1983 FIAT UNO ground clearance

used to check bore wear and taper against
the Specifications, but this is a pointless
operation if the engine is obviously in need of
reboring due to excessive oil consumption.
5Your engine reconditioner will be able to
re-bore the block for you and supply the
correct oversize pistons to give the correct
running clearance.
6If the engine has reached the limit for
reboring then cylinder liners can be fitted, but
here again this is a job for your engine
reconditioner.
7To rectify minor bore wear it is possible to
fit proprietary oil control rings. A good way to
test the condition of the engine is to have it at
normal operating temperature with the spark
plugs removed. Screw a compression gauge
(available from most motor accessory stores)
into the first plug hole. Hold the accelerator
fully depressed and crank the engine on the
starter motor for several revolutions. Record
the reading. Zero the tester and check the
remaining cylinders in the same way. All four
compression figures should be approximately
equal and within the tolerance given in the
Specifications. If they are all low, suspect
piston ring or cylinder bore wear. If only one
reading is down, suspect a valve not seating.
Crankshaft and bearings
8Examine the crankpin and main journal
surfaces for signs of scoring or scratches.
Check the ovality of the crankpins at different
positions with a micrometer. If more than
0.001 inch (0.025 mm) out of round, the
crankpins will have to be reground. They will
also have to be reground if there are any
scores or scratches present. Also check the
journals in the same fashion.
9Wear in a crankshaft can be detected while
the engine is running. Big-end bearing and
crankpin wear is indicated by distinct metallic
knocking, particularly noticeable when the
engine is pulling from low engine speeds. Low
oil pressure will also occur.
10Main bearing and journal wear is indicated
by engine rumble increasing in severity as the
engine speed increases. Low oil pressure will
again be an associated condition.
11Crankshaft grinding should be carried outby specialist engine reconditioners who will
supply the matching undersize bearing shells
to give the required running clearance.
12Inspect the connecting rod big-end and
main bearing shells for signs of general wear,
scoring, pitting and scratching. The bearings
should be matt grey in colour.
13If a copper colour is evident, then the
bearings are badly worn and the surface
material has worn away to expose the underlay.
Renew the bearings as a complete set.
14At the time of major overhaul it is
worthwhile renewing the bearing shells as a
matter of routine even if they appear to be in
reasonably good condition.
15Bearing shells can be identified by the
marking on the back of the shell. Standard
sized shells are usually marked STD or 0.00.
Undersized shells are marked with the
undersize such as 0.25 mm.
Connecting rods
16Check the alignment of the connecting
rods visually. If you suspect distortion, have
them checked by your dealer or engine
reconditioner on the special jig which he will
have.
17The gudgeon pin is an interference fit in
the connecting rod small-end and removal or
refitting and changing a piston is a job best
left to your dealer or engine reconditioner due
to the need for a press and jig and careful
heating of the connecting rod.
Pistons and piston rings
18If the cylinders have been rebored, then
the reconditioner will supply the oversize
pistons and rings and the gudgeon pins. Give
the job of fitting the new pistons to the
connecting rods to him.
19If the original piston rings or just new rings
are to be fitted to the original pistons, use
great care to remove and fit the rings as they
are easily broken if expanded too much.
Always remove and fit rings from the crown
end.
20If three old feeler blades are slid behind
the piston rings and located at equidistant
points, the rings may be removed or fitted
without their dropping into the wrong grooves
and will reduce the chance of breakage
(photo).
21If the original pistons are being refitted,
make sure that the ring grooves and their oil
return holes are cleaned out and freed from
carbon. A piece of piston ring is a useful tool
for this purpose.
