Technical Fiat 55SX Problems :(

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Technical Fiat 55SX Problems :(

RamZ

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Hi all, im new here and boy am i glad to find a Fiat Forum.

I bought my MK1 Punto N REG 1.1 about 7 months ago. Ever since its been causing me problems.

Let me start of by highlighting the main problems.

1) Its over heating after about 20 minutes of driving the car, i have to keep sticking in liquid into the radiator. I mean when it overheats i can here this terrible sound from the engine as if some thing is stuck or rubbing against the floor. Once ive left the car for about hour or so it seems to be ok but then again it starts overheating. I think it might be the head gasket as i read some where on this forum.

2) 2nd thing is ive got 13" wheels at the moment and i really want to get rid of them and buy 15" or 17" only problem is i do now know what size as in PCD etc since this is a Punto forum could some body guide me please?

3) Im only getting 60 miles from a £10 this is awful compared to what other get on this forum :(

If you guys could help me out i would be greatful! Thanks very much!
 
I should add that my 55SX almost seems like it barely warms up, driven 200 miles today and the temp needle stayed around 1/4 and used about 1/4 tank of fuel. so there's definately something wrong there.

You had it checked out by a mechanic or anyone who knows what they're looking at?
 
helpimonfire said:
I should add that my 55SX almost seems like it barely warms up, driven 200 miles today and the temp needle stayed around 1/4 and used about 1/4 tank of fuel. so there's definately something wrong there.

You had it checked out by a mechanic or anyone who knows what they're looking at?

Well tomoz hopefully me and my dad will take it to a mechanic who already has a punto over there for parts etc. Im thinking of getting the hole engine replaced as it sounds like a diesel, makes this really annoying sound when its switched on. Its like "TIC TIC TIC"
 
Could that be the tappets?

Is it your 1st car? if it is, enjoy it once it's sorted, I got a P reg 55SX and I love it to bits (y)

But yeah, get it checked out by someone in the know
 
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helpimonfire said:
Could that be the tappets?

Is it your 1st car? if it is, enjoy it once it's sorted, I got a P reg 55SX and I love it to bits :thumbs:

But yeah, get it checked out by someone in the know

Its my first car indeed, i really like the car but its causing me so many problems, lol i look like an idiot some times at college always some thing wrong with it.
 
It sounds like there's something seriously wrong with the engine. Overheating is fairly easy to sort out - head gasket, water pump, thermostst or radiator - but those noises don't sound too good. You should be able to pick up a decent engine from a scrappy for under a hundred quid. You don't need all the bits and bobs (eg fuel injection stuff, manifolds, alternator etc) as you can swap them from the old engine.

Helpimonfire: if your car only reaches 1/4 of the way up the gauge then it sounds like it's overcooling. Does your heater get properly hot? If not then you'll need a new thermostat, they're dirt cheap (about a tenner from motor factors) and are a 15 min job to replace. :)
 
The heater's fine, it gets pretty damn hot, I'm thinking the needle probably sticks, lol. the mechanic who lives next door says it's nothing to worry about, cause he had it for a day and said there were no overcooling issues. I'm sure if the front end starts glowing i may have a problem.. :chin:
 
Btw any body know a good place for rims? besides feabay
 
lol where do i start from

ok, so i TRIED taking the car to the mechanics, half way there it started to overheat, i thought id keep going as it wasnt far from the place i was at. So after 2 minutes the sound got worse and i pulled over to a side. Switched the car of, left it for about 5 mins and tried switching it back on ....nothing.

Great so here i am with a crapy punto stuck on the side of the road. Luckly i was a member with RAC. Rang em up and he came down, said the smell is the gasket its gone. So he stuck on the towing stuff and took it to the mechanics.

The mechanic had a look at it and said the gaskets gone, and also said it was pointless trying to fix/replace it. He said cus it had been overheating so much its caused a lot of damage.

He stuck on the battery thingy lol wot ever there called leads. The car started up and he checked the radiator and there was soo much steam pumping from it, causing the water to drip out. He said all this pressure steam etc is doing more damage to the car.

So here i am with no car, i parked the car at his place and came home. Now i need your advice "Frendily people" get a new engine? or scrap the car? The mechanic says even if i buy a 2nd hand engine theres bound to be a problem with that too. Apart from scrappys, any body know any other place for a decent engine that will last me 6 months or so? 1 thing is for sure im never buying a Fiat again. Just a show name nothing special.

Im really confused :(
 
Well for a start there's nothing wrong with a Fiat. You've just been either unlucky or foolish in buying one that hasn't been properly maintained. if it was like it when you bought it, your test drive wasn't long enough. There's usually warning signs that a head gasket is on the way out, which is what I'm checking up on in my other thread. In any case, you've probably killed it by driving it on further when it was in that state and in no condition to be going anywhere. Sorry if it sounds harsh but it has to be learned, in a modern car when you get those kind of symptoms just get it home or to a garage from the offset.
 
Guys is it possible to fit a Engine that came from an AUTOMATIC punto into a Manual Punto?
 
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Ok, its finally fixed :D danm im so happy! Got the new engine fitted in plus the alloys and its running pretty good atm. Only problem is the mechanic said when it starts to overheat as in when the needle goes up one bar then turn the heater on full blast? Is there any way around this cus it really gets hot and the needle stays at first bar point!
 
it shouldn't overheat any more, did they skim the head? if they didn't you will need another head gasket within a week!!!

If the needle hits the third bar up then you should put heater to full heat and blast, and turn the selector thing to the upright position. the heater in your car is like a radiator, but a bit smaller so it will add to the cooling effect of the coolant system.

oh and don't scrap it, as about 60% of the cars on scrapheaps are junked just because they 'overheated'.
 
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