Urgent!Need help from the forum

[helpunto85]

Hello Everybody,

I need everybody help about an issue i have my Punto ELX85.

I have parked my car in a street where parking was allowed, and left for Christmas holidays. Because i had no alarm, so to discourage the possible thief to stole my car because a lot of things would not work on it i removed all the fuses.

But, some urgent works had to be done and the street police truckded my car in another place, in a pavement. After my return when i located my car i noticed that the front wheel where turned left and that made me suspicious. So after installing my fuses, i checked my engine where i saw oil leakage in the cover of my timing belt and the 3rd cylinder on the cover of the engine. So i have to find techinical evidence to prove that this damage is because of the trucking of my car.

On the looking the handbook of my car i have found out that when servizi services fuse is not functioning the oil to the engine is not controled.
So, i assume that if by any reason my car was trucked by using the rear or the front wheels and the oil in the engine was not controled by the fuse then because of the pressure evolved in the engine could this leakage be justified.

Can enyone help me prove that the two incidents (the trucking of my car and the leakage from the engine) could be connected each other?Of course, there might be some other things i have to check that may not show now a damage but i may found this out in the future. I can not be suppoted by my service because of a possible fear that the will get involved with the street police.

I am apreciated for you urgent reply.

 

[Davren]

The fuse would only control the oil pressure warning light, not the oil supply to the engine.

Towing the car would not cause damage to the engine or pressurise the engine oil and would not cause the leaks you have described.

 

[helpunto85]

I read from the manual that in no case the car should be towed with the engine off because the catalyst damages. So there are problems relating with towing the car with the engine shut.

But how ic an i be sure since the back wheels are moving that the crank is not moving backwards and this backwards movement do not damage my engine?

 

[Davren]

The manual says "do not push or tow the car to start the engine because fuel may damage the catalyst".

With the fuses and key removed, it would be impossible for the engine to start.

The Punto is driven by the front wheels so the engine will only turn if the front wheels are on the ground and the car was left in a gear.

 

[helpunto85]

I had left my car with the first gear so if they could have pushed my car to place it in its position. So my engine could have ben turned. Does this pressure could cause damage of my engine? How i can be sure that since nothing was functioning in my car the oil pump lubricated my engine sufficiently or controled the sufficient oil in the cylinders? Why could not the oil levels would not cause leakage shown in my timing belt?

I try to find how the fiat punto lubrication system works. Can you suggest any site i could find more detail?

 

[dronenrs]

if car was left in gear and towed on front wheels the engine would of turned so slowly that i dont think any damage could occur

 

[helpunto85]

I am searching that because i have to be certain. The damage is important and the repair cost:bang:

So far i have found out the following diagram for Bravo but i need one for punto. As i can see from this since the warning light could not work then the oil goes to the 3rd valve where i see the more oil leakage to the outside part of my engine.

I need help to understand how my engine works. Timing belt leakage could not have caused out of a sudden in a parked car.

Following diagram shows the Fiat Bravo/ Brava Engine Lubrication System works.

Legend:
1. Oil pump
2. Oil pressure relief valve
3. Float with gauze filter
4. Oil filter cartridge
5. Engine oil cooling radiator
6. Thermostatic valve
7. Main longitudinal duct
8. Supply duct to the camshaft
9. Supply pipe to the turbocharger
10. Oil return pipe to the sump from the turbocharger
11. Oil supply pipe from the thermostatic valve to the radiator
12. Oil return pipe from the radiator to the thermostatic valve
13. Oil return to the sump
14. Engine oil pressure warning light switch

 

[Davren]

Turning the engine will not cause an oil leak from the timing cover or the "3rd cylinder on the cover of the engine".

Does the engine start now?
If the engine starts, does the oil pressure warning light go off?
Is there any other damage?

Post a picture of the oil leaks.

 

[RONNIE HUNTER]

HI everyone. I'm a new uno owner and not much of a mechanic and my uno is leaking water, it appears to be leaking water between the sump and pulley, it is pouring out... any advice is welcome and appreciated. I can be contacted via email, [email protected]

 

[Davren]

HI everyone. I'm a new uno owner and not much of a mechanic and my uno is leaking water, it appears to be leaking water between the sump and pulley, it is pouring out... any advice is welcome and appreciated. I can be contacted via email, [email protected]

This thread relates to a Punto oil leak.

