list of problems

[Amma]

95 N Bravo 1.4S 73000 miles

Oil light is on at tickover

temp guage stays very low, except when at a stand still then goes up to v high.

speedo needle innacurate (sways all over sometimes doesnt move at all)

engine sounds like its running v unevenly, as if choked ( feels ok to drive but a little sluggish)

any help apreciated

 

[Tom]

The temp problem and the rough running are linked, your thermostat is stuck.

The oil light on at idle is not usually a good sign, has the engine been run on good oil at the correct grade? ie 10W40 not 5W30?

 

[Amma]

re

im not sure about oil
just bought car v cheap and trying to sort out pobs

any idea when cam belt is needed.

the previous owner told me it often gets hot and cuts out

 

[Tom]

Re: re

Cambelt at 72k or 5 years, ie NOW!

The thermostat is stuck so it overcools when you are moving and undercools when you are not, hence the overheating. Also when its too cold the ECU will put more fuel in, hence the rough running. About £20 DIY or £70ish at a garage. Probably worth a radiator flush too.

It probably needs an oil change as well, a good semi-synthetic 10W40 will do. Not expensive.

 

[Bahney]

Re: Re: re

you should have had a cam change a while ago, lol i have a 1998 1.4S and it has done 48,000 and i have mine booked in next week to have it done, serioustly it isnt worth the risk, plus i found a local garage to do it for me for £75 so thats a bargain

but from fiat it is £120 ish, if your cam fails then you will be looking at a huge bill and if you got the car cheap then the bill could make the car very expencive all of a sudden.

ps. listen to tom he knows what he is on about, his thermostat diagnosis is spot on, thats exactly what it is, compared to most of the things that could go wrong a replacement thermostat isnt a big thing, get it seen to at the same time as your cambelt the garage might charge u a few ££ less

 

[Nigel]

Re: Re: Re: re

Your worst nightmare could actually be the speed variation. On these early cars the sender unti that holds the speedo drive into the gearbox was flimsy and often broke. When it breaks it wrecks the drive from the gearbox and in most instances it cracked the case as well.

The prelude to it breaking is the fluctuation in the speedo readings.

Get it checked NOW, for the sake of a sender unit against a new 'box, it may be OK but I have heard of over 5 instances of this.

The part number is 46403099 and is about £35


Nige

 

[Amma]

thanks

Thanks all u guys for the help

it had the cambelt done in 2001 @ 39000 miles

i dont mind spending a few hundred quid on it if it will be good for a few years after

was thinking of having the engine replaced
is this a bit extreme?

it drives fine really but sounds like its chugging all over on idle and then theres the oil light on

also i need a parcel shelf

was thinking about changing the bumpers also for colour coded ones

thanx again fellas

 

[chris]

Re: Re: re

It might not have any oil in

Have you checked the dipstick?


My friends car wasn't running right so i checked the dipstick and there was NO oil to be seen. Don't know where it has gone tho.

 

[Amma]

Re: Re: Re: re

hi
thanks chris

its got more than the max oil in
im going to flush it and do an oil and filter change.

someone suggested the pressure may be ok ,but the switch may be faulty

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: re

ARGH!!! NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER overfill the oil!!!!

It could be frothing the oil which is deadly for the engine.

It won't be the sender, it will most likely be cheap oil of the wrong grade in an overhot engine cos the thermostat is ****ed.

 

[Amma]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: re

Sorry mate, i know too much oil is bad
i only bought it yesterday and it had too much in

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: re

OK, at least its not been like that for too long.

 

[Nigel]

Re: thanks

If you want any bits for your car get in touch with the guys at GGB Engineering:-

http://www.ggbengineering.co.uk/
020 8888 2354
email: [email protected]

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: thanks

They have stopped trading.

 

[Nigel]

Re: Re: Re: thanks

No they havent and didnt stop at all! Tony was round my house last night! GGB for those who dont know is actually the real company behind red dot racing hence the same address and telephone number! RDR is the "fun" side of the business, GGB have been importing since 1971 so are very well established and ongoing and indeed trading very well.

Where on earth did you ge that gem from Tom?

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: thanks

Cos when I phoned the number on the website a few months back they said 'not trading any more'.

 

[Ian (Geforce)]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: thanks

Why never overfill the oil?

Enlighten me here.

Ian.

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: thanks

If the crank touches the surface of the oil you get frothing. The oil gets full of bubbles, they get into the system and bye bye bearings.

 

[Nigel]

GGB Engineering Going Strong

Bizzare - I will tell Tony what happened, but they are going strong and judging by the amount of chinese food two of them put away the other night, very healthy too!
Cheers
N

 

[Tom]

Re: GGB Engineering Going Strong

It was about 4-5 months ago.