Two days ago I replaced the timing belt and tensioner (disintegrated causing the whole problem) which went easier than expected thanks to the numerous articles on this forum.

The engine is running well and pulls well and still feels quite zippy. However it seems marginally less responsive than before the change. The engine seems quieter and "more refined" now than it was before. The difference is not huge and somebody who hadn't driven it before I changed the belt probably wouldn't notice anything amiss but because I know the car well I can feel it.

When I got the car from my son a couple of years ago he had just had the head gasket done at a garage when it over heated and so it could have been put back slightly different from how I did it following the advice here.

Does the engine need to be timed with a timing light or does setting it on TDC on the flywheel suffice?

I'm in Johannesburg, South Africa and at an altitude of 1800m (approx 6700feet) above sea level and at this altitude I've always been told to set a vehicle's timing about 3 degrees more advanced. I've always done this on my other vehicles that are more basic in having a carb rather than the more complex electronic system fuel injection with all this sensors etc like on the Fiat.

I've just found out from a friend that there is no adjustment to the timing with this electronic monitoring. Unlike the old distributors which could be adjusted to change the timing.

Does this now mean taking the belt off and moving the cam slightly?

But then which way do I move it?

Or do I just check the static timing marks on the engine again and make sure I did not make a slight mistake?

I am writing from INDIA , i got the timing belt replaced and i never had to get it adjusted or calibrated , but i still would like to know any expert opinion on this if there is any

thanks

Did you use the proper cam locking tools?

it is very easy to loose the correct engine time without them!

not sure on the age of your car but this is how to time the newer EVO2 1.2 8v engine


https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-guides/237966-1-2-8v-evo-2-engine-cam-belt-replacement.html

Well i am sure that my mech might have not used the cam tools etc ,
i have a 2002 model > i will saev my self a ton or headache and better take it to the showroom to help me out with this

thanks for the update

cheers

Andy Monty said:

Did you use the proper cam locking tools?

it is very easy to loose the correct engine time without them!

not sure on the age of your car but this is how to time the newer EVO2 1.2 8v engine

Click to expand...

Having seen the pictures of that engine, it is not the same as the one in my vehicle. My 1.2 is definitely the older one. Looks similar to the 1.1l Fire engine in the Uno except it has fuel injection rather than carb.

I've just redone the belt because it looked like the cam timing mark was not quite in the correct position.

Reading that article you linked about putting the cam 180 degrees out, my question is if I had my cam on this engine 180 out would the engine run?

When I put the timing light on the engine now the timing seems to have changed from about 4 degrees after TDC to about 15 degrees before TDC.

Could this be possible? Does one use a standard timing light on a vehicle with fuel injection? I've since found an answer to my previous dilemma of how to change the timing in that no one can't do it like the older type distributors that were able to be twisted clockwise or anti-clockwise.