hello,
my boot has never been in top condition as long as i have had the car, sometimes failing to close properly on one side, or the handle sticking etc etc I'll get round to it one day.
well, today it decided to stop working all together, the lever stopped activating the mechanism to open it.
the rear wiper came off, and i proceeded to remove the reg plate lights, the exterior screws, then the inside moulding and whittled it down until i had the mechanism in my hand. after a bit of playing and looking at it, it seems a holding washer/grub is missing, how, and since when, i have no idea. It may have been loose in the assembly and fell out when i took it all apart, but i don't know, i scraped the floor with a large magnet, but no luck, it may be copper/brass. anyway, does anyone know where i might be able to get a replacement washer/grub thingy, or might it be easier to get a replacement from a scrappy, are the bravo mechanisms the same by any chance?
here's a photo with the red circles indicating what it looks like, and on the right, where it is missing.
cheers, Allan

It is same type of clip that holds the fiat badge on the mask on bonnet, about the same size too (maybe slightly bigger).

Also drill the handle holes:
https://www.fiatforum.com/marea/315824-marea-tailgate-locks-etc.html

ah, that's interesting, i shall have a look at the bonnet in the morning, i can glue the badge back on if needs be, but i imagine finding more of these half washers will be tricky.
thanks for the hint neverth.
EDIT: I have already done a reasonable job of loosening the handle, i removed all the rubber, it was in a bad state anyway and was rubbing, i gave the hinge a good clean and plenty of pushing back and forwards with plenty of wd40 to clear the worst of the rust and then cleaned it again with a solvent before adding a good smudge of grease!
i also did the same thing as you with the epoxy, except i had still some lubrican there from earlier and it didn't stick i shall try again at the weekend.

So, after having a look at the bonnet, there are no washers in the form i need on the badge, there are washers, but they were a different type and size. so i resorted to looking in my "box of bits". I eventually found a piece of computer case corner bracing, if i remember correctly, this case was steel, but most likely it's aluminium, i drilled and enlarged the screw hole to 4.5mm, and then sawed down through the hole to the corner so as to be able to open it up easily, then i put it around the groove in the pin, and clamped it with a pair of pliers. to keep it from re-opening, i applied a coat of silver solder across the gap either side of the pin. afterwards i had to make sure it was filed down to the height of the pin, as the boot handle rubbed otherwise. botch job, but it works, and cost nothing. :slayer:
Allan

What you are missing is a very small C clip I think. Mine fell off a couple of years ago but lodged under the handle, it then fell off again but disappeared this time a couple of months ago.

I went to a couple of local garages and found one with an assortment box of C clips, a couple of quid later I had a replacement and a few spares. I suggest you do the same. The garage I was successful at was an old country garage, the two or three bigger more modern garages were no help at all.

Good luck

franglais said:

hello,
my boot has never been in top condition as long as i have had the car, sometimes failing to close properly on one side, or the handle sticking etc etc I'll get round to it one day.
well, today it decided to stop working all together, the lever stopped activating the mechanism to open it.

Click to expand...

my new acquisition has a non-shutting tailgate,

handle is stuck in the UP / open position

so I remebered your guide.., and here I am,

I'll try and add any info not covered here -- if any..!!,
Charlie

good luck, and be careful, my central locking has never worked on the boot since, i had to disconnect the mechanism electrically to stop the system thinking one of the doors was open. I had other things to to at the time, and have never managed to find the time to take it all apart again and sort it out.

handle stuck in the UP possition, i would guess that it is just the rubber coating (like the bravo/a door handles) which has perished and is sticking against the back plate, if not then at least it's a good first thing to check.

taking the whole thing apart is an adventure to say the least, it's not at all easy the first time round. there are a lot of screws to take out to disassemble the whole boot, just to get at the lock, some of the screws are very well hidden too, you will need a long handled screw driver with torx bits to get some of them, and also the determination of a child hunting Easter eggs.

hey Charlie, here are some old photos' i found while digging through/organising the archives. Maybe they'll help if you haven't already got this far.

Cheers Allan,

currently have 4 x FIAT's on my drive..,
so time is a little scarce..,
bound to help if / when I get into it though..,

Charlie

got time ( and weather today),
2 x jobs in one;
strip + lube rear wiper motor,
free-off / modify the tailgate latch / handle.

motor- with 4 x 7mm head self tappers removed

remove circlip + washer from splined / threaded end of shaft

refit M5 / 10mm HEX nut inverted. to protect thread when hammering shaft through motor

once it's gone so far, a bar / drift could be used.. or pliers on gear end and twist/ pull,
release oil will help here..,

on my 1st Marea the o-ring seal at top "spline" end had failed and shaft was REALLY Rusty,
stripped completely, wire brushed and re-greased..,
this one didn't want to pass the lower motor seal , so I just used oil in the spindle hole, and all was well.

didn't have a 7mm spanner / or socket to hand so I " improvised"

Punto brake pin.. with 7 mm hex socket

Charlie

at last weekends "Midlands Italia" meet,
werdna suggested drilling a hole, and fitting a "pull cord" to the stick tailgate latch,
not wanting to modify too much I planned to remove + clean the handle assembly,
did that.. only to discover a small drilled hole was already there..!!,
so a "silver" cable tie is now in residence

franglais had mentioned a "Hidden screw" on his dealings with the lock mechanism,
I'm guessing he meant the screw holding in the shiny outer "panel" of the tailgate,
the screw is hidden under the rubber boot of the Tailgate latch mechanism,
( and the 2 threads are either side of the key slot)


Lock mechanism - attached by 4 x self tappers,
easiest access is by uncoupling the Central Locking motor on Tailgate ( 2 x self tappers) and withdrawing the steel pushrod.
also found unplugging the 2 x rear numberplate lights simplified reassembly

franglais said:

hey Charlie, here are some old photos' i found while digging through/organising the archives. Maybe they'll help if you haven't already got this far.

Click to expand...

Cheers Allan,
Your bottom 2 x pics ( with HAND)

show you have to get around the motor to access one of the 2 x screws,

the other is on the opposite RHS of the tailgate, under the rubber boot,
they screw into these 2 x silvery threaded clips on the lock assembly


Charlie

I did all this on mine the other day, I'd not seen this thread till now. If your still having problems you could always just remove the tailgate trim, and fit a spring on the mechanism to help pull it back again.
Mine was okay after a clean and remove the remains of the the rubber comfort buy on the handle, then 're lubricate it all.

I'll have to strip it again, as my loop of Cable tie has now failed..!!

wish I'd got bpetersb weekend parts now:bang:

didn't know it was an estate until it'd been scrapped

Charlie

Full repar procedure in another marea thread..

Charlie