Technical Punto 1.4 Starjet? inlet manifold removal

[Skelly359]

Hi

Sorry for my first post being a question but Im desperate to change the head gasket on my 1.4 and I cant see how to remove the inlet manifold, its the plastic type with just one bolt hole attached to the rocker, trouble is I cant get the rocker off as the inlet bracket covers one of the bolts for the rocker.

Is it possible to remove the inlet manifold without taking the whole engine out? (I hope so), are there really 8 bolts holding it on?

The engine seems to be the new 1.4 as in Daves thread with a 1.4 16v starjet

Thanks in advance, I can post more pictures if it helps to identify.

 

[RB2009]

Hi

Sorry for my first post being a question but Im desperate to change the head gasket on my 1.4 and I cant see how to remove the inlet manifold, its the plastic type with just one bolt hole attached to the rocker, trouble is I cant get the rocker off as the inlet bracket covers one of the bolts for the rocker.

Is it possible to remove the inlet manifold without taking the whole engine out? (I hope so), are there really 8 bolts holding it on?

The engine seems to be the new 1.4 as in Daves thread with a 1.4 16v starjet

Thanks in advance, I can post more pictures if it helps to identify.

Hi, ive just removed a 1.4 inlet manifold.

slightly different on the starjet but not much to an older 1.4 16v engine.
you remove that 1 bolt you found on top.

then you have 2 nuts, 1 eigther end gearbox end, and pulley end.. those are on the lower edge of the plastic manifold.

then you have 1 in the middle of the inlet manifold which you can see looking down.

then a further 1 nut to the left of the 1 on the right but lower down, just to the left of coolant hose.

then 2 nuts eigther side of the centre 1 underneath.. will need to unclip the plastic bit which the wiring loom runs through.. as it hangs underneath the inlet manifold and blocks access to the last 2 nuts.

real pain to remove, as its really akward... you will need an extension bar and a ratchet to get at it, akward bit is feeling your way around for the nut, then getting the socket onto it without dropping the ratched and socket on the floor lol

But basically all the nuts are underneath mainly on the lower edge / middle of the inlet manifold
6 in total if I can remember.. plus the 1 on top you found attaching it to the cam carrier.

 

[DaveMcT]

Is it the same as the HGT? On that, the head comes off complete with inlet manifold & its impossible to get the manifold off any other way.

 

[RB2009]

Is it the same as the HGT? On that, the head comes off complete with inlet manifold & its impossible to get the manifold off any other way.

Nope, not the same

I tried taking head off with it on there.

but 1 of the hex key covers, which cover up the head extension bolts, is covered up by the inlet manifold.. making it impossible to remove the head without manifold first.

But i can confirm it is possible to remove the manifold as I removed it before the head, and put it back on after head... was really akward but manageable.

Also, even if you could remove the head with the manifold attached.. the wiring loom is attached to the bottom of the inlet manifold, so that would hold it down.

 

[DaveMcT]

There's some really clever integrated CAD design in action. Oh yes.

It'll be OK until the warranty runs out then who gives a rat's.

 

[RB2009]

There's some really clever integrated CAD design in action. Oh yes.

It'll be OK until the warranty runs out then who gives a rat's.

Yep, lol.. the slogan written on the wall of every engine designers office.

and its so true, they dont give a damn.. engines are built up out of the car, then everything is put together in 1 go, front and back subframes, exhuast, engine wiring looms.

then raised up in 1 go from underneath.. easy in the factory, lol but when it comes to out of warranty work right pain.

it is possible to undo the manifold first, definitely.. but i can say it is a real pain.. first you need to reach underneath the inlet manifold and feel around for the nuts.. with all the wiring and heater hoses in the way.
then when you find them you have to manoever a socket in place with an extension bar.. which isnt the easiest of tasks and when you hold the socket end to try and do it its end heavy with the ratchet attached and managed to drop it a few times... couldnt be more akward if they tried.

couldnt believe the idiots managed to design it so the top bolt which is just a re-inforcer on inlet manifold covers up 1 of the cam carrier/head extension bolts... if it wasnt for that 1 act of stupidity.. and attaching the wiring loom to the bottom of the inlet manifold you could remove the head with manifold attached.

 

[Skelly359]

OMG..... Ive never known such a difficult item to remove.... Its taken me ages to remove two of the bolts from underneath but I cant get to the others yet, its crazy.....

Am I correct in thinking that the engine mount has to be removed too? to get the head off?

 

[RB2009]

OMG..... Ive never known such a difficult item to remove.... Its taken me ages to remove two of the bolts from underneath but I cant get to the others yet, its crazy.....

Am I correct in thinking that the engine mount has to be removed too? to get the head off?

Hi, yep it is difficult lol.. took me a while and got loads of nice scratches.

u will need to unclip the wiring loom from the bottom of the inlet manifold to get to 2 or 3 of the nuts.

middle 1 you can just about get to, but the 2 eigther side.. no way you can get to them without unclipping the wiring loom.

Engine mount does have to be removed yep, but remove it before undoing the head.. because, you need to remove the timing belt covers and timing belt before undoing the head.

so you will need to jack the engine up, remove the engine mount and put some bricks or something underneath it.

once you have done that, remove the engine mount, top part which bolts to the car.. should be 2 nuts on the car, then 3 on the engine mount if i can remember.

then you can remove the part of the engine mount attached to the engine, think theres around 5 bolts if i can remember.

then remove timing covers

undo the timing belt

then you can remove the head.