22The three pistons rings are as follows:
Top - Thinner compression marked TOP
Second - Thicker compression, step at base
Bottom - Oil control (photo)
23If proprietary wear control rings are to be
fitted to overcome bore wear, fit them strictly
in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
24Always check the piston ring groove
1•18 903 cc engine
18.24A Checking piston ring groove
clearance18.22 Piston ring marking
18.20 Using feeler blades to fit piston ringsFig. 1.26 Piston/connecting rod
relationship (Sec 18)Fig. 1.25 Checking a crankpin (Sec 18)

clearance and end gap. Both clearances
should be checked with a feeler gauge. Check
the end gap when the ring has been pushed
squarely down the cylinder bore for two or
three inches (photos).
25If new rings are being used and the
cylinder bores have not been rebored, always
make sure that the top compression ring has
been stepped to prevent it contacting the
bore wear ridge.
Flywheel
26Check the clutch mating surface of the
flywheel. If it is deeply scored (due to failure to
renew a worn driven plate) then it may be
possible to have it surface ground provided
the thickness of the flywheel is not reduced
too much.
27If lots of tiny cracks are visible on the
surface of the flywheel then this will be due to
overheating caused by slipping the clutch or
“riding” the clutch pedal.
28With a pre-engaged type of starter motor
it is rare to find the teeth of the flywheel ring
gear damaged or worn but if they are, then the
ring gear will have to be renewed.
29To remove the ring gear, drill a hole
between the roots of two teeth taking care not
to damage the flywheel and then split the ring
with a sharp cold chisel.
30The new ring gear must be heated to
between 180 and 220ºC (356 and 428ºF)
which is very hot, so if you do not have
facilities for obtaining these temperatures,
leave the job to your dealer or engine
reconditioner.
31Where such facilities are available, then
the ring gear should be either pressed or
lightly tapped gently onto its register and left
to cool naturally, when the contraction of the
metal on cooling will ensure that it is a secure
and permanent fit. Great care must be taken
not to overheat the ring gear, as if this
happens its temper will be lost. A clutch input
shaft pilot bearing is not fitted on this engine.
Camshaft
32Examine the camshaft bearings for wear,
scoring or pitting. If evident then the bearings
will have to be renewed. The three bearingsare of different sizes and they can be removed
and new ones fitted using a bolt, nut and
distance pieces. When drawing a new bearing
into position, make sure that the oil hole is
correctly aligned with the one in the
crankcase. The centre and rear bearings
require reaming after fitting, the bearing at the
timing chain end is supplied ready reamed
(photo).
33The camshaft itself should show no marks
or scoring on the journal or cam lobe
surfaces. Where evident, renew the camshaft
or have it reprofiled by a specialist
reconditioner.
34Check the teeth of the camshaft sprocket
for wear. Renew the sprocket if necessary.
Cam followers
35Examine the bearing surface of the cam
followers which are in contact with the
camshaft. Any indentations or cracks must be
rectified by renewal. Clean sludge and dirt
from the cam followers and check their fit in
their bores. Side to side rock is unusual
except at very high mileage.
Timing chain
36Examine the teeth on both the crankshaft
sprocket and the camshaft sprocket for wear.
Each tooth forms an inverted “V” with the
sprocket periphery and if worn, the side of
each tooth under tension will be slightly
concave in shape when compared with the
other side of the tooth, ie; one side of the
inverted “V” will be concave when compared
with the other. If any sign of wear is present
the sprockets must be renewed.
37Examine the links of the chain for side
slackness and particularly check the
self-tensioning links for freedom of
movement. Renew the chain if any slackness
is noticeable when compared with a new
chain. It is a sensible precaution to renew the
chain at about 60 000 miles (96 000 km) and
at a lesser mileage if the engine is stripped
down for a major overhaul.
Cylinder head
38This is covered in Section 17.
Rockers and rocker shaft
39Thoroughly clean out the rocker shaft. As
it acts as the oil passages for the valve gear,
clean out the oil holes and make sure they are
quite clear. Check the shaft for straightness
by rolling it on a flat surface. If it is distorted,
renew it.
40The surface of the shaft should be free
from any wear ridges caused by the rocker
arms. If it is not, the shaft will have to be
renewed. Blocked shaft oil holes often
contribute to such wear.
