The free X1/9 and what I'm doing with it post

bradartigue said:
Headlamps go down but not up.
Click to expand...
The command-down and command-up inputs are carried on separate (and separately fused) wires, so this is a common failure mode. Command-down is unswitched power through the headlight switch, a fuse for that function only, and the line to the two pods and somehow that's not getting through. It will be easy to trace.... But don't be surprised if when you find and fix it one or both pods start to cycle continuously and that's why the PO disconnected something in the first place; if so you need to replace a bad diode at one or both headlight motors.
 
bradartigue said:
I've honestly never had to remove a seat to access a distributor
Click to expand...
Count your blessings :)
There's no access panel on a '74 so you'd be getting at the dizzy from the engine bay. A gearwrench is ideal for the holddown bolt, but you have to pull the dizzy just to clean and gap the points.
or been able to pull a car around the garage with a single jack on one fixed point.
Click to expand...
The X is kinda amazingly stiff, isn't it? I have one on a rotisserie, doing full 360-degree twirls and rolling the whole thing around the shop floor..... And no need to even tie the two halves of the rotisserie together.
 
rocco79/138 said:
I had a '75 but it ate timing belts... I think 700 miles to the belt was my best mileage, or is it expressed tanks per belt...
Click to expand...

Ah. This would be your work then? :)

timing belt.jpg
 
It has spark. I removed the distributor and bench tested it, replaced all the bits that needed replacing, achieved a spark between the points. This required a new coil as well, I bought a very cheap NAPA coil that tests below the resistance required (range in the 2's versus 3's) but it's enough for the "can it even run?" experiment I'm conducting. I haven't worked on points in a while, this one had the moving point welded by time to the fixed point. I was happy to see the vacuum capsule works well.

I may stop the engine work and move to removing the whole thing, it has a transmission fluid leak and I'm not sure the carburetor can be recovered without a rebuild. A rebuild that would exceed the cost of a replacement. I know the removal of the powerplant is inevitable, I just have a strong desire to get it to run.
 
Normally a rebuild kit would resolve most of the issues but it sounds like you really need a newdifferent one.

Perhaps someone has a similar era carb they would be able to offer for rebuilding.
 
bradartigue said:
It has spark. I removed the distributor and bench tested it, replaced all the bits that needed replacing, achieved a spark between the points. This required a new coil as well, I bought a very cheap NAPA coil that tests below the resistance required (range in the 2's versus 3's) but it's enough for the "can it even run?" experiment I'm conducting. I haven't worked on points in a while, this one had the moving point welded by time to the fixed point. I was happy to see the vacuum capsule works well.

I may stop the engine work and move to removing the whole thing, it has a transmission fluid leak and I'm not sure the carburetor can be recovered without a rebuild. A rebuild that would exceed the cost of a replacement. I know the removal of the powerplant is inevitable, I just have a strong desire to get it to run.
Click to expand...

Have you done a cylinder leakage test?

To start and run you need four things... fuel (in an atomised form), spark (at approximately the right time), cranking speed (above a certain basic RPM) and compression... sounds like you might be lacking in the fourth item due to stuck piston rings or similar... the engine has been sitting for a very long time.

SteveC
 
fiatfactory said:
Have you done a cylinder leakage test?

To start and run you need four things... fuel (in an atomised form), spark (at approximately the right time), cranking speed (above a certain basic RPM) and compression... sounds like you might be lacking in the fourth item due to stuck piston rings or similar... the engine has been sitting for a very long time.

SteveC
Click to expand...

cranking speed is good; testing compression again later this week and using a tdc tool. Will report back.
 
The good work continues: http://fiat.artigue.com/index.php/2017/01/11/1977-x19-project-journal-day-seven/

(My blog software is misbehaving and not resizing images; I'm working on it! - right now it just takes a while to load the images)

A few hours of work and the badges, head lamps, tail lamps, exterior mirror, side vents, antenna, and some other items are bagged and labeled. I'll have the remaining exterior bits off the car in the next day or two (the bumpers and side marker lights remain). Next stage is the interior removal, followed by the motor, then wiring, then off to the painters! Sounds like a few days of work, more like a month spread out over the next four!
 
More progress... Link to blog (click here)

Notable is the need to add a new radiator to the pile of parts, this one leaks under pressure. The pipes didn't, the radiator does, and the stuff that came out of it - for about 5 minutes straight - is just nasty, nasty, nasty.
 
Last edited:
If your coolant pipes are not rusted through and leaking then that hopefully means your heater steel pipes are in good shape, both mine were peforated by rust but this is the only X I have owned that had this issue.
 
Brad,
Full disclosure - I have many X rads, NOS and used, but I still bought a couple of the new aluminum rads that were offered recently. I haven't used them yet, but I thought they were a great deal. I think they've been reviewed here recently. Just saying, you make up your own mind, I don't need to sell any of them. But I can offer you alternatives if you want to go that direction.
 
There are also some very nice aluminum ones available. Vicks offers two different ones and Midwest Bayless offers the same one that was developed by one of our members (that is the one I have).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top