Right guys, a couple of days ago i was able to haggle 200 off an old Marea (Im glad i did!) so i got a 2.0 hlx for 400 quid which has done 74k miles, but to be fair, the state of it is well worth the price i payed! Now ive got my hands on it, im hoping to do some real good in restoring it, but i'm going to need your help!

The car is flooded with all sorts of niggles, i drove it 180 miles home without even realising .



Here it is in all its glory, probably ancient pictures from the ad, i'l take some of my own when i've cleaned it up because its dented, bruised and dusty alright! the engine bay looks to have been professionally cleaned at one point though! Which is a bonus!!

Problem List : To Sort out with your help!

Engine! - Eeeek biggest concern, unknown cambelt age/milage, may not have even been changed, it looks perrished but it doesnt look rediculously bad if you get me, i only pulled the cover over a bit! its full of sludge, lack of service and its been ran with no coolant ffs -.- i drove it home with nothing in expansion bottle and the fan wasnt kicking in either, but it had some form of temperature on the dials so im not sure

Boot - looks like someones tried prying the centre off with something lol, so a new boot or have it professionally cleaned up (Y)

Rear Bumper - Annoyingly split in two, think the plastic/fibre has expanded from being out in hot weathers? going to need a new one, for now the crack aint big but its growing!

Tyres - The tool who sold it to me replaced two tyres, unfortunately there about 20mm wider then the rears ffs!

Fog Lamps - Not working at front magic rear one does though, any clues about the fronts (Unless its just a bulb)

Switches on console in centre of seats - What do they do? its like a cross with a left/right notchy thing, im guessing mirrors? they dont work either.

Seats - Drivers needs new pull handle

Arial - Piece of washing line or something atm ffs, looks a proper state, needs sorting!

Other then that, she drives beatifully, but im one of these paranoid people who doesnt want there car to break straight away! Engine is priority 1, and i cant tell if its heading towards head gasket failure, or will live a nice life if i start loving it now!

Filled coolant with water for now, fans started working too! which means the circuit of liquid must be complete, engine makes some funny whines though, like pumps or something! As for the sludge, its thick, but i reckon its not set properly yet, the oil cap had mayo in earlier, the tiniest bit, but after filling the coolant up fully and giving it a bit of a rag round, its back to oily now? Its not blowing too much smoke out of exhaust either, and fume smell on my hand smells good, if not a tad sweet.

Help me sort her out Marea owners! I need your advice!

Suppose the question is, save for another engine? or attempt to get this one sorted -.-, she pulls very very well though!! feels like compression is good, but i will have to get a tester i think (Y).

Happy to be back guys,
Migs!

Pardon my stupidity - but the belt is ready for replacing
So will the water pump

you said its ready for a service, sounds to me like its a nice engine resto project

Since half the engine will be taken off todo the cambelt - why not just cover you back and get the head off - skim it - new HG - pump - thermo and go from there?
obviously more diagnosis to confirm HG may help alot here

But sounds like you've fallen in love the underdog and want to make it a victory on the road

Ziggy

thats why he sold the car
it need its belts changing, also he advertised it as a 155 and its a 147:devil:
the tyres are good for traction being wider at front, the fogs could be the switch bar,

the engine is pretty bullet proof, if you can its best to take her to a specialist to change the belts,pump and pulleys.
dont think it would have done much damage as i ran my first marea hlx without af for a whole month and she was fine

i think this Marea has been resqued just in time

Yeah I plan to save this Marea whatever it takes, how can I tell what model of bhp it is I don't think its fitted with vis and it revs to 7k so makes me suspectits 147 too! What's the difference? I would like to learn to do the engine myself if that's possible so I can proper clean the sludge out, it proper revs hard though! When the oil gets about it gets to 6k effortlessly I will compression test it to see if its worth saving or another engine it is, the wider tyres are good but look like they will scrub if I pump em up fully, so far bargain car for 400 quid lol and underside is tidy as hell too! I honestly believe an old lady drove it for 10 years.

Migs

Lift the bonnet. Plastic cover and it's a 155 or 150 metal cover and it's a 147. But from the looks it has the round badge on the front so it's not a 147. Left right clicky switch in front of coin holders but behind disc button is for selecting which powered mirror to move with the disc button.
Also no mention of the belt being changed in any documentation, then get it changed asap it's past due now.
Edit: just found ad it's defo a 147.

Right its a 147 according to the metal plate being there lol so I'm thinking maybe the head gaskets alright its a risk but I'll take it!

Two questions I want to deal with this sludge fast as I don't think its settled yet, can a 2.0 engine be diesel flushed I know the 1.6 one can so I'm hoping that so can this,

Second anyone ever done radiator cleans with solutions? Like radiator flush? Can belt seems in alright nick but will deal with that and the relevant pumps shortly and is it easy to get the rocker and engine sump covers off? Its also got rear disks so I will check the cables and try and future proof them and leave it in gear in winter !