41Check the rocker arms for wear of the
rocker bushes, for wear at the rocker arm face
which bears on the valve stem, and for wear
of the adjusting ball ended screws. Wear in
the rocker arm bush can be checked by
gripping the rocker arm tip and holding the
rocker arm in place on the shaft, noting if
there is any lateral rocker arm shake. If any
shake is present, and the arm is very loose on
the shaft, remedial action must be taken. It is
recommended that a worn rocker arm be
taken to your local FIAT agent or automobile
engineering works to have the old bush drawn
out and a new bush fitted (photo).
42Check the tip of the rocker arm where it
bears on the valve head, for cracking or
serious wear on the case hardening. If none is
present the rocker arm may be refitted. Check
the pushrods for straightness by rolling them
on a flat surface.
Oil pump
43Unscrew the four securing bolts which
connect the two halves of the pump body.
44Clean all the components in a bath of
paraffin and dry them.
45Inspect the gears for wear or damage and
then check for wear in the following way.
46Insert a feeler blade between the tooth
peak and the body. This should be between
0.05 and 0.14 mm (0.0019 and 0.0055 in).
47Now place a straight-edge across the
body flange and check for gear endfloat. This
should be between 0.020 and 0.105 mm
(0.0008 and 0.0041 in). Where the clearances
exceed the specified limits, renew the pump.
48Check that the oil pressure relief valve
spring is in good condition and not deformed.
903 cc engine 1•19
18.41 Rocker components18.32 Camshaft bearing18.24B Checking piston ring end gap
1

removed and the weight of the car is again on
its roadwheels.
4Fill the cooling system.
5Fill the engine with oil.
6Replenish lost transmission oil.
7Reconnect the battery.
8Adjust the clutch pedal as described in
Chapter 5.
24 Engine- initial start-up after
overhaul or major repair
4
1Make sure that the battery is fully charged
and that all lubricants, coolant and fuel are
replenished.
2If the fuel system has been dismantled it will
require several revolutions of the engine on
the starter motor to pump the petrol up to the
carburettor.
3Turn the carburettor throttle speed screwthrough one complete turn to increase the idle
speed in order to offset the initial stiffness of
new engine internal components.
4As soon as the engine fires and runs, keep
it going at a fast idle speed and bring it up to
normal working temperature.
5As the engine warms up there will be odd
smells and some smoke from parts getting
hot and burning off oil deposits. The signs to
look for are leaks of water or oil which will be
obvious.
6Check also the exhaust pipe and manifold
connections as these do not always “find”
their exact gas tight position until the warmth
and vibration have acted on them and it is
almost certain that they will need tightening
further. This should be done, of course, with
the engine stopped.
7When normal running temperature has
been reached, adjust the engine idle speed as
described in Chapter 3.
8Stop the engine and wait a few minutes tosee if any lubricant or coolant is dripping out
when the engine is stationary.
9Road test the car to check that the timing is
correct and that the engine is giving the
necessary smoothness and power. Do not
race the engine - if new bearings and/or
pistons have been fitted it should be treated
as a new engine and run in at a reduced
speed for the first 500 km (300 miles).
10After the first 1500 km (900 miles) the
cylinder head bolts must be re-torqued in the
following way (engine cold).
11Remove the air cleaner and rocker cover.
Unscrew the first bolt (Fig. 1.7) through a
quarter turn and then tighten it to final stage 2
torque (see Specifications).
12Repeat on the remaining bolts, one at a
time.
13Check and adjust the valve clearances
(Section 5).
14Refit the rocker cover and air cleaner.
903 cc engine 1•23
26.4 Shim engraved mark26.2 Removing a shim from a cam follower25.4 Checking a valve clearance
1
Part 3: 1116 cc and 1301 cc engines
25 Valve clearances- checking
2
This should only be required if the valves
have been renewed or ground in, or at high
mileages when noise or poor engine
performance indicates that a check is
necessary.
