New member already in over his head. :-)

Hello, everyone!

I recently acquired a 1979 X1/9, and am truly looking forward to getting it up and running like it should. Currently it will run if I jump it from another vehicle (although the battery won't hold the charge long enough to start the car on its own afterwards, and that's a different problem) so at least I'm getting somewhere.

At any rate, I noticed a few things were a bit remiss as I was looking through the engine bay. If you take a look at the picures below you'll see a couple of wayward hoses that don't really go anywhere. They're apparently just kinda hanging out, as it were.

Here's my problem, such as it is: This is the first vehicle I've ever had to do any kind of real work on. You see, I'm not exactly even a shade-tree mechanic, but I'm willing to get to that point by working on this little gem. I mean, my other vehicle is a Dodge Caravan. I can do all the normal routine maintenance - filter changes, spark plugs, discs/pads, etc. Getting a car from scrapyard condition to street worthy is a wholly different ballgame, especially with a car that is now only slightly younger than I am. That said, I am at a loss as to what the two hoses identified in the pictures below actually do. The Haynes manual that I have is not a tremendous amount of help (at least, not in this particular instance, anyway . . . ) so I'm hoping that someone out there in xweb-land can give me some idea as to how to properly refit these hoses so as to get the engine back to the condition it needs to be in.





For the sake of reference, I was, obviously, standing behind the vehicle in picture #1 and to the (roughly) 2:00 position to part "A" is the air cleaner.

Anybody want to take a shot at educating a totally clueless newbie?

:help:

I believe the silver "can" is your gulp valve

which is part of the emissions gear on your 79. Check out this section "Exhaust and Emissions Control System" of the online parts manual and see if you can figure out where the lines go. It would probably help to take the air cleaner housing off so you can get a better view of the hose routing.

Page 10-109 shows the gulp valve.
http://www.socalx.com/xhelp/X1-9_102-58_10-105.pdf

And... Welcome to Xweb!!!

Welcome...

I'd say Welcome _________, but I know not what to call you.

I do know this much though... Take a peek at your 3-way valve in the upper portion of the first foto... Note that only one valve has vacuum hoses on it and the red and yellow valves have broken nubs.

Then you have other hoses hanging in the breeze...

IF... IF nothing else has been done, then without these connections and a fully functioning 3-way valve, then you do NOT have a SECONDAY venturi operating in the carb, nor do you have any vacuum advance, and the gulp valve is probably not fuctioning either.

Outside of it probably running like crap... If your state requires smog tests, it will never pass.

It is indeed too bad you have not the experience to circumvent this stuff or put it back to normal... and EITHER direction you choose is gonna be some work... and we haven't even started on the charging problem yet.

SOOOOO... just how passionate are you about this car? Like eating an elephant, you'll need to take a bite at a time... and we can help.

I would suggest you get a Haynes Manual (cheap) and pay a lot of attention to the SUPPLEMENT section as MOST of the book has fotos of the earlier models. Also pay attention to CA vs. 49 State cars.

You also have an access panel from the rear trunk to the engine bay, I'd suggest taking that out NOW so you can get a real good view of the engine and alternator... as you'll be into it a bunch. (On my '79, I owned it for 15 years before I found that!)

You do have one thing in your favor... a camera and the ability to upload fotos. This will be a real help.

Here is your FIRST step.

1. Determine if your state requires smog testing on 30 year old cars.

Then we can deal with you and your conscience and your pocketbook, etc.

Again... welcome to the addiction!

he stated that he already has a haynes manuel in his original post.
what ever you do, take your time, itll all come together.

No Problem

I have a 79 since new. Took the emssions stuff off in the first week of ownership.

So if you don't need it, then let us know and I can walk you through what you don't need.

A new battery is in order, then the 79 Mine 100838 an early 79 had a Marrelli Alternator, just a bad choice for this car for charging. The Bosch is better.

Take pictures, ask questions, you will be on your way to getting it going in short order.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

Well, I live in Virginia, and there's no indication that I need the smog tests done, thankfully, so I am guessing I can remove some of this material, right?

As far as the charging problem is concerned, I'm fairly sure that a new battery will eliminate that, as the current battery looks as though it was manufactured by Methuselah.

And, to answer your question, yes, I am somewhat passionate about this car for a couple of reasons. First, I just like the looks of the vehicle, and I'm glad to have been able to pick this one up. I'm looking forward to honing my automotive skills with this car - in its current condition, my incompetence can't really do much to hurt it. :devil:

Second, though, is that I also have a '72 Spider that I have owned for 10 years. It has never run, though, and I've never really had the time, money and opportunity (all at the same time) to give the car the proper attention it needs, As a result, it is now not much more than a scrap vehicle, so I want to make every effort to avoid that same fate with this vehicle.

Thanks for the information so far, folks. I sincerely appreciate it.

Chris

edit to add: I should add that I've only had the car for about three weeks. Some of the other things I know that I'm going to have to tackle are:

• Finding an assembly to fit into the drivers doorframe that will allow me access to the engine and the rear trunk without the use of needle nose pliers
• Replacing the throw out bearing (to remove the goofy hissing sound that I hear when I step on the clutch)
• Figuring out why the car won't shift into 3rd gear.

A *lot* of aesthetic stuff needs to be worked out, too, but that's much farther down the priority list.

Well, according to the Virginia DMV website, I am not required to have an emissions test on the car at all, since I don't live in any of the mentioned counties. So . . . where do I go from here? I'm guessing that I can disconnect all of that stuff, and that something is missing that one (or both) of the two hoses I've highlighted is/are connected to, right?