Cheers for all the help guys!
Migs

Switches on console in centre of seats: Mirrors, might be unplugged, remembered to select side to adjust?

Seats - Drivers needs new pull handle: What? forwards/backwards is solid metal? Thought all HLX had electric up/down.

Engine: Belt change.... I had to do mine twice as the tensioners from first kit screamed like they had seized....you will hate the job, remember to seal the waterpump. Doesnt take that much after youve done it once.
Flush the engine with cheap synthetic first, then clean oil and filter in and start using kerosine/diesel (I drove a week with new filter + cheap synth before putting on new filter and quality oil, had no sludge tho). Cant say about coolant issue, use distilled/batterywater mixed with antifreeze.

to be fair buddy, i would get the belt done first if t here is no documentation for it, i did on all mine, took mine to poweritalia so Rog could work his magic, although be prepaired to pay more for the belts and pump to be done than the car cost, i paid £437 for mine to be done but worth every penny, is your rad leaking> mine was from the bottom drivers side, i pulled it and changed it and flushed using a hose pipe until water ran clear, then popped the new rad in, and filled up the coolant with with paraflu expensive but if a jobs worth doin its worth doing right, i also changed my oil then used it for a week and then changed it again done this over a 3 month period a couple of times gets rid of all the crap. be very careful getting the rocker cover off and then torquing it back up as i know a few people who have broken the corner of the cover. also check your fuses for the fogs and try a bulb but be preparied for battle to undo the fog light bolts, i also have some spare fogs if your interested purely for post, i also have a few other bits and bobs that you can have for a donation to the club.
i have had these cars apart and back together so many times now, even stripped one to a bare shell once in 2 days on my own ;-)\

also another way to tell is its a 147 from the outside is the wing badges, they will say 2.0 20v ;-)

BUT GET THE BELT DONE FIRST......

Right, i shall make cambelt priority number 1, like i said i took a peak through the cover and it looks to be in alright condition, and it towed a car 180 miles on the drive back! need to get my spark plug tools, cant remember where i slung em, wana see the state, also the original air box is cracked but i've got my 1.6 one in my shed from when i used aftermarket induction so easy replacement! and 2 new tyres are needed! or 3 rather as i have a slow cold puncture!

As for the fogs, there all there they just dont work? and the electric mirrors dont work regardless of what i select i need to get my hands on a multi meter, i think its leaking from rocker cover too so im thinking take the rocker and sump off to sludge clean then run some heavy detergents through it! Want that 147 running tip top as i love the car, all drop links are slightly annoying me now like i said, well happy with structural condition, even if a bit tatty body wise, it'l be worth a respray if i do it nicely .

And the height adjuster for the seat, i need the plastic end that allows you to pull the extender bar,

Glad to have you all aboard, come saturday, she will get her first proper wash .

Stay tuned guys!

Oh and guys!

I do like the stock head unit on these, but i need more audio options, its the one with the tape casette thing i think that slides up and down (It doesnt at the minute) i dont know whats behind it, it does have steering wheel controls but no other audio modes??

How can i add aux or cd player features to this? i'd rather not get a face plate and after market but keep it original! Cheers guys

There is one MCD36 at bay with no bids.
And when you plug it in and it says SURFACE, clean the laser, also noticed that it likes original disks more than burned ones.
The wiring should be ready in the boot.

I got red interior with electric height adjust. Havent seen another, all been blue or grey.

Checked every fuse, not just the ones that are not working? Better do so.

MrMigs08 said:

Right, i shall make cambelt priority number 1, like i said i took a peak through the cover and it looks to be in alright condition, and it towed a car 180 miles on the drive back! need to get my spark plug tools, cant remember where i slung em, wana see the state, also the original air box is cracked but i've got my 1.6 one in my shed from when i used aftermarket induction so easy replacement! and 2 new tyres are needed! or 3 rather as i have a slow cold puncture!

As for the fogs, there all there they just dont work? and the electric mirrors dont work regardless of what i select i need to get my hands on a multi meter, i think its leaking from rocker cover too so im thinking take the rocker and sump off to sludge clean then run some heavy detergents through it! Want that 147 running tip top as i love the car, all drop links are slightly annoying me now like i said, well happy with structural condition, even if a bit tatty body wise, it'l be worth a respray if i do it nicely .

And the height adjuster for the seat, i need the plastic end that allows you to pull the extender bar,

Glad to have you all aboard, come saturday, she will get her first proper wash .

Stay tuned guys!

Oh and guys!

I do like the stock head unit on these, but i need more audio options, its the one with the tape casette thing i think that slides up and down (It doesnt at the minute) i dont know whats behind it, it does have steering wheel controls but no other audio modes??