It is important that each valve clearance is
set correct otherwise the timing will be
wrong and engine performance poor. If there
is no clearance at all, the valve and its seat
will soon burn. Always set the clearances
with the engine cold.
1Remove the camshaft cover. Jack-up a
front wheel and engage top gear so that by
turning the wheel, the crankshaft can be
rotated.
2Each valve clearance must be checked
when the high point of the cam is pointing
directly upward away from the cam follower.
3Check the clearances in the firing order
1-3-4-2, No. 1 cylinder being at the timing
belt end of the engine. This will minimise the
amount of crankshaft rotation required.4Insert the appropriate feeler blade
between the heel of the cam and the cam
follower shim of the first valve. If necessary
alter the thickness of the feeler blade until it
is a stiff, sliding fit. Record the thickness,
which will, of course, represent the valve
clearance for this particular valve (photo).
5Turn the crankshaft, check the second
valve clearance and record it.
6Repeat the operations on all the remaining
valves, recording their respective clearances.
7Remember that the clearance for inlet and
exhaust valves differs - see Specifications.
Counting from the timing cover end of the
engine, the valve sequence is:
Inlet 2-3-6-7
Exhaust 1-4-5-8
26 Valve clearances-
adjustment
3
1Check the valve clearances (Section 25).
2Clearances which are incorrect will mean
the particular shim will have to be changed.
To remove the shim, turn the crankshaft untilthe high point of the cam is pointing directly
upward. The cam follower will now have to
be depressed so that the shim can be
extracted. Special tools (A60642 and
A87001) are available from your Fiat dealer to
do the job, otherwise you will have to make
up a forked lever to locate on the rim of the
cam follower. This must allow room for the
shim to be prised out by means of the
cut-outs provided in the cam follower rim
(photo).
3Once the shim is extracted, establish its
thickness and change it for a thicker or
thinner one to bring the previously recorded
clearance within specification. For example,
if the measured valve clearance was 1.27
mm (0.05 in) too great, a shim thicker by this
amount will be required. Conversely, if the
clearance was 1.27 mm (0.05 in) too small, a
shim thinner by this amount will be required.
4Shims have their thickness (mm) engraved
on them; although the engraved side should
be fitted so as not to be visible, wear still
occurs and often obliterates the number. In
this case, measuring their thickness with a
metric micrometer is the only method to
establish their thickness (photo).

5In practice, if several shims have to be
changed, they can often be interchanged, so
avoiding the necessity of having to buy more
new shims than is necessary.
6If more than two or three valve clearances
are found to be incorrect, it will be more
convenient to remove the camshaft carrier for
easier removal of the shims.
7Where no clearance can be measured, even
with the thinnest available shim in position,
the valve will have to be removed and the end
of its stem ground off squarely. This will
reduce its overall length by the minimum
amount to provide a clearance. This job
should be entrusted to your dealer as it is
important to keep the end of the valve stem
square.
8On completion, refit the camshaft cover and
gasket.
27 Camshaft and camshaft
carrier- removal and refitting
3
1Disconnect the battery.
2Remove the air cleaner (see Chapter 3).
3Disconnect the fuel filter hose from the fuel
pump and tie it back, out of the way.
4Identify and then disconnect any electrical
leads which must be moved away to enable
the camshaft cover to be withdrawn.
5Identify and disconnect any vacuum gases
which must be moved away to enable the
camshaft cover to be withdrawn.
6Unscrew the securing nuts and remove the
camshaft cover.
7Turn the crankshaft pulley nut until No. 4
piston is at TDC. This can be established as
described in Section 28.
8Unbolt and remove the timing belt cover.
9Check that the timing mark on the camshaft
sprocket is aligned with, and adjacent to the
pointer on the timing belt cover backplate.
