General A lost girl indeed

Currently reading:
General A lost girl indeed

tara

New member
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
4
Points
1
Location
New Zealand.
Heya,

OK I will firstly admit that I have never before owned a european car, so my knowledge of them is really limited. Living in New Zealand they are not as common, but I decided to buy a fiat tipo anyway. It is only a 1.4 litre, and would appreciate any advice i can get as not many people around here seem to know much at all about them! I used to do a fair bit of work on my old cars, but they were japanese (the usual car type in nz) and are so different to these lil euros!

I bought the car 2 months ago, and have already had quite a few things done to it as it has been endless trouble. but, now it keeps on just cutting out randomly - sometimes while i am driving .. sometimes when i come to a stop.

It will start pefectly well one time and then it will refuse to start the next. Finally it will turn over again, after a lot of frustration, and a little patience.

I have had the distrubitor cap replaced, the rotor assembly cleaned - i replaced the spark plugs & leads. Got a new battery.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be causing the problem. I am going to take the car in for a tune up, but after this I am lost.

:I
 
If you're suffering from general electrical gremlins as well as the engine cutting out it'd be worth checking the fuse box for water damage. Iit's quite common on Tipos as the seal around the windscreen fails and allows water in, this usually leads to all sorts of electrical problems.
 
If the engine has a habit of cutting out, then mysteriously working again later it is almost certainly the TDC / crank position sensor. These age badly and start to increase in resistance such that the ECU doesn't get the TDC pulse, meaning it doesn't know when to generate the spark. 5 minute job to fit (1 plug and 2x 10mm bolts to remove), cost of the unit is quite expensive though - 40 UK pounds for a length of wire with a peculiar oval shaped blob with 2 bolt holes on the end :)

Hope this helps

Hellraiser.........>
 
Thank you so much guys, I will go down now and have a look at the fuse box - and also go through the manual and find where this "TDC / crank position sensor" is and see what's going on there too ;x

I did not mention, but I actually had to get the rust fixed in the roof the week I bought the car as it was rusted out right near the seals of the windscreen ..

You guys are stars :D thanks again ..
 
The TDC sensor is easy to find - from the front of the car, looking at the top of the engine, around the back on the right hand side - you will see a thick cable going to a quick release connector behind the battery - follow that to the engine block, it will be held onto the back above the flywheel and is held on with 2 10mm bolts. SImple to remove, but be sure to only remove the sensor and NOT the bracket!
 
Hi. Have had the same problem on my 1.6 carb. Tipo. Traced it to over run cut out solenoid. Just pull the choke out so that it does not seat hard up against the stop, and trigger the cutout. With the choke cable out just a little it is not affecting the running--and it will not stall. Have reently coverd the air (lower) intake to the radiater which now warms the engine much better for winter running. Pleased with Tipo, manual steer and Italian feel and very well packaged. Have a knock from front end I'am still working on. Your 1.4 Tipo may not have a TDC sensor like the 1.6 models (early carb. model). Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top