Technical Oil issue

[FabAni]

Hello everyone,

hope you are well

We have got an oil issue with our Fiat 500 F (1971).

I'm not sure if both things are connected but this is what we have:

1) Oil light doesn't come on any more when you turn the keys o. Usually there is the GEN and OIL light on but it stopped working. Could it be the bulb?

2) We have been driving quite a lot recently and sometimes on pretty bouncy and gravelled road and we are noticing that we have an oil leak from this part of the motor which I don't know the name (sorry I am not very technical). The leak seems to be coming from the top hose.

Does anyone of you know how to fix these issues? And also if they are related?

Thank you so so much!

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

The part on the photos has NOTHING to do with oil. It's the ignition coil.

The top hose is not a hose, it's a high voltage cable. It should not be wet nor oiled.

If you do not know much about cars and mechanics, I'd suggest to take the car to a garage that knows the 500s.

 

[ZaphodB]

As said the part in the photo is the ignition coil, they are oil filled for insulation

The 'top hose' as you describe is the high voltage output cable. (it will pull out from the top if gently pulled)

Better replace the coil anyway as it's leaking, it'll eventually let you down. Easy enough to do.

Completely unrelated to your light problem,, which could well be just a bulb

 

[FabAni]

Hello guys, thanks so much for your help!

Haha apologies for being such a newbie with mechanics

Sorry I am a little confused, so does the Ignition Coil has got something to do with oil then? Is the oil leak is coming from the Ignition Coil? But as I am understanding it's just the oil used to insulate it rather than from the engine oil?

Is it possible to fix it or do I just order a new Ignition Coil and change it?

I'm in Portugal at the moment, we are travelling with a motorhome and the 500 on the back, so hopefully I will be able to source it asap!

What happens if it fails? It won't start again? We are actually having issues turning the car on when it's hot, I wonder if it's linked to that?

Cheers guys

 

[ZaphodB]

The oil within the ignition coil is used to electrically insulate it internally because it's high voltage to provide spark for the spark plugs
Yes it can affect engine running and starting so best to replace it if it's leaking.,
Just order a new ignition coil and fit it yourself it's very easy


It has absolutely nothing to do with engine oil or the oil light on dash

 

[FabAni]

Thank you so much for the support!

Ok cool, will order one asap.

Is this the one?

https://www.auto-doc.pt/magneti-marelli/1824850?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&tb_prm=19578448550&gshp=1&gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=19578788377&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvdX6mLvcjQMVRYpQBh31tgPiEAQYASABEgKhFPD_BwE

Sorry it's all written in Portuguese. I could possibly ask a garage nearby if I can use their address for delivery!

Cheers guys

 

[The Panda Nut]

Yes the oil light could be the bulb. Just change it to be sure. It could be the sender or the wires. CHnage the bulb check for loltage whhne the ignition is tunrned on if no voltage when you expecyt the light its the wire or sender.

CHeck oil is not squirting across from engine to coil.

Wipe the coil dry. STart the engine and spped the engine up and hold it there for a few minutes and see if you can source the oil leak properly..

As the others have said about the coil, I agree.

 

[ZaphodB]

Thank you so much for the support!

Ok cool, will order one asap.

Is this the one?

Yes

 

[Toshi 975]

Your coil is oil filled for cooling but the fact that it has pumped out that much oil means that it has dramatically overheated forcing the oil out. The overheated coil also explains why you have hot starting problems when the coil is too hot.
The lack of an oil pressure light is potentially more serious if the bulb is not blown and the oil pressure switch is working and connected. With the bumpy roads it could be that the wire to the switch has fallen off. That wire runs from the loom near to the coil over to the right hand side of the engine, the switch has a push on spade connection.

 

[ZaphodB]

A thought just occured sparked (pardon the pun) from Toshi's reply just now.......

Does this car has a ballast resistor setup for the coil ? (asking the other posters not the original poster)

(My thought was if this is a ballast resistor setup (a 9volt ignition coil and a resistor etc) and it was faulty or badly wired up , the normally ballasted coil might be getting the full 12v all the time (during cranking and running) .. that would certainly overheat it.

 

[FR85]

Is there a chance oil is being blown out from the thermostat flap?, I say this as when you zoom in there seems to be some oil splatter on the top of the mail coil wire, if the coil was leaking it would surely be below the highest point. Also, there seems to be some oil splatterings on side panel that holds the coil.

Put some strips of white gaffa tape or masking tape on the coil and around the wall that supports the coil, bring the car for a good run and then have a look at the tape to see if there are more splatterings, simply running the engine I don't think with show you anything because at this point the oil will have misted.

I have a leaky push rod tube and it is doing similar.

Only bring it for a drive having first investigated the oil light and indeed dipped it for oil.

OP, have a look as best you can at the engine from just above the dipstick, use of a mirror to see up and under maybe needed to look for evidence of an oil leak on the right hand side of the engine.