10Restrain the timing belt with the hand and
release but do not remove the camshaft
sprocket bolt. Release the belt tensioner
pulley by slackening the pulley centre nut.
Push the timing belt evenly from the
sprockets, noting which way round the belt isfitted if it is to be completely removed. The
lettering on the belt is normally legible from
the crankshaft pulley end of the engine when
the belt is as originally fitted.
11Unbolt the camshaft carrier and lift it
sufficiently from the cylinder head to break the
seal of the mating faces. Note: It is important
not to allow the cam followers to pull out; they
must be retained in their original locations.
This can be done if the carrier is raised very
slowly, until the fingers can be inserted to
prise the cam followers onto their respective
valve spring retainers. It is unlikely that the
valve clearance adjusting shims will be
displaced from their recesses in the cam
followers because of the suction of the
lubricating oil, but watch that this does not
happen; the shims must also be retained in
their originally fitted sequence.
12Remove the previously loosened
camshaft sprocket bolt and take the sprocket
from the camshaft.
13Unbolt and remove the camshaft end
cover with its gasket. Withdraw the camshaft
(photos).
14Refitting is a reversal of the removal
process, but observe the following points.
15Use new gaskets.
16Retain the cam followers and shims in
their bores in the camshaft carrier with thick
grease; they must not be allowed to drop out
when the carrier is lowered onto the cylinder
head.
17If the crankshaft or camshaft have been
moved from their set positions, re-align the
sprocket timing mark with the pointer on the
belt cover and the crankshaft pulley or
flywheel with the TDC mark. This must be
observed otherwise the valves may impinge
upon the piston crowns when the camshaft
lobes compress any of the valve springs
during bolting down of the carrier.
18Screw in the carrier bolts and tighten
them to the specified torque (photo).
19Refit and tension the timing belt as
described in Section 28.
20Refit the camshaft cover and gasket.
21Refit the hose and air cleaner.
22Reconnect the battery.
28 Timing belt- renewal
3
1Set No. 4 piston at TDC. Do this by turning
the crankshaft pulley nut or by jacking up a
front roadwheel, engaging a gear and turning
the wheel until the mark on the flywheel is
opposite to the TDC mark on the flywheel
bellhousing aperture. Remove No. 4 spark
plug, place a finger over the plug hole and feel
the compression being generated as the
crankshaft is rotated and the piston rises up
the cylinder bore.
2On some models the TDC marks on the
crankshaft pulley and belt cover may be
visible and can be used instead.
3Remove the alternator drivebelt (Chapter 2,
Section 8). Unbolt and remove the timing belt
cover.
4Check that the timing mark on the camshaft
sprocket is aligned with the pointer on the belt
cover backing plate (photo).
5Slacken the nut in the centre of the
tensioner pulley and push in on the support to
release the tension on the belt, then retighten
the nut. Slide the drivebelt off the pulleys.
6Check that the crankshaft and camshaft
pulleys have not been moved from their
previously aligned positions.
7To check that the auxiliary shaft sprocket
has not moved, take off the distributor cap
and check that the contact end of the rotor
arm is aligned with No. 4 HT lead contact in
the cap.
1•24 1116 cc and 1301 cc engine
28.4 Camshaft sprocket alignment marks
27.18 Tightening a camshaft carrier bolt27.13B Withdrawing camshaft from carrier27.13A Removing camshaft end cover

6Remove the spring seat (photo).
7Discard the valve stem oil seal and fit a new
one (photo).
8Remove the remaining valves in a similar
way and keep the components in their
originally fitted sequence.
9Reassembly is a reversal of removal. Refit
the components to their original positions, but
renew the valve springs if their free length is
less than that of a new spring or if the
springs have been in operation for more than
80 000 km (50 000 miles).
10The original valve clearance adjusting
shims will no longer provide the correct
clearances if the valves have been ground in
or the seats recut. Only where dismantling of
a valve was carried out to renew a spring is
there any purpose in returning the shims to
their original locations. Try to obtain the loan
of eight thin shims from your dealer and insert
them into the tappets (cam followers) before
assembling the cam followers to the carrier,
where they should be retained with thick
grease (photo).
