General A month or so in

[goodgirl156]

A note to every one, there are two differnt timing belts for the sei, one with 104 teeth and another with more?
I have the one with more! just had to return the old belt and collect the new one

 

[Lecook]

i know mpi and spi have different pulleys or do you mean two different belts for either mpi or spi (sorry if that sounds confusing)

lee

 

[fingers99]

The different belts match the different pulleys.

IIRC, it's not purely to do with MPI/SPI, but all MPI cars (given the same engine capacity) should use the same belt.

 

[goodgirl156]

Awaiting the fan and very low on petrol but she started first turn of the key.

As soon as the fan is on ill run it up to temp and then dump oil and coolant again. All in all im impressed with how bloody simple it was and how easy it came apart.
The only dumb thing I did was put the timing wheel (one after the crank pully) on before I had put the plastic case back on

The guides and info on here were invaluble so thanks to every one who put the effort in to produce such documentation.

Ill finish on a high.... my cat helping me check for tools I may have left in the engine bay pre- first time start

 

[blu73]

Yeah i think Eklipze3k was quite suprised how simple it is doing the timing belt on one of these when i went and helped him service his car. Really are great little cars to work on these.

PS> cute cat!

 

[goodgirl156]

Well, unless it arives on a van later today (VERY unlikely) all the hard work was for nothing.
Despite being told it would be here today no rad fan anywhere to be seen

 

[andys cinq]

I still get deliveries as late as 7pm from couriers and royal mail so u still are in with a chance

 

[Lecook]

Did it turn up in time ?? I hope it did

Lee

 

[goodgirl156]

Nop, I'll be in the 500 tomorrow and won't be on stand sadly, I'll pop over and see all of you though!

 

[goodgirl156]

Right, for some closer its all done and fixed.
The universal rad fan and mounting kit was collected from the post office yesterday and fitted last night.
I have done 50 miles and dropped the oil and coolant out of it again and replaced with red coolant and good oil (and filter)

All seems well in fiat land today
I Hope thats the last time I need to use a spanner in anger towards it this year bar simple maintance, I should be able to start on the panda again now

 

[blu73]

isn't blue coolant better suited to these engines??

 

[goodgirl156]

I was told red by two parts suppliers? a quick google indercated this is longer life and most people are using it in the punto.

I don't think there is a massive difference or issue as long as red and blue are not mixed

edit > seems red contains anti rust stuff, the red coolant should be used and NOT the blue

 

[blu73]

fair play, i thought it had something to do with what material the engine is made of.. I have always used blue in mine but it gets changed so often its life span isn't really an issue

 

[MazCinq]

mine has green in, was it blue but really watered down lol, going to be doing the HG on my sei soon when i can afford to get my head skimmed and cleaned may look into getting some head work done at the same time, did you find out what the difference is between the 2 belts??

 

[goodgirl156]

Hi Mario,

Its just the tooth count, best thing you can do is wip it off when you go to buy the new belt to make sure the one they give you and the one you have match.

The head skim should cost £20-£40 to have done, some times its a bit more due to the welding needed to correct damage caused by rust to the water channels (precisely why you should be running red coolant I expect)

I was lucky I suppose and didn't need that. If I hadnt of needed a new Rad fan I would have had change from £100

I replaced:

New cam belt, new aux belt, tensioner, HG and stretch bolts and other gaskits, coolent, oil, new Rad fan as other was MIA and had head skimed

 

[Ouby]

precisely why you should be running red coolant I expect

Fiat recommend Paraflu11 on the Sei -the red stuff
Silicate Free, Organic acid technology (OAT) used on a lot of post '98 vehicles.
Not sure what harm it would do running the old glycol(?) stuff -if any, but glad i'm not the only one using the more expensive red coolant.

 

[blu73]

MMmm, just done some reading... Found this to be quite informative for anyone who is interested in the differences..

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/pdfs/tech-articles/coolant-antifreeze.pdf

 

[andys cinq]

I have always run red in my cinqs and its easier to spot any leaks and as for running green antifreeze thats specially for audi and vw

 

[blu73]

well seems i'm in the minority... but my car is red, with blue pipework so the blue coolant matches lol (oh how sad i am) not had any issues so i shall stick with it.. I noticed Fraz had red coolant as well when i went to help him service thunderbird4.

 

[fingers99]

I've always used blue coolant. But I'm thinking about using the red to break up the monotony.............