General What have I done?

[Steven_87]

Hello People!!
This is my first thread here. but I must say I am a bit scared!
My English is not the best, but I will try not to make any mistakes.

My story goes like this:My dad bought a Fiat Tipo loong time ago, and I have to say that I love this car! It is a 1988, 1.7diesel. The funky electrics, the digital dash and other great stuff on it made me to buy 2 more!! well I dont know why I did that:bang:. But now The whole family drives Teapots.
It was all well untill the problems began comming and comming. On my oldest Tipo I had to change the rear breakes because they were old, so I changed the whole back breaks with disc breaks. The problem here is that they were from a salvage yard and they dont work as I planned. When I pull the handbreak and releas it, on the left side it remains blocked. Unfortunatly I can see that the calliper is yamed, and I have to buy another one.

The second Tipo in the family is a 1989 built 1.7Diesel. The same engine,same color, only the dash is different. It runs..I mean ran great untill the camshaft lost some of its material..so now, have to buy a new camshaft aswell

I was absoluttly sure that the third Teapot will be faultless, it ran great when I bought it, it looked nice (even the wheelcaps were original), and it was cheep. It is a 1993 buildt 1.6i.e !So that was it. I bought it, not knowing that after 200 kilometers (about 100miles) yes..you guessed it, the electrics began loosing theyre mindes.First the light in the glove compartment stoped working, then the fuel gage, the rev meter and those lights that show if the doors are open. Anything else works (now).
This Tipo is my first petrol car, so I was pretty happy when I bought it for about 500 pounds.:devil:
Does anybody have a clue what would the problemo be?:worship:
Ps: some photos of my big happ....whell not that happy family.
Best Regards,
Steve

 

[markiz]

heheeh si aici te gasesc ....

 

[maddogmorg]

sounds like it could be bad connections at the dashboard? if several gauges aren't working.

 

[20vturbo]

bad battery connections?

 

[Steven_87]

sounds like it could be bad connections at the dashboard? if several gauges aren't working.

bad battery connections?

I have checked the battery connection, and it is all good + i have a new battery to
I have read on this forum that it could be because of water leeking in, and yes, the dranege near the engine was full of leaves and durt = could this mean that this coused it?
Meanwhile this weekend they started working..first the fuel gage then all of them, but tonight they stoped again:bang: WHY>>? and why me? dont know what to change..the fusebox or the dash/gages
Thank You for the replys, best regards

Steve

 

[bluejohn125]

A lot of electrical problems in the Tipo can be traced to water getting into the fusebox. On UK (RHD) cars it is in the footwell on the RHS, it could be the same for LHD cars. The bottom corner of the windscreen can start to leak (the glass goes "milky") and water gets in and fills the fusebox. If you're lucky you can open it up and dry it out before the circuit boards become damaged.

Hopefully this is the problem, sometimes you need to replace the windscreen.

 

[Steven_87]

A lot of electrical problems in the Tipo can be traced to water getting into the fusebox. On UK (RHD) cars it is in the footwell on the RHS, it could be the same for LHD cars. The bottom corner of the windscreen can start to leak (the glass goes "milky") and water gets in and fills the fusebox. If you're lucky you can open it up and dry it out before the circuit boards become damaged.

Hopefully this is the problem, sometimes you need to replace the windscreen.

I have replaced the fusebox, and it is still not working. Now i must believe that it is from the dashboard.
This going to end up expensive now:bang:

Steve

 

[Hellcat]

Try cleaning the connections before you start replacing the parts.

Loose or bad connections can cause all sorts of problems, especially on old cars like our Tipos.

 

[Steven_87]

Try cleaning the connections before you start replacing the parts.

Loose or bad connections can cause all sorts of problems, especially on old cars like our Tipos.

Thank You for reply!. Well I looked wery well. It is like brand new. I checked 2 times. Now I am thinking of a loose or bad connection in the dash. I will check today.

Thank You.
Steve

 

[Steven_87]

Yupeeee!! I have solved my problem. So happy:slayer:
I looked at the dash, but nothing seemed to be wrong with it, so I decided to look at the eart on the shassie (near the engine). I have 2 bolt for earth (left right) and both of them were durty. I have cleaned them with a wire brush, and now all my gages are working.
But be aware that the bolts can shear off if they are very coroded. That whats happend to one of my diesel Tipos.
Sorry for double post!

