Technical Sick Tipo...HELP!

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Technical Sick Tipo...HELP!

Camo16

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This morning, my Tipo developed some pretty serious sounding faults...and now I'm scared of even driving it to a garage to get fixed. :(

The car 'whistles' in a kind of burbly way when the clutch pedal is down. The note changes when idling in neutral to a whistle/flap/knock... Pretty loud and constant.

And something (not the main engine) sounds rough whilst accelarating or coasting...

Mechanic originally advised me the whistle (which has been around for a while) was probably a dry bearing and nothing to worry about. Today, though, all these symptoms got much worse.

What the hell is up? Is this timing belt failure?

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers
(A very glum) Camo
 
Don't know mate sorry I cannot help.
Doesn't sound good though.
Have you got breakdown cover of any sort for them to come and have a look???
 
This morning, my Tipo developed some pretty serious sounding faults...and now I'm scared of even driving it to a garage to get fixed. :(

The car 'whistles' in a kind of burbly way when the clutch pedal is down. The note changes when idling in neutral to a whistle/flap/knock... Pretty loud and constant.

And something (not the main engine) sounds rough whilst accelarating or coasting...

Mechanic originally advised me the whistle (which has been around for a while) was probably a dry bearing and nothing to worry about. Today, though, all these symptoms got much worse.

What the hell is up? Is this timing belt failure?

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers
(A very glum) Camo

spend 1/2 hour removing the bottom flywheel pulley ( 3 bolts)

and also the cam belt cover - making sure wiring is out of the way..!!

then start it,

now no alternator drive - often noisy, and better vision of the cambelt set-up, if it's louder now , you'll know,
Charlie
 
Thanks guys :) I'll be taking a close look at the Tipo over the weekend. Too knackered now, so I'll just glare at it through the window for tonight.

I'll work through your checklist Charlie - thanks for that!

I've just spoken to my mechanic buddy and he doesn't seem too concerned, so maybe it's not as bad as I thought. Fingers crossed he'll live to drive another day!
 
Well, my mechanic has just come round and the perpetrator of engine distress is the clutch. :( Appointment made for Thursday to have a deeper look, but almost certainly a new clutch needed.

I've found a Romec? Clutch for £60. EBay looks cheaper, but I'm not sure exactly which ones on there are right for my car.

Anyone know how much I'm looking at in garage fees to fit a new clutch? Suspension has to come out, apparently, so a big job?

Cheers
Camo
 
So, my final update:

It's the clutch.

But here's where things get interesting. I have two differing opinions about the way forward. My mechanic mate says strip it.out and replace with a new clutch (already bought). Fairly straightforward, if time consuming (and expensive).

Since then I've been in touch with the guy who sold me the car (to try to sort the DVLA V5 non appearance) and he's said it's probably just a clutch setup issue. Apparently the clutch pedal being higher than the brake (it is) is a sign that the setup is out. Hence the issues I'm encountering.

Does the second explanation make sense? Seems a shame to replace the clutch if it's just a setup fix that's needed.

Cheers...
 
So, my final update:

It's the clutch.

But here's where things get interesting. I have two differing opinions about the way forward. My mechanic mate says strip it.out and replace with a new clutch (already bought). Fairly straightforward, if time consuming (and expensive).

Since then I've been in touch with the guy who sold me the car (to try to sort the DVLA V5 non appearance) and he's said it's probably just a clutch setup issue. Apparently the clutch pedal being higher than the brake (it is) is a sign that the setup is out. Hence the issues I'm encountering.

Does the second explanation make sense? Seems a shame to replace the clutch if it's just a setup fix that's needed.

Cheers...


cable clutch..?? worth fiddling with the cable..,

but what's the issue ? noisy bearing.. or a "rattle"..??
Adrian Bravo may be better acquainted..:)
 
Just change the clutch and be done with it, especially as you've bought a replacement. There is no adjustment, it's a hydraulic clutch that shares its reservoir with the brakes. The clutch master cylinders often go (especially if the car has been stood for a while and then gets used again). So check yours for leaks (mounted on the bellhousing I think) and consider changing that at the same time (not dear or difficult).

