Punto (Mk1) 1994 Punto Cabriolet ELX 90

[blu73]

Well there goes my idea of a simple solution
What size is the sump plug, I only have hex keys up to 10mm and it's bigger than that

12mm i think they are.

 

[varesecrazy]

The sun is out, its warm (well relatively...) out to the car I go! Jump in, turn key, click click click. Battery pretty much dead :bang:
Seems my solar maintainer hasn't got enough sunlight to keep the battery topped up enough considering every time I do anything to the car I pull it out of the garage (let it warm up a bit) and switch the engine off, oops.
Scared to take the battery off and charge it because the car has an aftermarket immobilizer (which is probably rubbish but it works) and it might have a wee if I completely disconnect the power, also the radio will want it's code which I don't have

So I've rolled it out into the sun and hopefully the solar charger thing will give it just enough so the battery doesn't go completely flat on me. I'll give it a jump when I get my leads back.

Is it safe to push the roof back by hand considering I have no power to operate it normally? Or should this be avoided, I was planning to smear some silicon on the roof seals today

I'd remove the battery negative lead..

LOW voltage for a sustained period may cause further issues..?

sump plug = tapered and a 12mm allen key fit

 

[Didge3]

So lesson learned today kids,
Don't try and operate the electric roof manually.

Since I really wanted to make the most of the sun I decided to just go out anyway, I opened both latches on the roof and pushed it open about an inch and then greased the seal, perfect! All done got in to close the roof, tugged it shut but no matter what I did the locating pins wouldn't line up! :bang:
Ended up calling my brother who had my jump leads to come rescue me, and bring my jump leads back in the first place
Engine started, folded the roof all the way back and closed again, pins located and all done! Add to all this that from my brother arriving it began to pour with rain, car had to get a little damp but only a few drops really.
Left the engine running whilst sitting in the car for half an hour, but the front corners didn't drip for the first time! Silicon worked thanks for the tip renaultvation

 

[PuntoHowTo]

So lesson learned today kids,

Don't try and operate the electric roof manually.



Since I really wanted to make the most of the sun I decided to just go out anyway, I opened both latches on the roof and pushed it open about an inch and then greased the seal, perfect! All done got in to close the roof, tugged it shut but no matter what I did the locating pins wouldn't line up! :bang:

Ended up calling my brother who had my jump leads to come rescue me, and bring my jump leads back in the first place

Engine started, folded the roof all the way back and closed again, pins located and all done! Add to all this that from my brother arriving it began to pour with rain, car had to get a little damp but only a few drops really.

Left the engine running whilst sitting in the car for half an hour, but the front corners didn't drip for the first time! Silicon worked thanks for the tip renaultvation

Does the punto not have an emergency option that if the roof fails it can be closed or opened manually.

As an example on my golf you have to go in the boot open s panel and turn a screw to release the hydraulic pressure then you can lift the roof manually, there is another little screw at the front of the roof to clip it down, I'm sure the mk1 must have something similar to get you out of a hole of the roof got stuck half closed

 

[renaultvation]

You can operate the roof manually, but first you have rotate a tap through45 degrees, located in the boot by the hydraulic motor. This releases the hydraulic pressure and allows you to open and close the roof. Don't forget to turn the tap back again when you want to use the hydraulics.
Glad the silicone did the trick.

 

[Didge3]

Indeed I knew about said tap as I checked the manual before I went out, I turned it before opening the roof which allowed the roof to open but I couldn't get it to shut properly. :bang:
So yes you can put the roof down without power but closing it again you may have problems....

 

[Punto1cab]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure all ELX Cabrio's came with alloys as standard. The Fiat manual even mentions alloys being standard on ELX models.

Ours came with Steel wheels from new ( Sept 1998), (the catalogue dated 3/98 showed them as an option). Mind you it didn't have ELX badges, no side skirts, only 4 not 6 speakers (so new door cards!) either! the ELX interior trim was the right material etc! No alarm nor remote locking (this has given up now!) system & no hood cover until we created a big fuss at FIAT at length because the car was supplied by a main dealer through a broker. Often wondered where it was sourced (Malta? Channel Islands?) It was sold (& invoiced) as an ELX & ended up as one at FIAT's cost. I took out their Master-care insurance to extend the warranty to 5 years & true to the terms , as we had made no claim on it, the premium was refunded in full! £683!

 

[SpeedHunter1992]

Ours came with Steel wheels from new ( Sept 1998), (the catalogue dated 3/98 showed them as an option). Mind you it didn't have ELX badges, no side skirts, only 4 not 6 speakers (so new door cards!) either! the ELX interior trim was the right material etc! No alarm nor remote locking (this has given up now!) system & no hood cover until we created a big fuss at FIAT at length because the car was supplied by a main dealer through a broker. Often wondered where it was sourced (Malta? Channel Islands?) It was sold (& invoiced) as an ELX & ended up as one at FIAT's cost. I took out their Master-care insurance to extend the warranty to 5 years & true to the terms , as we had made no claim on it, the premium was refunded in full! £683!

Interesting. I just bought a copy of the Punto brochure dated 3/98, and noticed the same differences you mention between the spec listed in the brochure and the spec of my Cabrio. According to ePer, my car was built July '98. It was then registered the following month, so I would have thought that the spec published only a few months earlier would still be correct at that time. But it too has no side skirts, only 4 speakers, no alarm, and no remote for the central locking. Also, if you've seen the pictures of my Cab, you'll notice that the alloys it wears are those shown as being fitted to ELX hatchbacks in the same brochure - there's no mention of that alloy design being an option on the Cabrio, only the design standard on the Sporting. My immediate thought is that certain minor features were phased out of production as the remaining stock of some parts was used, before production of the Mk1 ceased (spec is always subject to change without notice, for situations like that, I guess). And I wonder if my Cabrio wears the alloys it does, and had the CD changer fitted, to make up for the incomplete ELX spec. Sound plausible?