11Fit the camshaft carrier, complete with
cam followers and shims to the cylinder head.
12Adjust the valve clearances as described
in Section 26.
40 Examination and renovation
4
1The procedures are similar to those
described in Section 18 covering the
following:
Cylinder block and crankcase
Crankshaft and bearings
Pistons and piston rings
Flywheel
2The following additional items must also be
examined.
Oil pump
3Carefully, clamp the pump housing in a
vice, shaft downwards.
4Take off the pump cover, with the suction
pipe. This will release the oil pressure relief
valve inside. Also inside is a filter.
5Remove the internal cover plate.6Take out the driveshaft and the gears.
7Clean and examine all the parts. Measure
the clearances against the Specifications. The
end clearance is measured by putting a
straight-edge across the cover face.
8The oil pump should only need
replacements after very long mileage, when
the rest of the engine is showing great signs
of wear.
9The length of a new gear can be measured
against the old gear to see if a new gear will
restore the end clearance to the Specifica-
tions. Otherwise the housing must be
changed.
10The driven gear shaft is mounted in the
housing with an interference fit. If there is any
slackness, a new housing (which will come
with shaft fitted) must be used.
11The oil pump shares its drive with the
distributor.
Camshaft, cam followers and
shims
12The camshaft journals and cams should
be smooth, without grooves or scores.
13Wear in the camshaft carrier bearings can
only be rectified by renewal of the carrier.
14Cam follower wear is usually very small
and when they show slackness in their bores,
it is probably the light alloy of the camshaft
carrier which has worn.
15Always measure the thickness of the valve
clearance shims using a metric micrometer.
Any grooving or wear marks in the shims
should be rectified by renewal with ones of
similar thickness.
Auxiliary shaft
16The shaft journals, the fuel pump
eccentric, and the drivegear for the distributor
and oil pump should be smooth and shiny. If
not, the shaft will have to be renewed.
17The bushes should still be tight in the
cylinder block, their oil holes lined up with
those in the block.
18Measure the bearing clearance. If
excessive, the bushes will have to be
renewed. They are a press fit, and require
reaming with a special reamer after fitting.
This is a job best done by a Fiat agent with the
special tools.
19Ensure the new bushes are fitted with the
oil holes lined up.
20Also check the driven gear and its bush.
21It is recommended a new oil seal is fitted
in the endplate. Hold the shaft in a vice, and
remove the pulley. Fit the new oil seal in the
endplate, lips inwards.
Timing belt tensioner
22Check the bearing revolves smoothly and
freely, and has no play. Do not immerse it in
cleaning fluid, as it is partially sealed. Wipe
the outside, and then smear in some new
general purpose grease.
23The action of the spring will have been felt
when the belt was taken off. It should be
cleaned, and oiled, to prevent seizure through
dirt and rust.
24Note the circlip on the engine right-hand
mounting bracket. This retains the timing belt
tensioner plunger.
1116 cc and 1301 cc engine 1•29
39.6 Valve spring seat39.5 Removing a valve39.4B Double valve springs
39.10 Cam followers fitted to camshaft
carrier39.7 Valve stem oil seal
1

depressurize the fuel system, before
disconnecting the fuel pipes and removing the
throttle body, as described in Section 9D.
34Disconnect the coolant and vacuum
hoses from the cylinder head and inlet
manifold (photo).
35Disconnect the electrical lead from the
coolant temperature switch, the LT leads from
the distributor and the idle cut-off solenoid
lead.
36Remove the distributor cap, disconnect
the plug leads and place the cap and leads to
one side of the engine compartment.
37Unbolt and remove the timing belt cover.
38Set No. 4 piston to TDC and then release
the timing belt tensioner and slip the belt from
the camshaft and coolant pump sprockets.
