimmed.
Hopefully put it all back on this weekend and Betty the punto may just ride again! She may even see her 21st birthday in June!
Ben
 
Well I'm pleased to say - head back on now, with new valves and a skim. Flushed cooling system too. Total cost £70. She fired up first time, sweet as a nut!

Betty the Punto rides again...for now at least! She may still see her 21st birthday next June.:)
 
Well done that man, always good to hear good news on the vehicle ownership, & of course saving a few bob along the way resurrecting the wee punto.:)
 
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