So happy..Steve

 

[Hellcat]

Well done. Hope they give you plenty of miles before they need looking after again.

 

[maddogmorg]

Well done. Hope they give you plenty of miles before they need looking after again.

:yeahthat:

the good things about the tipos are that any faults like that are often solved by simple things. one of my indicators stopped working but a bit of sand paper and electrical spray got it working again.

hopefully you'll be tipoing for a good while to come! enjoy it!

 

[jonboy739]

lol my petrol gauge has started playing up 2 days ago, it keeps jumping up and down to empty. but as someone posted on here my windscreen has started to go milky down the drivers side, but as luck would have it some little tw*t put aload of sand and grit on my windscreen a couple of weeks ago and cracked it so i was going to get a new one anyway.

 

[Steven_87]

:yeahthat:

the good things about the tipos are that any faults like that are often solved by simple things. one of my indicators stopped working but a bit of sand paper and electrical spray got it working again.

hopefully you'll be tipoing for a good while to come! enjoy it!

Well done. Hope they give you plenty of miles before they need looking after again.

Thank you all for the replys.. now I can Zooom around knowing the revs and knowing that i've got petrol left in the tank I even stareted getting used to it because my Diesel Tipos havent got revcounters>> but this way its nicer. Everything works. I will be back with some photos/movie:devil:

lol my petrol gauge has started playing up 2 days ago, it keeps jumping up and down to empty. but as someone posted on here my windscreen has started to go milky down the drivers side, but as luck would have it some little tw*t put aload of sand and grit on my windscreen a couple of weeks ago and cracked it so i was going to get a new one anyway

well my fuelgage did not work at all, and when it worked it was like with lag..it took him time to raise at the normal level where the fuel normaly was.

Best regards,
Happy Steve

 

[maddogmorg]

Thank you all for the replys.. now I can Zooom around knowing the revs and knowing that i've got petrol left in the tank I even stareted getting used to it because my Diesel Tipos havent got revcounters>> but this way its nicer. Everything works. I will be back with some photos/movie:devil:

well my fuelgage did not work at all, and when it worked it was like with lag..it took him time to raise at the normal level where the fuel normaly was.

Best regards,
Happy Steve

just out of interest where's the redline set for the 1.6? i installed an aftermarket rev counter in my old tipo and was getting it above 7000, occasionally 8000rpm:slayer:. it's a testament to the engine that it was coping with that and it's only that the clutch broke that i ended up scrapping it as i just gave up on it as i wanted a new car with a bit more go!

 

[Steven_87]

just out of interest where's the redline set for the 1.6? i installed an aftermarket rev counter in my old tipo and was getting it above 7000, occasionally 8000rpm:slayer:. it's a testament to the engine that it was coping with that and it's only that the clutch broke that i ended up scrapping it as i just gave up on it as i wanted a new car with a bit more go!

Dear Besbie..
well my exhaust pops at 6-7000rpm dont know hows at 8000 because i have never tryed yet
6000-8000is the red zone,5500-is yellow
Ps: my next car with a bit more go will be a Sedici..Hope I'll find one in a good condition

 

[maddogmorg]

Dear Besbie..
well my exhaust pops at 6-7000rpm dont know hows at 8000 because i have never tryed yet
6000-8000is the red zone,5500-is yellow
Ps: my next car with a bit more go will be a Sedici..Hope I'll find one in a good condition

ta. interesting to see the rev gauge go up to 8000 even if it is in the red. don't test it too much though lol.

 

[Steven_87]

ta. interesting to see the rev gauge go up to 8000 even if it is in the red. don't test it too much though lol.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I will try it when I change the cambelt. I dont know the history of it so it must be changed.
ps: Funny thing with the high revs. The M.O.T guy told me that my cat. wasnt working properly and he would suggest me to go out for a high rev ride:devil:.. but I havent faild it
Have a nice weekend guys!!!


Still happy...Steve
:tempt:

 

[Hellcat]

Make sure you put plenty of money aside for when you get your Sedici.

They cost a bomb in the fuel and parts department.

 

[jonboy739]

They cost a bomb in the fuel and parts department.

your not joking there i dont even get 100 miles for £30 in mine think i need to get it in for a tune