39Unbolt and remove the inlet manifold,
complete with carburettor, or throttle body as
applicable.
40Unbolt the exhaust manifold from the
cylinder head and tie it to one side of the
engine compartment; the downpipe bracket
will have to be disconnected.
41Unscrew the cylinder head bolts, a half
turn at a time in the reverse order to that
shown in Fig. 1.30 of Chapter 1. When the
bolts are free, remove them with their
washers.
42Lift the cylinder head from the block. If it is
stuck tight, insert pieces of wood into the
exhaust or inlet ports and use them as levers
to “rock” the head off the block. On no
account drive levers into the gasket joint orattempt to tap the head sideways as it is
located on positioning dowels.
43Remove and discard the cylinder head
gasket and both manifold gaskets.
44The cylinder head can be dismantled after
removing the camshaft and cam followers as
described in the preceding sub-Section.
45Further dismantling and decarbonising are
described in Chapter 1, Section 39. Note that
single valve springs are used.
46If the valves have been ground in, the
valve clearances will require adjusting, as
described previously. This should be done
before the cylinder head is refitted to the
engine.
47Before refitting the assembled cylinder
head, make sure that the head and block
mating surfaces are perfectly clean, and that
the block bolt holes have been cleared of any
oil.
48The camshaft sprocket timing mark must
be aligned with the one on the cylinder head.
49The new gasket should not be removed
from its nylon cover until required for use. Fit
the gasket dry to perfectly clean surfaces.
50Place the gasket on the cylinder block so
that the word ALTO can be read from above
(photos).
51Lower the cylinder head onto the block so
that it locates on the positioning dowels
(photo).
52The cylinder head bolts must have clean
threads, dipped in engine oil and allowed to
drain for thirty minutes. Screw the bolts infinger-tight and then tighten them in the
sequence shown in Fig. 1.30 of Chapter 1,
and in the stages specified (see Specification)
(photos).
53Refit the inlet manifold and carburettor
using a new gasket.
54Reconnect the exhaust manifold using a
new gasket. Tighten all nuts to the specified
torque. Reconnect the exhaust downpipe
bracket.
55Reconnect the timing belt and tension it
as described earlier.
56Refit the timing belt cover and the
distributor cap and camshaft cover.
57Reconnect all hoses, electrical leads and
controls.
58Fit the air cleaner.
59Fill and bleed the cooling system.
Supplement: Revisions and information on later models 13•23
5B.50A Cylinder head gasket5B.34 Inlet manifold coolant hose (A) and
brake servo vacuum hose (B)5B.32 Disconnecting the throttle cable
5B.52B Typical disc for angular tightening
of cylinder head bolts
5B.50B Cylinder head gasket top surface
marking
5B.52A Inserting a cylinder head bolt5B.51 Fitting the cylinder head
13

Initial start-up after major
overhaul
28Refer to Chapter 1, Section 45, but note
that an oil pressure gauge is fitted to indicate
oil pressure.
29Check the ignition static timing as
described in Section 10.
30Check the engine idle speed and CO level
as described in Section 9.
7 Engine-
1372 cc ie and 1372 cc
Turbo ie
PART A: GENERAL
Description
1The 1372 cc engine is similar in design to
the OHC engine fitted to the FIAT Tipo
variants. The engine is of four-cylinder, in-line,
overhead camshaft type, mounted
transversely at the front of the vehicle.
2The crankshaft runs in five main bearings.
Thrustwashers are fitted to the rear (flywheel
end) main bearing in order to control
crankshaft endfloat.
3The connecting rods are attached to the
crankshaft by horizontally split shell-type
big-end bearings. The pistons are attached to
the connecting rods by fully-floating gudgeon
pins which are secured by circlips. The
aluminium alloy pistons are fitted with three
piston rings: two compression rings and an oil
control ring.
4The camshaft is driven by a toothed belt
and operates the valves via bucket and shim
type cam followers. The camshaft is located in
a separate housing on top of the cylinder
head.