Just my thinkings, could be wrong, I've been wrong many many times......so she tells me!

 

[Goldnrust]

I agree with @FR85 that it's quite possible the oil is being spat out of the thermostat flap, which could be leaking from various points on the engine.

I would certainly check the bulb for the oil light, it's simple enough access from under the bonnet.

Otherwise as @Toshi 975 mentions, the wiring for the oil pressure switch is on the right hand side of the engine bay, it will be a single wire leading from a pressure switch which is screwed into the right hand side of the engine block at the back, so behind the distributer. With the ignition on, if you pull the spade connector off the switch and touch it against a ground point in the engine bay (the crank case should do!) the oil light should come on inside the car. If it does not then you have an issue with the wiring to the bulb or with the bulb itself.

If the oil light comes on when you ground the connector then it is likely the sensor has failed. They are not expensive and easily changed.

 

[FabAni]

Thank you all so much for the amazing support

So we checked the oil leak and this happens when we rev a lot (VIDEO) . What could that be? Could it be as easy as changing the dipstick?

Regards the light, the bulb seems fine! I will go through all the steps mentioned! Thank you all so much

 

[ZaphodB]

Thank you all so much for the amazing support

So we checked the oil leak and this happens when we rev a lot (VIDEO) . What could that be? Could it be as easy as changing the dipstick?

Regards the light, the bulb seems fine! I will go through all the steps mentioned! Thank you all so much

Well I'll be blowed !!!

You've got a bit of positive crankcase pressure there. The dipstick is the byproduct, not the problem.

Talk about a red herring with the ign. coil

 

[FabAni]

Oh god!! Is it dangerous? Can we drive it like this? How can we fix it? Thank youuu

 

[ZaphodB]

It's building up (excess) pressure inside the crank case (down below where the sump is)

From blow-by at the pistons of the combustion gases, that's normal , as the engine wears over time this pressure can get higher.

There's always some pressure but there's usually always a breather mechanism to keep it negative pressure (so your dipstick doesn't pop out basically) , I'm unfamiliar with this engine so I don't know what method it uses.
It could simply vent to the outside world via a pipe, or get taken to the engine air intake/carb which would keep it negative pressure



Does it use a lot of oil?

 

[FabAni]

Thank you so much for all your help!

It always uses quite a lot of oil as it already has an oil leak underneath which I think is typical of these 500! Yesterday we drove for an hour and the oil was practically the same level so I don't think a lot it's coming out.

These are some photos of our engine. There's a cracked part, is that connected?

Or main question is? Is it SAFE to drive? or could this cause damage to the engine or anything else? We'll have to find a mechanic around but I wonder how many fiat 500 classic specialist there are in Portugal

 

[ZaphodB]

I can see the rocker breather pipe (green pipe behind the cracked one) , but I can't see crankcase pipage

It's safe - per se.... apart from it dropping oil on the floor

 

[the hobbler]

Thank you so much for all your help!

It always uses quite a lot of oil as it already has an oil leak underneath which I think is typical of these 500! Yesterday we drove for an hour and the oil was practically the same level so I don't think a lot it's coming out.

These are some photos of our engine. There's a cracked part, is that connected?

Or main question is? Is it SAFE to drive? or could this cause damage to the engine or anything else? We'll have to find a mechanic around but I wonder how many fiat 500 classic specialist there are in Portugal

I reckon that you have more chance of finding a mechanic who is prepared to (and can) work on older'classic' cars in Portugal than you are in the UK! I worked in a "Classic Car" garage for about 4 years recently, and the young apprentice was taught NOTHING with regard to Carburettors and 'points'ignition at College----he was lucky in that by the fact he worked in a garage that practically ONLY worked with carbs and points, he learned the trade from both sides (he passed his City and Guilds with "Distinctions"). We have the same problem when "Classics" are taken for a (in-required) MOT---the young testers do not have any idea about "Classics" and the fact that they were not deigned (or built) to pass today's exacting test. Some friends of mine (twins) have 5 'Classic' Riley cars in their garage---4 of them fully rebuilt and restored by them. One young tester refused to carry out the MOT because "the car has no brakes"---he just could not his brain round the fact that the car (a Kestrel) had "Rod and Cable" brakes, which in fact have been working very satisfactorily for close to 90 years!
Back to the oil-leak on your 500---a common place for them to leak oil, especially as the car gets older, are the push-rod tubes which run down the side of the engine that the distributor (and possible also the coil) sits at. IF this is where the leak is, it is not dangerous to drive the car, but you DO need to get the leak seen to. It is fairly major job as in order to remove the push-rod tubes and replace the seals that are on both ends of the tubes, the cylinder-head needs to be removed---definitely a job for a garage unless you are fairly "mechanical" and have garage where you can do the work in.
removed

 

[the green vanper]

The engine looks to me like a 126 engine though. From the forum I know they are frequently installed in the 500s.