Thanks for the help so far, guys!

The best thing is to disconnect and plug everything but the vacuum lines to the distributor, and the fuel tank vent system. Bypass the colored temp valves (especially the one with broken nipples). You can abandon the vacuum retard (if so equipped) but keep the advance, you may have to re-set the timing.

Get it running well that way and then remove stuff (but keep it just in case, or sell to a poor SOB in CA).

What I meant to say about the Hayne's Manual was...

... in the ones that are dated for 1979 or 1980... you haveta read the supplimental sections and DISREGARD the same topics in the regular section.

Confusing at best...but the supplimental sections have the Vacuum Schematics and the Electrical Schematics that are applicable.

You'll need to understand these, or their PRINCIPALS, in order to go forward and even disconnect all the stuff that is no longer necessary.

As Greg Smith stated... you can WHOLESALE all the vacuum circutry, cork it all up, and then reconnect the two things you'll want to keep... providing they are the stock componants.

I.E. The carb SHOULD have a vacuum operated secondary, and the dzzy SHOULD have a vacuum advance mechanism. Older and newer versions of both COULD have been substituted. Best to pull the air-cleaner and take some more photos... and we can help some more.

(There will also be some electrical, coolant, and exhaust gas lines and pipes to removed and plugged or re-routed)

Do look at your Haynes Manual and see if you do indeed have the Suppliments for your year.

We're here...

Black-Tooth said:

... in the ones that are dated for 1979 or 1980... you haveta read the supplimental sections and DISREGARD the same topics in the regular section.

Confusing at best...but the supplimental sections have the Vacuum Schematics and the Electrical Schematics that are applicable.

Click to expand...

Well, unfortunately the only manual I have is the older version that only applies to the 1300cc engine. I'm getting an updated version in my hands later this week, though.

You'll need to understand these, or their PRINCIPALS, in order to go forward and even disconnect all the stuff that is no longer necessary.
As Greg Smith stated... you can WHOLESALE all the vacuum circutry, cork it all up, and then reconnect the two things you'll want to keep... providing they are the stock componants.

Click to expand...

If it's unneeded to pass inspection (which it isn't) then I'd just as soon remove it all completely.

I.E. The carb SHOULD have a vacuum operated secondary, and the dzzy SHOULD have a vacuum advance mechanism. Older and newer versions of both COULD have been substituted. Best to pull the air-cleaner and take some more photos... and we can help some more.

Click to expand...

If it isn't too dark out when I get home I'll do that.

(There will also be some electrical, coolant, and exhaust gas lines and pipes to removed and plugged or re-routed)

Click to expand...

No problem. I have a nephew who is a vehicle mechanic, and he's volunteered to help out. He's used to working with big block American engines and Volvo trucks (which is what he actually does for a living,) so this is going to be an interesting time for the both of us.

Do look at your Haynes Manual and see if you do indeed have the Suppliments for your year.

Click to expand...

The first time this was suggested to me I got a bit worried as there were no supplements of any kind. It was only after the fact that I realized that there was an updated version.

We're here...

Click to expand...

And for that I offer you all a hearty thank you. I've already learned a great deal from all of the posts here.

--Chris

Here is the relevant diagram

The big hose from the gulp valve goes to a port on the rearward side of the intake manifold. There is absolutely no noticeable performance gain to be had by disconnecting that. Unless you like rough popping exhaust sounds.
Most of the emissions equipment is relatively benign and actually will make your X run the way the factory intended with fewer hiccups at start up and down the road. Unless you are into tuning and have a factory facility for analyzing the effect of removal of the equipment, it is my experience that the vehicle will run just fine with all those components doing what Fiat intended.

Check with Virginia DMV before removing. Here in NC, even if you don't have the pass emmissions, you do have to pass a visual check of presence of emmissions equipment.

If rural VA, you may be able to do like me and go to a "country" inspections station and get passed on it running and the inspector opening the lid and finding a complete motor in there....

Well, I didn't get home until about 10:00 tonight, so no pictures. :sigh:

The big hose from the gulp valve goes to a port on the rearward side of the intake manifold. There is absolutely no noticeable performance gain to be had by disconnecting that. Unless you like rough popping exhaust sounds.

Click to expand...

Well, my decision to remove it all was based more on an "get rid of it if it isn't necessary" than because of any grandiose notions of achieving better performance.

Most of the emissions equipment is relatively benign and actually will make your X run the way the factory intended with fewer hiccups at start up and down the road. Unless you are into tuning and have a factory facility for analyzing the effect of removal of the equipment, it is my experience that the vehicle will run just fine with all those components doing what Fiat intended.

Click to expand...

That's fine by me. I have no problem with correcting all of the hose issues. Again, the fact that I'm not doing this wholly by myself makes me a great deal more confident in the outcome, so I see no reason not to go down this road.

My next question, as a result, would be this: Where can I source replacements for those colored nubs? I'm not even sure what that assembly is called, much less whether or not if those tips are available separately.

Midwest X1/9 has them

Hi seagis,

Madd Matt has some of these listed in his online store.

Right here: http://marketplaceadvisor.channelad...op.aspx?Emissions Control&sfid=82804&c=843487

Looks like the buying the whole assembly is reasonable as well.

Ahh. "Thermovalve cluster"

I had only previously seen them referenced as "3 way valves" and guessed that this was probably not the technical term. :grin:

Thanks for the info, Jim.

I learn more and more from this site every day.

No problem

I had a 79 that had some of those nipples broken off and the PO had stuffed golf tees in the remaining holes.

The car ran just fine though.