blue ridge
New member
Advise needed I am a new Fiat owner and this is my first posting.
I have a 1980 model fiat spider 2000 with fi. I am a new owner but this spider is the second cute Italian I have had in my life, the first was a 77 308gt4. So I definitely understand how fickle a car can be. After about a week of driving my spider the control module went out. I replaced it as well as the distributer cap, rotator, pick-up, wires, and plugs. I cranked her and off she ran.
I talked to the dealer I purchased the car from and he told me the past owner did not know when the timing belt had been changed last so I ordered one and had it installed by a local mechanic, not my Ferrari guy that would quickly cost more than I paid for my new car.
When I drove the car with the new belt I heard something squeaking so knowing I had not replace my tension barring I took it back to the same mechanic and had him put a new barring in place. The car ran great for a few days then on my way home I heard a rattling sound from what I thought was from the back of the car almost like I had run over a stick and it got caught under the car. I pulled over and did not see anything or smell anything. Then I pulled off and the car got me home. It had very little power and it back fired several times. When I pulled the car into the garage the catalytic converter was smoking. After looking under the hood I noticed the cover for my timing belt was not completely closed and I could see the belt.
Dose any one have any advise on what happened? Losing power and backfiring to me means the gas and fire are not happening at the same time dose that sound correct? I am a little concerned of my next step because I do not want to cause any harm the valves. I would love any suggestion from veterans. .
I have a 1980 model fiat spider 2000 with fi. I am a new owner but this spider is the second cute Italian I have had in my life, the first was a 77 308gt4. So I definitely understand how fickle a car can be. After about a week of driving my spider the control module went out. I replaced it as well as the distributer cap, rotator, pick-up, wires, and plugs. I cranked her and off she ran.
I talked to the dealer I purchased the car from and he told me the past owner did not know when the timing belt had been changed last so I ordered one and had it installed by a local mechanic, not my Ferrari guy that would quickly cost more than I paid for my new car.
When I drove the car with the new belt I heard something squeaking so knowing I had not replace my tension barring I took it back to the same mechanic and had him put a new barring in place. The car ran great for a few days then on my way home I heard a rattling sound from what I thought was from the back of the car almost like I had run over a stick and it got caught under the car. I pulled over and did not see anything or smell anything. Then I pulled off and the car got me home. It had very little power and it back fired several times. When I pulled the car into the garage the catalytic converter was smoking. After looking under the hood I noticed the cover for my timing belt was not completely closed and I could see the belt.
Dose any one have any advise on what happened? Losing power and backfiring to me means the gas and fire are not happening at the same time dose that sound correct? I am a little concerned of my next step because I do not want to cause any harm the valves. I would love any suggestion from veterans. .
