Fishing with Fiat

I've been busy these days going on fishing trips. No, I'm not turning this blog into a fishing site. The trips were mainly on inland waters because I'm not really in favour of the wide open sea and seasickness. Just to share the bounty of inland waters, enjoy the pictures below.

Udang Galah (the much sought after fresh water prawn)


Patin Buah (2nd most expensive patin)


Patin Muncung (the KING, most expensive & most elusive of patin)

Divided loyalties

The task of keeping a vehicle in running condition is no easy feat. The need for a more reliable and trouble free car reduces the 131S to a weekend car. Nobody would want to be stranded on the way to work or with the missus and kids. The 131S runs around with a boot full of spanners and parts just in case it decides to break down (which is rarely).
So less time was spent for the 131S because of ...

Reason No. 1


Reason No. 2


and finally Reason No. 3

The Process of Aging

The once beautiful and neat dashboard.

The car was involved in a pile-up some 14 years ago. The workshop did quite a wonderful job restoring it. Yeah, I was the driver on that fateful night. And no I was not seriously injured except for bruised shoulder from the restraining seat belt. Note the now visible body work done previously.

(Right)


(Left)

Steering

I am catching up on my old habit these days, fishing (large river prawns aka Macrobrachium rosenbergii). Spent weekends with the trusted 131s going to my favourite fishing spots. The road / off road trip revealed an excessive play in the steering assembly. Inspection on the steering assembly confirmed the faulty parts - worn left and right ball heads. More bad news, need to be replaced are tie rods, and both lower arms + ball joints. The result is a very firm and precise steering feel. More fishing, mate!

Axial joint




Bushing for the left axial joint


Lower arm + ball joint (below in the picture are the rubber bushing for tightening the stabiliser bar ends to the lower arm)




Tie rod end

Thingy springy

Anyone experienced a broken carburetor return spring? It happened to me no less than 4 times. This final replacement is already 3 years old. It suddenly snapped during normal cruising. The engine gave a loud revving sound and it was almost impossible to drive. Since then a piece of sponge (car wash type) will always be an extra item in the car, just in case it happens again. I looked for the original spare but to no avail. The spare part dealer only seems to be interested in larger and easy to sell items. There is this shop selling dealing in all types of springs for machinery. Selected the spring with acceptable tension (unless you are a heavy footed person) and correct length. Installing it can be a nightmare because of the springs location. Steady hands and a lot of patience needed. It worked but there is always this thing bothering you ... when will it snap again.

Lives on to die another day.

The old lady lives on to die another day. I changed the coil (a Bosch unit), new set of high tension lead, Champion N9YC spark plugs, reconditioned distributor (a whole set replaced), new air filter, engine oil change and a wee bit of tweaking done to the carburetor. I got it running (short distances) for quite sometime and the engine sounds sweet again. Forgot to mention that I also changed the middle silencer/muffler (a straight flow unit) coupled with a 124 rear silencer/muffler (could not find a 131 unit) with chromed tailpipe. Sweet.

Note: I've modified the radiator core to an aluminum 3 hole in-line unit, took out the original fan motor and replaced it with a Jap piece, modified the spare tank and the window washer tank.

Photos to be posted later.

(Posted on 23 March 2008)

Fine example of Fiat camaraderie ...

Browsed the internet and found this very fine example of love for Fiat cars.
http://www.131mirafiori.com

Fiat 131 Special - Specification

The Owners Manual - Fiat 131 Special 1600

The specification was quite impressive for a seventies car

Mine came with a 32 ADF (wish it had been a 40 DCNF)
LSD equipped!

(Adapted from Fiat 131S Owner Handbook)

Still a bag full of surprises?

The 131S is surely full of surprises even at this age. CKD and assembled in Johor Baharu way back in 1977, it was FIAT first 131S model here in Malaysia (that's how old she is!). Last two weeks she was chugging along with three cylinders. Equipped with the little knowledge on Fiat (131 in particular) that I have and phone calls to a couple of helpful mechanics, I tried to diagnose the problems. It seems that the fourth cylinder is not firing consistently thus irregular firing of spark plug. The recommendations :
1. Change spark plugs - did that with Champion N9YC - same firing.
2. Check the high tension lead - done that - no visible and audible results.
3. Check the coil - did just that and even better by changing to a Bosch unit - again no result.
4. One of the valves could be faulty thus resulting in irregular firing of spark plug - I am no mechanic.
5. Called up one of the helpful mechanic again.

He actually drove the car back to his workshop 10 km away. It was later diagnosed as having a faulty distributor - the whole assembly, contact point, condensor etc.

Lesson learnt:
In maintaining a classic car such as mine (classic or antic?), it is advisable to keep stock of essential parts that are considered as maintenance. You never know when you will need it. I used to get second hand parts (extremely difficult to get parts or rather expensive to buy it new) from this Indian chap in Kg Nakhoda (on the way to Hulu Yam).
A couple of shops in Jalan Ipoh still keep a healthy stock of parts (haven't seen them for quite some time though).

Reminiscing

It had been more than two decades since I got my hands on the 131S. It lacked care and maintenance from its previous owner. Honestly it was not my best of choice to get one. I was aiming for a simple Japanese family car to get me from point A to B.

The body rusted under the doors where the rubbers seals used to be, worn out tyres, slightly smoking motor and few faulty electric equipments and meters. The first thing I did was to give it a set of new rubbers. The mechanics was actually cursing at the choice I had made in getting a Fiat. It was then I got to know the meaning of Fiat - Fiat Is Always Trouble. The lower arms were faulty and camber were out. His long list included among others the ball heads, tie rods, absorbers ... .

Have I gotten myself a lemon? Then and only then I got to know of three people who change my perception on "The Poor Man's Alfa" - Ah Ngow, Usop and his trusted right hand man Sain.