Technical Saved an Uno from the Scrapyard

[bean]

Hi

My first post in this section. I teach mechanics at a school and I am always looking for old Fiat's for the students to work on, we currently have my Cinquecento Sporting and a Panda Italia 90 which are being fixed up.
When I saw this Uno I had to save it from being another victim of the crusher.

Its a 1989 sx model, 1.3 I think. I'm guessing its the old type engine and not a FIRE version. It has 2 owners from you (father and daughter) and has spent the last 10 years sat unused in a garage in Devon.

It looks pretty solid underneath and I couldn't find any plates welded in. Just rear arches look rusty with on bumper braket rusted out near OS arch. Also has two snapped door handles and a replacement door, same colour just wrong graphics but we can make them up here.

Any thoughts? Any areas I should check? Going to get it cleaned and try to start it in September.

Thanks

Nath

 

[fostertom]

Same year/model as mine then, just W of Exeter. Perhaps we can get them to breed!

 

[fostertom]

.

 

[Louie Bee]

An SX with no sun roof - I didn't know they existed

It won't be a FIRE - way too early for a 1.3 fire - will be 1301cc - same swept volume as the MK1 Uno Turbo, way different internals, different bore / stroke.

if you haven’t already, take the carpet up and have a look at the inner sills - usually have tears when you see where the edge of the floor.

Also pop the outer sill protectors / spats off and have a good poke around. Sure the students will love the Uno.

 

[bean]

Same year/model as mine then, just W of Exeter. Perhaps we can get them to breed!

Hi thanks for the help,

This car is located in Teignmouth and I live in Exeter not North Devon as my title says. Maybe a uno meet up might be on the cards, a great selection of fiats there, always loved the punto cabrio.

Thanks

nath

 

[fostertom]

My 1242 Cabrio is getting new head gasket, soon be enjoying this late summer. Yesterday midnight the Uno's insurance expired - SORN for a bit. On last trip, for first time in my life put in diesel. Lots of smnoke, little power, but still kept going. The Rescue guy said don't worry, just dilute the problem away with more petrol. Which I did, and she flew home as per usual, 1hr to spare. A fine way to end a year of old fashioned bone shaking zippy lightweight motoring! They don't make em like that any more (except the Tata Nano) - but it's the future!

 

[bean]

The Uno lives! Some fresh fuel and a jump start and off it went! Lots of work to do now, drives ok though!

Nath

 

[rawill]

Great little cars, very economical considering when they were first built.

Wish mine did not have a sunroof.

 

[bean]

Hi

Making some progress. It has had a short drive around the playground and ran for a while, problems found so far:

Water leak from rad- maybe from fan switch.
Two broken door handles.
Two flat tyres
Electric windows do not work.
Central locking does not work.
Front fog lamp snapped out of plastic bumper.
Radio does not work!
Brakes are bloomin' awful!

Anyone got any starting points for the above? I expected the brakes to be bad as it has been led up for 10 years.

There is a live going to the electric window switches but they are not working, showed 12v using a multimeter.

Great little car though!

Thanks

Nath

 

[fostertom]

On my same car, just 15 miles from yours, the windows were sluggish, eventually ran out of puff altogether; the central locking sometimes works, sometimes not, usually unpredictable. Other motors - wiper slows down and stops after 10mins hard work. Maybe all the motors are (semi) cooked, or else it's dirty connectors/poor earth?

 

[Louie Bee]

Re the windows, all the current passes through the switch, so when the contacts get corroded, resistance increases and window speed decreases. Perhaps try a fused direct feed from the battery and if it works perhaps try using the switches to drive a relay, and relay to pass current - sure AlexGS had a post somewhere a few years ago.

Brakes, I'd go for a complete renewal if it's not moved fro 10 years - pipes, flexi hoses, callipers / cylinders / pads / shoes / discs think you can find most cheep enough if you look. nit sure on master cylinder - perhaps take a gamble there.

Rad - maybe the steal clips that hold the plastic end caps on have rusted? Either, take the rad out and have a good look, or use the cold pressure test I put in guides.

 

[60s failure]

my uno 60s looks very much like yours... do you have a problem with the idle by chance??