Technical 1972 500L cutting out problems

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Technical 1972 500L cutting out problems

So got it all installed and ran it around the block ran pretty smooth does it normally not come with a gasket. Also is sets right where the air comes out the thermostat will the hot air cause it to over heat
 
Air should be coming out of the heater box only when the engine is cold. Worse is heat from the exhaust manifold and muffler. The distributor does get very hot from that but so far mine is still working. Make sure you have the horizontal plate in the engine compartment that shields the distributor from the muffler to some extent.
 
Hello, Ever figure out what was making your Fiat fail to restart. I have a 1969 that starts well from cold but loses power after about 15 minutes, then dies and is impossible to restart. 30 minutes later, it starts back up. Appreciate your insight. Thanks in advance, Kerry
 
Hello, Ever figure out what was making your Fiat fail to restart. I have a 1969 that starts well from cold but loses power after about 15 minutes, then dies and is impossible to restart. 30 minutes later, it starts back up. Appreciate your insight. Thanks in advance, Kerry

Petrol tank breather - take the filler cap off and see if the problem goes away. Filter where petrol pipe goes into carburettor - you can get jelly-like deposits in this filter; make sure petrol pump is free of gunge as well. Earthing failure of distributor - make sure the body of the distributor has its own earthing wire. Have you changed the condenser? Try that.

Good luck.
 
Petrol tank breather - take the filler cap off and see if the problem goes away. Filter where petrol pipe goes into carburettor - you can get jelly-like deposits in this filter; make sure petrol pump is free of gunge as well. Earthing failure of distributor - make sure the body of the distributor has its own earthing wire. Have you changed the condenser? Try that.

Good luck.

Let's not forget the LT lead from coil to distributor too.
 
It may have been suggested but worth trying to provide fuel supply through a short piece of new pipe from a fuel container. This will eliminate internally collapsed pipe or problems at connections. There is an outside chance that fuel is vaporising in the pipe and it might overcome this.
 
DragonWagon and Fiat500. Thank you for your replies and suggestions. Next time the car fails (and it will on the very next hot restart), I will open the fuel tank cap.

I keep coming back to vapor lock as when I can not restart the carb seems really hot and almost impossible to touch. I do have a HotSpark ignition and others are wondering whether this is the culprit. Thus, no more points or condenser. Here is what happened on my last outing:


On Saturday I wrapped my exhaust and took the little Fiat out for a run. It idled perfectly for about 20 minutes with the engine hood open. The carb and coil felt relatively cool. I decided to tempt fate and take it for a spin. About 10 minutes into the ride it began to lose power when pulling away from a stop sign and later at a stop light. Just felt like it was about to stall and wasn't pulling at low rpm. Once moving it ran and shifted normally. 5 minutes later it would not pull up my (steep) driveway.

The hood was hot tot the touch. The coil and carb were extremely hot. Withing another 5 minutes the car would crank but would not turn over. I noticed the fuel seem to drain from the filter.

Could this be a failing ignition? It seems to me to be fuel related like vapor lock. It is basically every time I start and try to restart. I would think that if the Hot Spark was the culprit, it would quit and not restart, even when cool. If you are still strongly believing it is the ignition, would you recommend I shift back to points and condenser, get a new HotSpark or a 123?

Any other ideas? I am left with perhaps putting in an electric fan to point it at the carb to keep the gas cool. Tho this doesn't sound like a solution to the actual problem, just a solution to the symptom. Kerry
 
Kerry if it was me I would still put my money on the ignition system. You are getting even more symptoms pointing in that direction, with it being unable to pull away at low revs suggests it is missing a spark every now and then or possible only firing on one cylinder.

I wouldn't be too concerned by the fuel draining out of the filter, it's just going to drain back under gravity into the fuel pipe.

I have read loads of threads on different 500 forums where people are convinced it is a fuel issue causing hot start or engines not reving at low revs. Probably 75% of the time it is nothing to do with fuel but ignition related. You do get problems with carbs and air leaks or dirty jets but they would probably be evident when the engine is not warmed up. Some people have had issues with fuel pumps but they are very rare. I don't ever recall anyone actually finding these type of issues being down to fuel vaporisation. Fuel caps can cause issues though as already stated.

I would measure the voltage output being supplied to the coil, if above 12.4v then I would look at getting a ballast resistor and a new coil. The hot spark can breakdown as it gets warmer as proven by 124Spiderman.