It could be that most of the clutch is OK if the mileage is low, but it may have done a lot of urban stop-start driving. It's a fairly meaty traditional clutch, compared to the little lightweight ones used on e.g. the later 1.2 Bravas.

Make sure the garage replaces any plastic access panels around the wheel-wells since these protect engine ancilliaries (belts etc.) from spray from the wheels.

Changing the clutch shouldn't be too difficult or expensive at the right place.. I used a gearbox / clutch place in Ellesmere Port (1 forget what they quoted) to change my own Brava clutch when it stopped releasing smoothly. In the end they found that a sleeve / bush coming from the bellhousing had broken and the clutch was OK, the rebuilt my box into a spare casing and refitted the lot.. came to about £360 which was not cheap but reasonable overall to get everything sorted.
 
Thanks guys. I will get the clutch sorted, hopefully tomorrow. :) The mechanic I know works on cars of this age all the time, so he will take a closer look tomorrow and hopefully we can get started.

Just change the clutch and be done with it, especially as you've bought a replacement. There is no adjustment, it's a hydraulic clutch that shares its reservoir with the brakes.

The seller seems like a good guy, who's worked for Fiat for decades. He's emphatic that Tipos have this issue with clutch cables and the symptoms I describe are probably a sign it's slipped out of whack. Apparently he maintained the car since new on behalf of the original owner and replaced the clutch 'pretty recently'... Hence my query.

He's asked me to call back and run through the issue over the phone; since the clutch pedal is an inch higher than the brake it's probably an easy fix, he says. I still kind of want to start with a clean slate and just replace it.
 
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Thanks for your help and advice, FF peeps - the Tipo's back up and running! Turns out the clutch bearings had disintegrated :(

So, the answer was a new clutch, a good service and new fluids - all for £200. Luckily, the gearbox is fine and overall Salvo's got a relatively clean bill of health.

Now, on to the next challenge. ;)
 
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That's really good news, a little hassle and expense at the time but now you know more about your car and are confident in what's been done.

Just need to get some more miles in now and spread the love....

I've been using my old Tipo lately.. got to solve a leaky tire tomorrow, I refurbed then rusty wheel thinking that it was just a bad tyre seal but it still won't hold pressure. The car is running on one of my Brava 15" alloys at the moment!

 
Sorry I didn't have time this past week to pop in, because that issue was obviously a clutch release bearing.
I dealt with a few hundred over the years, although not many ever caused much in the way of noise.
The first one I ever replaced, was a carbon block thrust bearing, that was in 1964.
 
Sorry I didn't have time this past week to pop in, because that issue was obviously a clutch release bearing.
I dealt with a few hundred over the years, although not many ever caused much in the way of noise.
The first one I ever replaced, was a carbon block thrust bearing, that was in 1964.

No worries, fixed now. :)

Best news is I've found out loads about the car and I've worked on it myself with my mechanic mate, so hopefully I'll start to know what I'm talking about (a bit, at least) in the future!

That last journey before it got fixed was traumatic - limping down the M62 thinking timing belt's gonna go, timing belt's gonna go... I guess that was fear talking!
 
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No worries, fixed now. :)

Best news is I've found out loads about the car and I've worked on it myself with my mechanic mate, so hopefully I'll start to know what I'm talking about (a bit, at least) in the future!

That last journey before it got fixed was traumatic - limping down the M62 thinking timing belt's gonna go, timing belt's gonna go... I guess that was fear talking!

Not heard for a while, any update?
 
Hi Jonti - not much action, I'm afraid.

Been commuting to a new job on the M62 and parking in a dodgy location, so I've been using the crappy Citroen Nemo.

In fact, the Tipo's getting so little action I'm thinking of maybe moving it on.

Shame - it's been fun.

Hope all's well with you and the Tipo-heads!
 
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