Technical Fiat engine will not start/only backfires through the carb.

[Randyryang]

First off this engine is actually in an old dayton 10kw propane generator. With that being said, the generator was free from my job and it has been sitting for years with only 38 hours on the engine. So i feel confident that the engine is good shape. The engine is the 1372cc ie that was in the fiat uno. I got the unit home and connected it back up to the propane tank that came with it and i can not get the thing to start no matter what i try it will only back fire through the carb, i have replaced the timing belt because i assumed it was out of time. After researching and finding out that the engine was in the fiat uno, i refered to the timing procedures in the haynes manual and rest the timing with and installed anew timing belt. But still only get backfiring through the carb, when i turn the distributor as im crank in it the backfiring changes frequency somewhat but still never actually starts. I have checked compression on each cylinder and it was good on each. I have replaced the spark plugs also.

 

[varesecrazy]

Does sound as if its firing out of time

There should have been a timing mark on the flywheel..gearbox end..

Is it on a distributor you can adjust..??

Possible to use a timing lamp on timing marks on flywheel..oldskool tech..

Charlie

 

[Randyryang]

Yes the distributor is adjustable, this engine is mounted directly to a big generator so i dont think it has those timing marks but i have not actually looked for them. And it will not crank so not sure how i would be able to utilize a timing light.

 

[bluejohn125]

Backfire does indicate bad timing. The engine should have everything you need to set it up, but you are being confusing when you say it is (from) a 1.4 i.e but then say it has a "carb". The 1.4 i.e. was a basic SPI system which was basically an electronic carb with a few electrical / electronic inputs and outputs, including a lambda sensor and throttle position sensor. I think it was called MonoMotronic. Earlier versions had a conventional distributor. Later ones had a more modern coil pack fired via the ECU.

The main use for this version of the engine was in the 1.4 Tipo / Tempra, and a few versions of the Uno (including the Turbo i.e.). You could look in the Tipo section for posts regarding this engine.

If yours has been converted to run with a carb then it should be relatively simple to get going I would think. It would be basically the same setup as the X-19 1.5 engine that was available in the States for a while.

 

[varesecrazy]

Randyryang

Have you made any progress.??

You obviously. Have fuel-spark.compession
And air for it to spit and pop..

After 5 posts you can add pics of the throttle body(carb) and the distributor.

Charlie

 

[Randyryang]

The enginenis in a 10kw standby generator so it has been converted to run on propane gas, thats what i meant when i said "carb" it has a impco propane carburetor on it. Thanks for the info on what car it actually came from. I purchased a new distributor for it but i have not installed it yet. The timing on it is pretty straight forward, line up the crankshaft with mark on the crankcase, and then line up the mark on the camshaft sproket. I have already timed it this way, my question now is it possible that this engine needs to be timed on the no 4 piston or is it timed on number 1 at TDC as with most engines?

 

[varesecrazy]

traditionally timed at #1 - timing end.