The only thing that does confuse me a little is that you have had this problem for a longtime now and I am surprised that the coil hasn't failed totally. I maybe down to the fact that you aren't going too far and it isn't being pushed to the limit?

Tony
 
Kerry I started my car up today after its winter hibernation and it was an nice warm spring day. My Bosch blue coil was cool as anything after 10 mins. Even after 20 mins of the car sitting there idling on slightly higher revs than tickover, just to warm it up, with no airflow, it was barely warm. Any heat generated on it was simply coming from the heat being given off the engine.

Tony
 
DragonWagon and Fiat500. Thank you for your replies and suggestions. Next time the car fails (and it will on the very next hot restart), I will open the fuel tank cap.

I keep coming back to vapor lock ....k or a 123?

Any other ideas? I am left with perhaps putting in an electric fan to point it at the carb to keep the gas cool. Tho this doesn't sound like a solution to the actual problem, just a solution to the symptom. Kerry

Do you have the insulating spacer between the cylinder head and the carburettor?Everything on the 500 was costed to the farthing and Fiat wouldn't have put it there for no reason.
 
Hey Tony, Fiat 500 and Babbo, Pure genius. Not me, you guys. Yesterday I did as you suggested and put a voltmeter on the coil. As ypu guessed it, it read about 16 v at idle and upto 19 volts when really revved up. I then checked the battery while the car was running and it was ovet 15 volts. With the car off and a couple minutes later the battery tested at 14 Volts. Diagnosis? Burned out Hot Spark, failing voltage regulator, bad coil or a combo? Despite super high voltage, the car sounded like it was running flawlessly. Could this be the cause of the engine overheaing and refusing to restart while still hot?

I ordered some new points and a coil. Should I also order a voltage regulator for the alternator and/or a new coil? I do have a carb spacer but I may just order a new one and cut out heat insulating material between the spacer and carb.

Btw - Are there 2 voltage regulators for yhe Fiat 500 with the 126 engine. My catelog shows 2 different ones;onr for the alternator ant the other I am not sure.

Aloha
 
Hi Kerry that is a high voltage I am surprised that the coil is still working. Like you say it does suggest the voltage regulator is possibly faulty. It is too high to be fixed with a ballast resistor.

Can you post a picture of your alternator so that I can see what type it is?

Tony
 
Hi Kerry that is a high voltage I am surprised that the coil is still working. Like you say it does suggest the voltage regulator is possibly faulty. It is too high to be fixed with a ballast resistor.

Can you post a picture of your alternator so that I can see what type it is?

Tony
Hi Tony, Tried a ballast resistor but as you presumed, the high voltage was too much for it to make any real difference.

Have a picture of the alternator and vpltage regulator but cannot figure out how to attach it. Could you tell me how or please provide me with ypur email address?

Are you thinking this may be the cause of my impossible hot starts? Kerry
 
Hi
click "new reply"
note in tool bar "paperclip"
click it
find pictures from your hard drive
click "open"

then from the Fiat Forum pop up click "download"

then when completing post you scroll further down than usual past "additional options" to "submit reply"
 
Hi
click "new reply"
note in tool bar "paperclip"
click it
find pictures from your hard drive
click "open"

then from the Fiat Forum pop up click "download"

then when completing post you scroll further down than usual past "additional options" to "submit reply"

Thank you Andrew,

My uploading troubles were that I was using my (not so) smart phone instead of my computer. Tony, please find a close up of my alternator attached.
 

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Hi Kerry the voltage is way too high and has probably either cooked the coil or the hot spark or both, I would have thought most likely the coil as it is getting so hot but it would be worthwhile just getting yourself a set of points and condensor as they are so cheap and you could try them if changing the coil doesn't fix it. When a coil gets too hot it breaks down and won't produce a spark once it has cooled it will work perfectly normally. I have just read a suggestion online, so can't comment on the validity of it but someone suggests idling the car for 30 mins or so and then hit the coil with a screwdriver and if it stalls you know the coil has suffered overheating?

I don't know if you are aware but the voltage regulator is the bit in the photo with the green and yellow wire coming out of it by where is says Good Year on the fan belt. The VR should maintain the output of the alternator at 14.2v yours is clearly higher than that so the only logical explanation is that it has failed. If you look in the sticky posts there is a very good document written by Matts Dad that explains the operation.

This is the type of voltage regulator you need to source.

http://webshop.fiat500126.com/katal..._regulator_fixed_on_alternator_f_zelmot_repro

Tony
 
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