You will get more response if you post in the Uno section of the forum here:

https://www.fiatforum.com/uno/

 

[skaramazoo]

HI everyone. I'm a new uno owner and not much of a mechanic and my uno is leaking water, it appears to be leaking water between the sump and pulley, it is pouring out... any advice is welcome and appreciated. I can be contacted via email, [email protected]

I think you're off-topic here mate but I would think that your problem has to do with the water pump. Get it seen and - if need be - have it replaced.

 

[helpunto85]

This is about an oil leakage.

Usually when appears problem to the timing belt you have to replace besides the belt and the water pump. But this is not the issue. The problem is how did this oil leakage occured just because the car was towed.

So to my problem.
Yes, my engine starts normally.The engine's light indicator is not turned on. I can not hear any difference to the noise of the engine. If i turn my wheel i hear some noise like rubber noise. But did not see anywhere leakage. Of course, i know too little and i dont now what to check about my wheel.

 

[skaramazoo]

I can't think of any way that the two incidents (the towing of your car and the oil leakage from the engine) could be connected. Any mishandling of your Punto during towing and/or moving with a turned off engine couldn't have anything to do with an oil leak. That said, you should check thoroughly front and rear suspension and steering system. It's only these two that could have been adversely affected by the unauthorised towing of your car.
I used to have a similar oil leakage around the head gasket of my 2004 Punto mk2 1.2 8v and it turned out to be due to a sealing O-ring that had failed.

 

[helpunto85]

Any fail of an item of my car can not be done out of a sudden. From the time i left my cat and received it nothing besides towing occured. There must be the two incidents connected.

The oil did not returned to the sump it leaked from the crank to the timing belt box. But the problem is was the fact that did not let it return to the sump?

 

[skaramazoo]

Just a small question; had you left the car parked on a gear in the gear box or was it in neutral before you left for the Christmas holidays?

 

[arc]

if car was left in gear and towed on front wheels the engine would of turned so slowly that i dont think any damage could occur

You have this the wrong way round

If the car was left in 1st gear and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground well above what the car can do in 1st gear (25mph?) then yes it will cause the engine to over rev - which could potentially cause it to have chucked oil out of the breathers.

It is not common practice to leave the drive wheels on the ground when towing though.

 

[sludgeguts]

You have this the wrong way round

If the car was left in 1st gear and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground well above what the car can do in 1st gear (25mph?) then yes it will cause the engine to over rev - which could potentially cause it to have chucked oil out of the breathers.

It is not common practice to leave the drive wheels on the ground when towing though.

I would have thought it extremely difficult to tow a car on its driven wheels when left in gear - the compression would build up in each cylinder so the car would be dragged along, scrubbing the tyres. That or the car would move in a series of 'jerks' as compression builds and releases in the engine - I would imagine the end result then being a serious problem along the drive train - damage to splines on ends of driveshafts, damage to clutch mechanism.

 

[arc]

Not too mention it being towed on wheels that are free to move left / right.

 

[sludgeguts]

Not too mention it being towed on wheels that are free to move left / right.

But with no key in the ignition, the steering lock would activate so the wheels would only turn a little to the left or right before the lock kicks in - meaning the truck would be pulling a trailer which always wants to pull to one side so it would go so far sideways then it would be forcibly dragged against the direction of the steering wheels.

In which case, there would be no effect on the engine whatsoever - would deffo scrub the heck out oif the tyres though

Let's be honest here, I very much doubt a truck would drag your car through the streets with the tyres burning off, worst case would be that the car was dragged onto a flatbed - so no more than a few yards.
Best case they would crane the car onto a flatbed.

 

[helpunto85]

I had the first gear in my gear box. This is why i suspect that something must have caused the oil leakage. My gear box does not show any damage. Only the wheels turns with a rubber noise but this is slight. The only notice i have is the oil leakage.

I have brought a mechanic to inspect my car and he suggests to replace all the belts of the car since i have to replace the timing belt and the cost of the work is the same in this case because it is a lot of mechanical work to replace the timing belt. So i appeciate any help that could helpme on how this two incidents are connected.