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)Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Fiat 131 Special - Specification
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).
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).
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
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.
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.
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