I am starting to get a bit bored driving the 1.7 puma.
It was meant to be a winter run around.
Anyway,thinking of putting the coupe back on the road after being parked up for a few months.......enough is enough as they say and I miss the power
Anybody got any advice of things to do and not to do after starting up and using a fiat after it not being used for a while ?
Thanks all,
Paul

If I've left any of my cars for any length of time I like to pour a bit of fresh oil in before starting - get at least something into the top end / on the cams and start it with the clutch in.

arc said:

If I've left any of my cars for any length of time I like to pour a bit of fresh oil in before starting - get at least something into the top end / on the cams and start it with the clutch in.

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Sounds good......cheers bud
Keep them coming please
Out of curiosity,why keep the clutch in if it is in neutral ?

Even in neutral the gearbox still spins, so the starter is turning the engine + box. Pressing the clutch isolates the box, meaning less strain on the starter / battery

Yes, just tip some oil into it so that there's some already near the top of the engine, prior to starting it.

Also check the coolant since it may have gone AWOL.

Have a look at the distribution belts since they have a habit of drying out, cracking or falling off when left unused.

Let the beast warm up in its own time.. you have to get the oil circulating to places where it hasn't been for a while.

Whilst it is idling, press the clutch in and out for a while to free up/clean up anything that's grown on the plate.

Work the brakes a bit to make sure they're not seized on... hopefully you parked with the handbrake off...

Pump the tyres up..

Gentle drive it around the block to make sure everything's okay and working.

I'd change the oil and filter soon afterwards since hanging about in the sump it will have picked up a lot of moisture. If it's turned black (also see what it looks like after a week) you'll see how much clag has arrived while you weren't looking.

Same goes for coolant. Stick some fresh in there... use the new pink stuff... but that needs a complete drain.. fill with water and flush again.. then fill with pinky, if you have green/blue coolant at the moment. Use 50%.. since head gaskets are dearer than anti-freeze.


Ralf S.

I'd be doing some repeated stops from speed, say from 100 down to 30 with just enough brake force that the ABS doesn't cut in. This removes the corrosion from the brake discs. If you leave it, the corrosion can take hold, eating further into the disc, and once that happens the only option is to replace.

Just tried starting my Coupe, been garaged since early Dec. Not a spark of energy in her. Put a brand new battery on in Nov - would it discharge over a couple of months just sat there? No life at all, not a bit. No power in my garage so I will need to take the battery out and pop it to Dads for him to charge up for me.

its possilble over a couple of months you have got the alarm constantly using power proply a radio using a little bit and other bits and bots over a period of time it may go flat

Sounds feasible you have discharged your battery over that period in the cold weather.
Give it a jump start and let it run for a while to charge the battery off the alternator.
Matt.....surely you mean in kilometers/hour when you say brake from 100 to 30
I never speed in my 290 bhp monster.......the extra power is only for........something or other

I actually meant 100 leptons. I can honestly say I've never* exceeded the law's maximum speed limit on the queen's carriageway



* crosskeys

pinin__prestatyn said:

I actually meant 100 leptons. I can honestly say I've never* exceeded the law's maximum speed limit on the queen's carriageway



* crosskeys

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And I can honestly say I've never* exceeded the maximum speed limit of the car on the queen's carriageway