Hi all, my 1st posting ever so please be patient. I have an issue with my mums Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002:bang::bang:. Intially the problem was over heating and the head gasket went due to a faulty water pump which had somehow broken all the plastic impellar blades. I changed the water pump and the head gasket, I didnt have the head skimmed as it didnt seem warped when I looked at it. I then timed the engine up and fired her up. I left it running 15mins until the temp sensor went to warm on the dash, It wasnt over heating and then the enigne just cut out, it almost stalled but it wasnt in gear. I then kept trying to fire her up, and eventually there was so much pressure in the engine it blew the rocker cover (while I was stood over it, Iv never run so fast ). So I took the head back off and there was water in the 2 middle cylinders. This led me to believe the head was warped and boiling water in the cylinders thus not creating combustion but only steam and pressure, so I had it skimmed and presure tested yesterday and fitted a new head gasket this morning and re-timed it. The engine will still keep back firing, it spits tiny flames out of the intake. The spark plugs smell of unburned petrol so the injectors are working fine. I have even had a Volvo mechanic look at it and I had him baffled.....Can anybody else tell me what is going wrong? It isnt the valves stuck in place as I have turned them and seen them all moving. The next one will be to test the prssure in the Cylinders with a gauge but after that I am totally out of ideas:idea:......Any help would be appreciated please...Thanks in advance..Kind Regards Chris....

(FIAT) Failure In Automotive Technology.

Crank pulley in the right place (locating nipple on crank lined-up with corresponding hole in auxiliary pulley)? If not, injection and ignition timing are 120 deg out.

Spark-plug cables mixed up?? could give that effect ;-)

D4nny8oy said:

Crank pulley in the right place (locating nipple on crank lined-up with corresponding hole in auxiliary pulley)? If not, injection and ignition timing are 120 deg out.

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I did have to replace the crank pulley as I got carried away and stripped one of the threads screwing the bolt to the aux belt pulley back in. I looked on the back of the crank pulley and I think its keyed isnt it so it will only fit in one way?...gulp...!

Also thinking about it, the spark plug leads were took off when the head was skimmed. Is there a diagram or picture/DIY anywhere on here as to their location and which sparks first?

Kind Regards

Chris

ignition-sequence normally is 1342 ;-)

No that can only be not timed up right. Maybe you didn't tighten the belt enough and it slipped or the crank pulley isnt the right size, so its turning at a different rate to the cam!

chris10988 said:

I did have to replace the crank pulley as I got carried away and stripped one of the threads screwing the bolt to the aux belt pulley back in. I looked on the back of the crank pulley and I think its keyed isnt it so it will only fit in one way?...gulp...!

Also thinking about it, the spark plug leads were took off when the head was skimmed. Is there a diagram or picture/DIY anywhere on here as to their location and which sparks first?

Kind Regards

Chris

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Not the cambelt drive pulley, the auxiliary belt drive pulley (3x 13mm bolts hold it on). :bang:

redo the valve timing, it's 180deg out

It could be any of the above, but did you check for bent rods after it hydrauliced?

Cheers

SPD

Ok so I have just had a look at the crank pulley which is keyed so it can only go on one way.

The general vibe Im getting is, it isnt timed up correctly. I had the engine running sweet as a nut for 15minutes on the very same timing marks. Does any one have images of the timing marks or a link to a DIY so I can double check them so I dont understand if it this. Spark leads are in the correct order too so it cant be that....

How do I find out if the rods are bent? Is it minute like the head or would I be able to check by looking at it?

Does anybody have any other thoughts as to what it could be..?

I have just got a new rocker cover but dont want to fit it if it keeps blowing it.

If I take it to Fiat or a garage I think they will tell me a new engine as it will take some real skill in fault finding to suss the little buggar out :bang::bang:.

Kind Regards

Chris

Can only check if they are bent by taking engine apart.

You could have checked with the head off as any ones with bent rods wouldn't come up the bore the same.

Timing marks are in the guides/faqs.

Top one at 9 oclock, bottom one at the casting mark. They might be in the right place but the bottom one turns twice for every once the top one turns, so you can be lined up, but 180 degrees out.

Cheers

SPD

I think ignition gets it's signal from camshaft, so you can't put it 180° "wrong", because that will also be right ;-)

chris10988 said:

Ok so I have just had a look at the crank pulley which is keyed so it can only go on one way.

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This definately on right.... nipple lined-up with the hole?-

The crank can be set at 2 positions with pistons at half stroke. One of these will cause it to suck through the exhaust and blow through the inlets.

Retime the cam and follow the instructions to the letter. When you do the test turns by hand watch the valve movements correctly follow the pistons.

D4nny8oy said:

This definately on right.... nipple lined-up with the hole?-

View attachment 73029

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Thats correct
Did you check the timing mark underneath the large pulley?
Also try a compression test.

Are you lining the cam shaft using the line or the arrow? Should be lining it up with the line at 10 o'clock and the arrow at 4 o'clock

Monster900 said:

I think ignition gets it's signal from camshaft, so you can't put it 180° "wrong", because that will also be right ;-)

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Crank, not cam.

Cheers

SPD

Its important to turn the engine in the right direction to get the pistons at 1/2 stroke. Turn it the wrong way and the crank ends up 180 degs out of phase.

Valve timing on a 8v is based on cyl 1 being at TDC, not halfway down the bore like the 1.2 16v.