Hello all,

I'm having troubles with the engine. It seems to struggle to start, but sometimes it will start with ease. While driving, it will feel bogged down.Also sometimes while driving, it will lose revs and cuts out when ever i try to use the throttle.

If i start the car straight away after this has happened, it struggles to keep going. If i pick the revs over 3000 it will try and die. One time this happened i called the AA, he told me it was because i didn't have a air filter attached. Since i have attached it this problems still happens. But if i use my hand to restrict the airflow (without air filter on) it will rev normal, and sounds a lot better.

When i brought it, the car did sound a little bit rough (like it had a high lift cam, but it didn't. I know x1/9 cams have a high lift already as stock, but this sounded stupidly high lifted)

Since buying the car i have fitted this items:
Cambelt
Points
Dizzy cap
Rotor arm
Spark plugs
HT leads
Overhauled the Weber
CSC 4 branch + silencer

Any help/information on this matter will be greatly appreciated!

I have three immediate suggestions

1) get a compression test done

2) check the carburettor is properly seated, all screws inserted, all holes plugged (where they are supposed to be) and you don't have any tubes sticking out that don't have pipes attached to them. Once all this is done get the jets really properly cleaned out and, if possible, the float level reset.

3) make sure the ignition timing is correctly set and the clamp holding the distributor is properly tightened.

The symptoms you've described don't sound like any one particular thing. The AA man was probably right about the air filter though - unless the engine is tuned to run without one (or with a really high flow filter) then it will mess your engine up not least of all when it ingests all sorts of grit into the cylinders and carburettor. The valves, bores and rings are particularly vulnerable and it doesn't take much to completely wreck the engine - equally you could run for thousands of miles and not have a problem but you never know when the worst will happen...

Thanks for the information!

Been unable to do a compression test yet but, refitted air filter, checked the carb, found one pipe which wasnt connected. Tried to use my timing gun, but couldnt get the strobe to light strong enough (was very dim). Not sure wether it is the gun, as i have borrowed it, or a weak signal. Test drove the car again, but still no improvements.

Did find a condenser looking item which was connected to the positive side of the coil, but was broken off. Looked through the haynes manual to see what it was, but couldn't see it in there. Do you have any idea's what it is? Have looked to buy a new one due to the broken end connection, but all i can find is the condenser which is fitted to the dizzy.

Thanks

I had a much similar problem with my 1500 and I found out a couple of things wrong with these engines. Firstly the engine was worn out but not smoking i found that out when I did a compression test. Secondly the cam timing was off witj one tooth clockwise , I overhauled the whole engine including the cylinder head and now it runs like a dream

The condenser you mention is actually a suppressor - the engine pre-dates the use of radio suppressed spark plugs so the system can generate a lot of noise. You can hear it on the car radio as loud clicks that match the engine speed. The suppressor stops the generation of radio noise. It isn't so important to these cars as stock but as soon as you introduce digital management it causes all sorts of interference problems...

The suppressor only has a single wire, the rest of the circuit is completed through the mounting to the chassis.

Thanks Jimbro & lancepbul for the comments

I will do a compression test next and fit the new coil i have brought. I will put the results of the compression test on here. You wouldnt know what the normal compression is would you?

Thanks

Hi
I wonder if anyone could help me i have a mk2 punto when its cold it runs with no problem but when it gets up to temp and i stop at a set of lights it just cuts out,It starts up again no problem but always cuts out every time i stop.I have changed the throttle body,coilpacks and leads,cam sensor and the map sensor still no joy,This is my first time using the forum please help its driving me mad:bang:

WILKINS01 said:

Hi
I wonder if anyone could help me i have a mk2 punto when its cold it runs with no problem but when it gets up to temp and i stop at a set of lights it just cuts out,It starts up again no problem but always cuts out every time i stop.I have changed the throttle body,coilpacks and leads,cam sensor and the map sensor still no joy,This is my first time using the forum please help its driving me mad:bang:

Click to expand...

You've posted in the wrong place - you need to use the Punto part of the forum (https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-ii/?prefixid=Technical). You're much more likely to get a meaningful reply there.

My advice would be to get your car into a garage with a proper diagnostics station. You will get more out of that in 30 minutes than you will swapping parts at random.

Hello all

Sorry that it has been so long since last update. I managed to find out that the timing was indeed one tooth out. Plus not having any gap in between the points didn't help either! Sorted that out and brought a timing gun. Timing is all good now. Still havent done a compression test, but will try and do this the next time i go up.

I brought a vacuum reader to help me set the weber up. The meter reccommends most cars be between 18-22, where mine is at 15. All was going good until my car started to overheat. So now i have another problem Car was stood still while fiddling with the engine, and the rad fan never turned on... so will have to test to see if the fan works.

I only have one fan on the rad, but there is space for two. Did they come with two?

Thanks

hi mate,

wouldnt bother with the vacuum gauge, they are more useful on cars with more than one carb

Yes they were only fitted with one fan, and it sounds like the fan switch has died, new ones are cheap anyway. how long was your car running before it started to overheat?