General Q about mk 1 Unos,Econometer??

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General Q about mk 1 Unos,Econometer??

N344HLU

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Hi,
first time i've posted here.I've a querie,its a bit nerdy though-Up to when i was about 13 my family owned a G reg Uno 60S and i remember that on the dash it had a small gauge which was labelled as an 'Econometer'(or Econmeter-i can't remember for sure) and i was just wondering if anyone knew what it was for?It seemed to act like a rev counter but it didn't have any numbers,i could never really get my head round it...
Also,what engine was in the mk 1 '60' Unos,a 1.2?
 
The 'Econometer' (I have one in my 45S :)) is simply a vacuum gauge that measures the vacuum in the inlet manifold. The needle moves from one end of the scale to the other depending on whether there is positive or negative vacuum recorded, I forget which way round it works (Alex - HELP!). It shows how efficiently the inlet side of the engine is working, and when running on minimum throttle per engine suction (less air/ fuel mixture being drawn in = better fuel economy) the needle will be in the green sector. If you floor the throttle the vacuum changes and the engine will be drawing in much more air/ fuel hence the needle will then move to the red sector. If you use the throttle carefully you can keep the needle in the yellow sector or even towards the green sector and this will give amazing fuel ecomony.

Regarding the engine, a mk1 Uno 60S would have a 1116cc ohc Lampredi engine. It's an older design and not the same as the later FIRE engines.

Great cars! (y)
 
Ahhh,i see-i always used to think it was just a poor man's rev counter lol.Similar i suppose in the way it went to red with high throttle-i take it the idea never really caught on that much though!
Thanks for the info on the engine-i thought it had the same 1108 as my cinq.
It's funny,i absolutely hated that Uno when my mum had it when i was a kid(thought it was sooo un cool,compared to what other peoples parents drove)but now i think they're quite charming in an austere sort of way,not that you ever see many Mk 1's about now.
Even when there were lots about in the early/mid 90s i don't think i ever saw another black 60S the same as ours-i only recall loads of ubiquitous 45's trundling about(normally in that old fiat red or white!).
 
i only recall loads of ubiquitous 45's trundling about(normally in that old fiat red or white!).

:mad:

Here is my ubiquitious 45S in red...

;) :p

1986_Uno_Washed_05032006.JPG
 
If I am not seriously mistaken here,
less vacuum = red field,
more vacuum = green field.
If you go downhill with your foot off the accelerator pedal, the butterfly is closed and as the engine rotates, it sucks in air through a negligible gap between the butterfly plate and the inner side of the carburettor barrel, thus creates more vacuum than when the butterfly is open.

BTW, 45s are IMMORTAL and mine is not red nor white :p
 
Ooops,no offence intended!
I think absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder-your's is a lovely example,i take that comment back lol!
 
The 'Econometer' (I have one in my 45S :)) is simply a vacuum gauge that measures the vacuum in the inlet manifold. The needle moves from one end of the scale to the other depending on whether there is positive or negative vacuum recorded, I forget which way round it works (Alex - HELP!).

Sorry Chas ;) I was a bit slow.

(CZ)enda clarified the situation, max. vacuum = green zone, min. vacuum (open throttle) = red zone.

The econometer for the Uno is electrically-driven off a sender unit strapped to the firewall in the engine bay near the washer bag, if I remember correctly. I think there may be an additional refinement in the wiring of the electric gauge, so that it is switched off (reads max green) when the fuel is cut off, though I'm not sure.

It's a nice idea but really just reinforces the fact that for economy, you should drive as though there is an egg on the accelerator pedal. Or maybe, as though an orange has rolled under it (don't ask...) :)

Hey, off-topic but Chas, it's time we had an update on your Uno (I probably missed it!) - maybe a big new thread on what you're doing to it... and what it looks like now - that picture is about two years' old isn't it?

-Alex
 
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It's funny,i absolutely hated that Uno when my mum had it when i was a kid(thought it was sooo un cool,compared to what other peoples parents drove)

When my Dad was alive and I was 16 in '96, I thought all FIATs were crap :( Honda Civics and Preludes were the way to go!

but now i think they're quite charming in an austere sort of way,not that you ever see many Mk 1's about now.

Yes - they've stopped being merely 'old' and are now entering a bit of a cool retro phase, soon they will become '80s classics :) I used to think the Mk2 Uno was definitely preferable to the Mk1 in looks, but now I realise that the Mk2 looks 'old', and the Mk1 looks cool... :cool:

Meanwhile I reckon the Mk1 Punto looks old now. But reality is that any car in top condition looks good, it shows that you care about what you drive. Nothing looks more silly than a three-year-old car all scratched and dinged-up with a knocking sound from the engine...

-Alex
 
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