How can i add aux or cd player features to this? i'd rather not get a face plate and after market but keep it original! Cheers guys

Click to expand...

i also have a set of new drop links for the front you can have for a post, also i wouldn't bother taking the sump off its a pig of a job, and took me 2 days, and i would never do it again, just run new oil in it for a week drop it and again new oil do this over 2 months and the engine will be mint but then again i use to change my oil every 6 months or 3k what ever i reached first so engine was mint, sometimes running a cleaning solution can do more harm than good. if it starts on the button and idles right you are already onto a winner.

you know i may even sell the stilo and get another marea i so miss my old wagon...

Hmm thanks very much rat! ill take you up on them droppies soon enough! Cleaning day today eeeek, took it out for a proper cruise and a couple of throttle blasts last night and ive got to say i'm indeed very very impressed, you hit that 4.5k margine and the engine commits so much its fantastic, has anyone remapped 147s before? im curious to push even more out of it when its in its glory, and i had a crack at the sound with the induction box off, and my god the engine note is glorious,

Pictures coming at some point!!

Will check the fuses too, smart idea that, i want the fogs and electric mirrors working maybe by later today, first task!

- Wash
- Fuse Check
- Bulb Check

I'm not convinced the 147 can be mapped. I'm sure there's a chip available though. But I might be misremembering that.

Venters said:

I'm not convinced the 147 can be mapped. I'm sure there's a chip available though. But I might be misremembering that.

Click to expand...

Presuming that the marea is same as a bravo lump then you are correct.
I recently bought a chip for my hgt(147) Bravo......8bhp increase and improves the flat spot before the 4k lift off, also revs cleaner with higher redline......well worth it.

http://www.fcperformance.co.uk/fiat-coupe-bravo-hgt-20v.php#chips

wrightyHGT said:

Presuming that the marea is same as a bravo lump then you are correct.
I recently bought a chip for my hgt(147) Bravo......8bhp increase and improves the flat spot before the 4k lift off, also revs cleaner with higher redline......well worth it.

http://www.fcperformance.co.uk/fiat-coupe-bravo-hgt-20v.php#chips

Click to expand...

Yup now I see the link it was fcperformance I was thinking of.

Ahh thats awesome! will definately be looking at one when getting some supporting mods on!

So far cars running bang on guys! doesnt seem to be drinking any water either! which is always good news, thermostats stuck open though i reckon, wont get to operable heat without being stood (Same as my last really lol) i cant find my spark plug removal tools either at the minute *psy* really wanted a look at the colour on the tips!

Cheers for that cd changer link! if i've got enough i'l buy it, other then that, cars running really beau-ti-ful!

Guys having some serious issues with my alarm two alarms play at the same time dont have fiat security key to disable alarm system and keys will not syncronise to save my life i urgently need this back on the road!

Cheers
Migs

You mean you have two alarm systems fitted?
And by security key you mean the circular one?
The fiat one under the fusebox cover is just a switch, you should be able to use a small pen cap or something similar in size to turn it?

Dont think so nevereth, im pretty sure they are both fiat systems, ive noticed instead of a remote central locking key ive actually got an independant remote on my keys, with lock unlock, alarm, immobilise, motion detection etc i think thats all the settings , i tripped both the fiat original alarm out and the other system, i dont believe its after market secondary alarm but rather an advanced system i have no idea about :S

Ive managed to sort it now though which is nice, i locked all doors from inside with battery out opened bonnet, taped my small toolbox to the push pins on the front of the bonnet, battery back in and the car started twin allarming again, but only for 10 seconds.

All of a sudden my key fob started picking back up so i disabled alarm and the imobilisation stopped, and i was able to drive again, still having an issue with 1 alarm though, whenever you open a door it'l go off silently for 10 seconds flashing the hazards which is interesting to say the least but they do go off, unless the secondary alarm battery is still recharging as i let it run flat.

Overall the most hardest alarm to follow in the world!

Safe car though (Y)

I got original fiat alarm on mine (one button on the key itself).
Disabling ultrasonics / silent alarm need presses with either ignition on or long presses/ similar stuff. The siren is over the glovebox.
Got it turned off at the moment as there is no need for it. Noticed that the central locking works instantly with alarm on, but requires the button to be pressed a while if the alarm is off.

Ive had the battery off with alarm on (bonnet open ofcourse) but only time ive tripped it was when i locked with remote while still in car (a cat following the operation took off at high speed). Tried again with ultrasonics disabled and it didnt go off as I sat still.

Nudging the car resulted in one or two beeps, didnt want to stress my ears further.

Original fiat alarm should have a on/off keyswitch for it under the cabin fusebox cover.

I think that one is an aftermarket one, any name/markings on the remote?