 

[Punto1cab]

Interesting. I just bought a copy of the Punto brochure dated 3/98, and noticed the same differences you mention between the spec listed in the brochure and the spec of my Cabrio. According to ePer, my car was built July '98. It was then registered the following month, so I would have thought that the spec published only a few months earlier would still be correct at that time. But it too has no side skirts, only 4 speakers, no alarm, and no remote for the central locking. Also, if you've seen the pictures of my Cab, you'll notice that the alloys it wears are those shown as being fitted to ELX hatchbacks in the same brochure - there's no mention of that alloy design being an option on the Cabrio, only the design standard on the Sporting. My immediate thought is that certain minor features were phased out of production as the remaining stock of some parts was used, before production of the Mk1 ceased (spec is always subject to change without notice, for situations like that, I guess). And I wonder if my Cabrio wears the alloys it does, and had the CD changer fitted, to make up for the incomplete ELX spec. Sound plausible?

Very interesting! Our chassis no is ZFA 176000060443620 engine 0113307 Reg 21 08 98

 

[Didge3]

According to ePer, my car was built July '98. It was then registered the following month, so I would have thought that the spec published only a few months earlier would still be correct at that time. But it too has no side skirts, only 4 speakers, no alarm, and no remote for the central locking. My immediate thought is that certain minor features were phased out of production as the remaining stock of some parts was used, before production of the Mk1 ceased (spec is always subject to change without notice, for situations like that, I guess). And I wonder if my Cabrio wears the alloys it does, and had the CD changer fitted, to make up for the incomplete ELX spec. Sound plausible?

Ours came with Steel wheels from new ( Sept 1998), (the catalogue dated 3/98 showed them as an option). Mind you it didn't have ELX badges, no side skirts, only 4 not 6 speakers (so new door cards!) either! the ELX interior trim was the right material etc! No alarm nor remote locking (this has given up now!)

Strange, my 09/94 manual says for the hardtops 'Alloy wheels (where fitted)' implying they were an option which we all know is true for the hardtop models but under the Cabrio section at the back it just says 'Alloy wheels', it also has a section for the remote locking and doesn't say 'where fitted' implying it was also standard for Cabrio's, the same applies to the 6 speaker stereo system.
Perhaps you're right speedhunter in that they started to run out of parts for the later Cabrio's and some thing's weren't fitted. Out of interest what number is your Cabrio, you should have a metal plate under the bonnet, just to the right of the O/S headlight that looks like this,

As you can just about make out mine is an early car and is numbered 002580.

 

[blu73]

Let's be honest... this is fiat... anything is possible. Lol.

I know for example some late p60 had the 866cam from the p75 which clearly they shouldn't - only explanation is towards end of production they had an excess of 866cam and lack of normal ones...

 

[SpeedHunter1992]

Out of interest what number is your Cabrio, you should have a metal plate under the bonnet, just to the right of the O/S headlight that looks like this

Very interesting! Our chassis no is ZFA 176000060443620 engine 0113307 Reg 21 08 98

VIN: ZFA176000*06044315

Engine No.: 0122638

Vehicle No.: 00043387 (or just '043387' on the Carrozzeria Bertone tag)

Reg. date: 14/08/98

 

[puntofan01]

I know for example some late p60 had the 866cam from the p75 which clearly they shouldn't - only explanation is towards end of production they had an excess of 866cam and lack of normal ones...

Does that mean that some 60s actually had 75 bhp then?

 

[mrcinquecento]

Does that mean that some 60s actually had 75 bhp then?

No. They "may" have had a little more than 60bhp, but there were more changes to the 75 than just the cam. The cam really moves where the power is in the rev band rather than being the big provider of it.

 

[blu73]

What him above said...

 

[puntofan01]

No. They "may" have had a little more than 60bhp, but there were more changes to the 75 than just the cam. The cam really moves where the power is in the rev band rather than being the big provider of it.

What him above said...

I see! Were most of the increases in power due to ECU tweaks then?

 

[blu73]

not really no, the difference is mostly due to mechanical differences really - the ecu is different as the engine is different... completely different inlet design, mpi instead of spi, the aforementioned cam (which does make a pretty big difference really, iirc lift is around an entire 1cm greater which is pretty significant), they also had a more efficient exhaust manifold design. The ecu is not designed to make more power so much as to just run the engine - the injectors batch fire so you can run a 75 engine on a 60 ecu but they don't run great, funny idle and stumbling coming on and off throttle due to difference engine characteristics. I believe the 75 head also has larger valves too but might be remembering that incorrect and not sure if it was exhaust or inlet or both.

anyhow, getting a bit off topic, lets get back to Didge's cab shall we

 

[puntofan01]

I see!

 

[Punto1cab]

VIN: ZFA176000*06044315

Engine No.: 0122638

Vehicle No.: 00043387 (or just '043387' on the Carrozzeria Bertone tag)

Reg. date: 14/08/98

I'll check our Bertone no... they are almost twins!
D

 

[SpeedHunter1992]

I'll check our Bertone no... they are almost twins!
D

They were at least let loose on the roads within a week of each other. I wonder if the weather was good that August? (For top-down motoring in then-new Cabrios). I'd have only been 5, going on 6, years old that summer! Don't remember it all that well, unsurprisingly.

You'd be amazed what I found researching the build and registration dates of Fiestas, though. I found some which were registered within weeks of being built, while others sat around for over a year before being registered. Mine, for example, was built December 1996 and was imported to mainland GB via Jersey before being registered June 1997.