 

[Skelly359]

Im so tempted to cut the stability bar in half and make an adapter to fix it afterwards.

I could then take rocker off and then the head and deal with the inlet manifold when head is off.

I have now managed to undo the plastic clips holding the loom but its still almost impossible to find the nuts let alone get on them with a rachet, ive had a mirror and a 50w gu10 ceiling light shining ... Hats of to those that have achieved this.

Its ridiculous..... ( ahhh rant over, lol)

I wondered if I could get to them easier from underneath???

 

[RB2009]

Im so tempted to cut the stability bar in half and make an adapter to fix it afterwards.

I could then take rocker off and then the head and deal with the inlet manifold when head is off.

I have now managed to undo the plastic clips holding the loom but its still almost impossible to find the nuts let alone get on them with a rachet, ive had a mirror and a 50w gu10 ceiling light shining ... Hats of to those that have achieved this.

Its ridiculous..... ( ahhh rant over, lol)

I wondered if I could get to them easier from underneath???

lol I had similar thoughts at the time, I knew where the nuts for the inlet manifold were.. and thought.. well might as well take the head off with inlet manifold attached.. would be easier.

so I started undoing he head extension bolts and covers.. then got to the 1 hidden underneath the stabiliser.. and was like ffs lol couldnt believe fiat would do something like that.

then I seriously considered cutting it, but it wasnt my car, and also its repairing it afterwards... but it was a serious consideration... so I know the feeling.

in the end I just undid the nuts.

as a tip, i found disconnecting the heater hoses, and all the wiring connectors helps.

you can pull the heater hose back out the way, and with all the wiring connectors undone, you can move the wiring out the way completely as well.

Also if you havent already, remove the ECU and throttle body.

Gives you a lot more room to work, then with a struggle you can get to the nuts easier.. but as you said not easy lol, doesnt help eigther that when your holding the socket and trying to feel for the nut, the ratchet and extension are end heavy.. dropped it a few times.

 

[Skelly359]

as a tip, i found disconnecting the heater hoses, and all the wiring connectors helps.

you can pull the heater hose back out the way, and with all the wiring connectors undone, you can move the wiring out the way completely as well.

Also if you havent already, remove the ECU and throttle body.

Gives you a lot more room to work, then with a struggle you can get to the nuts easier.. but as you said not easy lol, doesnt help eigther that when your holding the socket and trying to feel for the nut, the ratchet and extension are end heavy.. dropped it a few times.

Im going to give it one more try tomorrow doing what youve mentioned, its too dark now, its bad enough working in minus 2 with day light let alone minus 2 without any light..... And to make matters worse Ive put my back out carrying a wood burner outside so I could warm up in-between undoing both of the nuts I managed to get at... Cheers for everyones help, its giving me the encouragement I need....

 

[D4nny8oy]

There's some really clever integrated CAD design in action. Oh yes.

It'll be OK until the warranty runs out then who gives a rat's.

What's more annoying is that when the 1.2 16v was first brought out (mk1 Punto), the inlet was a two-piece metal/plastic design, allowing the top section to be removed and leave the lower half well alone. Then someone justifying his pay packet changed it for a completely plastic design. :bang:

It's easier if you can get under the car for some of the bolts, but access is made worse if the car has A/C.

 

[dave]

Is it the same as the HGT?

nothing is ever the same as a HGT :bang:

pictures of a startjet engine and manifold with engine out the car so op can see where his bolts are in here https://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1769&ppuser=1407

i have the engine in a mk2 and manage to get it off an on fine

 

[DaveMcT]

nothing is ever the same as a HGT :bang:

Tell me about it.

 

[Skelly359]

Thanks for all of the replies, in the end I noticed that water had been leaking out of the temp sensor on the inlet manifold and the radiator had a hole in it and was loosing coolant, I have now changed the rad and refitted the temp sensor on the inlet and now have hot air in car when running ( although Im still not clear on how to bleed the system as it has a pipe running back to the rad bottle and only one small plastic screw in a pipe near the matrix input, what is the method with these???) .

The temp gauge has a mind of its own though, is there two sensors for temperature or just the one by the manifold??? If there is a seperate one for the gauge reading, Im tempted to change it as I don't believe its telling me the truth... (if so where is it???)

Thanks Again

 

[dave]

starjet dosent have its temp sensor on the inlet manifold

 

[Skelly359]

Your dead right, its on the block top right, right next to the inlet manifold. Does this do the gauge reading?

 

[RB2009]

Hi what year and punto is yours?

just before I did some reading into the starjet engine after seeing Daves.

and couldnt find 1 fitted to a MK2 punto.. from what I could tell it was a grande punto engine.. or am I wrong lol.. maybe the very late 2005 puntos had them.

 

[Skelly359]

It is a Punto 1.4 Sporting 2004 Variant AXMIB and Version 22

 

[RB2009]

It is a Punto 1.4 Sporting 2004 Variant AXMIB and Version 22

cant find another MK2B with starjet engine.

I just brought a load of bits 2nd hand off a 2005 Sporting 1.4 for the 1 im repairing and that didnt have a starjet engine eigther.

just thought they was a grande punto thing, but because yours has 1 it couldnt of been.

lol, but they must of made some with them which is how yours has 1, they are an improved engine from what I can make out.