OK thanks for looking first of all. Anyway the head gasket went on the car the other day i took the head off today (removed deposits with a light brush) replaced all gaskets put it back on and the car won't start everything is back on properly where it came from but i think the timing is out i removed the timing belt tensioner and put it back on as in just bolted it on whilst tightening the belt does this prevent the car starting ?? everything else is fine just wont start if its the timing i am a little unsure how to set it again i did follow a guide from the cinq to remove the head well some parts of the guide. not the bit that tells you about marking the thing before removing my own fault i guess any help would be great.

If the cam timing is out it would prevent the car from starting. If the pip on the timing pulley isn't in the whole on the alternator pulley it would prevent the car from starting. These are pretty well covered in the guides.

I hope you didn't clean the head mating surface with a wire brush!

Check for fuel past the injector(s) and spark.

and be careful if the head gasket was gone for a period of time undetected there could be a crack in the head itself

hello mate, i used to have the same punto with the same engine as yours. and im a mechanic, if you get the timing wrong, this is what will happen.

3 or more teeth out - you will turb the engine over, and smash the pistons into the valves. now you have to take it all apart again, replace all valves and seals. could be worse...

if you only got it a couple of teeth out, or even 1 tooth out, it should start, but run rough as ****, then generally when you have done that you retime them properly and then they dont run at all! all i can say is double check everything is where is should be and working. fuel, spark etc. check the crank sensor, thats always a bugger on the fiats. and check your tensioner tourque - theres a belt tensioner for the cam belt, but you have to torque it up to the right setting, if not you may run the risk of snapping the belt, or jumping teeth hope this helps, i know how you feel, my bravo is off the road with a blown gearbox!
cheers

trofeobirdy said:

hello mate, i used to have the same punto with the same engine as yours. and im a mechanic, if you get the timing wrong, this is what will happen.

3 or more teeth out - you will turb the engine over, and smash the pistons into the valves. now you have to take it all apart again, replace all valves and seals. could be worse...

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Some mechanic -- it's a non-interference engine! Valves will be fine.

As I say, check the guides for the cam and ignition timing, check for fuel past the injector and spark.

If no spark and no fuel (and no code light) it'll be the crank sensor.

Yeah the code light comes on as normal its definetly the timing which is out car just turns but won't fire up it sorta splutters for half a sec.

Pip not in hole is the most common -- puts the ignition timing way off.