Hi everyone,

Since I steam cleaned my uno lump (shouldnt be done I know) ever since running the engine there has been a knocking noise from the distributor, I was wondering if anyone knows of anyway of getting rid of the noise, or is a new distributor to solve the problem?

Hi Paul,

Sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know which engine your Uno has? I think there were at least seven engines in use

Personally, I like clean engines, so I think you still did the right thing.

It's a bit hard to reconcile a knocking noise with the distributor! The only possibility is if the cap is dislodged (in which case, the engine usually won't run), or maybe the centrifugal advance springs have fallen off, which would be just weird.

Sometimes noises 'travel', and it's hard to really know where it's coming from. Try using a big screwdriver, handle pressed to the ear, to listen to items such as the water pump, generator, and the distributor, just to see if it's certain to be the distributor.

Just check also that the sound doesn't alter with the clutch disengaged - silly I know, but FIAT gearboxes can make all sorts of deep-seated rackets with the engine idling, and in the theoretical situation that water was forced into the gearbox through the top-mounted breather, I can imagine that it may dilute the oil and accentuate the 'normal' noise. I may be far off the trail with this one.

My guess is that it will be a coincidental failure of the water pump bearing. But I think you need to analyse the 'knock' in terms of what size parts would be required to produce it. I would expect more of a clicking/tapping from the distributor... if you're still certain, why not get hold of a spare distributor and swap it over - shouldn't be too expensive, particularly if bought without the (failure-prone) electronic module and vacuum advance.

Thanks,
-Alex

Yeh a tapping noise is a batter way to describe it rather than a knocking.

I will exaplain the whole story to make things clearer,

I got the car and decided to give the underbonnet a clean after I had done the head gasket, took it to the steam cleaner and gave it a thorough clean with the engine running, after I stopped cleaning the engine continued to run for a minute or two but then cut out, I tried to restart it but it wouldn't restart. I pushed the car off the valleting bay and unplugged all the HT leads and gave the plugs a clean up and used an air line blower to get all the water out. It eventually started but i wasn't satisfied on start up so I checked the cap out on the distributor and two of the four point were worn so I thought a new cap would solve the problem. I got hold of the new cap and put it on and start up seemed to be fine and was now happy the problem was solved.

When I went to start the car again a few days later the distribuor was making the tapping noise. I thought it might of been the cover underneath the rocker cover so I took the rocker cover off and made sure that was secured properly and it was so im now puzzled what to do next!

P.S The tapping noise isn't as severe when the car is warmed up!



Any ideas anyone?