5The inlet and exhaust valves are each
closed by double valve springs, and operate
in guides pressed into the cylinder head.
6The auxiliary shaft, which is also driven by
the toothed belt, drives the oil pump.
7Lubrication is by means of a gear type
pump which draws oil through a strainer
located in the sump, and forces it through a
full-flow filter into the engine oil galleries fromwhere it is distributed to the crankshaft,
camshaft and auxiliary shaft. The big-end
bearings are supplied with oil via internal
drillings in the crankshaft. The undersides of
the pistons are cooled by oil spray nozzles
located in each main bearing location in the
crankcase.
8A crankcase ventilation system is
employed, whereby piston blow-by gases are
drawn via an oil separator into the air cleaner,
from where they are drawn into the inlet
manifold and re-burnt with fresh air/fuel
mixture.
9The 1372 cc ie engine is fitted with a Bosch
Mono-Jetronic single point fuel injection (SPi)
system. Whilst the higher performance
1372 cc Turbo ie engine is fitted with a Bosch
L3.1 (L3.2 from 1992) Jetronic multi-point
injection (MPi) system and turbocharger with
intercooler and oil cooling. The L3.2 system
models are fitted with catalytic converters.
Maintenanceª
10At the intervals specified in Section 3 or
“Routine maintenance” at the beginning of
this Manual, carry out the following tasks.
11Check the engine oil level as follows. With
the vehicle parked on level ground, and with
the engine having been stopped for a few
minutes, withdraw the oil level dipstick, wipe it
on a clean rag, and re-insert it fully. Withdraw
the dipstick again and read off the oil level
relative to the MAX and MIN marks. The oil
level should be between the marks. If the level
is at or below the MIN mark, top up through
the filler on the camshaft cover without delay
(photo). The quantity of oil required to raise
the level from MIN to MAX on the dipstick is
approximately 1.0 litre (1.8 pints). Do not
overfill.
12Renew the engine oil and filter as
described in Section 2 of Chapter 1 (photos).
13Check and if necessary adjust the valve
clearances as described in Part B of this
Section.
14Inspect the engine for signs of oil, coolant
or fuel leaks and rectify as necessary.
15Inspect the crankcase ventilation hose for
blockage or damage. Clean or renew as
necessary.
16Check the condition and tension of thetiming belt as described in Part B of this
Section.
17Renew the timing belt as described in
Part B of this Section.
PART B:
OPERATIONS POSSlBLE
WITH ENGINE IN CAR
Valve clearances -
checking and adjustment#
1It is important to ensure that the valve
clearances are set correctly, as incorrect
clearances will result in incorrect valve timing
thus affecting engine performance.
2The clearances must be checked and
adjusted with the engine cold.
3On the ie engine, refer to Section 9 in this
Chapter for details and remove the air cleaner
unit.
4On the ie engine disconnect the crankcase
ventilation hose from the injector unit and
position the hose out of the way.
5On Turbo ie engines, loosen off the clips
and remove the air hose to the inlet manifold
(above the camshaft cover).
6On Turbo ie engines, disconnect the
accelerator cable from the throttle housing
and the support bracket on the camshaft
cover.
7Unscrew the securing nuts and washers
and remove the camshaft cover, noting that
on later models two of the nuts also secure
the hose clip assembly. Recover the gasket.
8Numbering from the front (timing belt) end
of the engine, the exhaust valves are 1, 4, 5
and 8, and the inlet valves are 2, 3, 6 and 7.
Supplement: Revisions and information on later models 13•37
7A.12B Engine oil filter removal using a
strap wrench - 1372 cc engine7A.12A Engine sump drain plug - 1372 cc
engine7A.11 Topping up the engine oil level -
1372 cc engine
Fig. 13.15 Engine oil level dipstick location
and level markings on the 1372 cc ie and
Turbo ie engines (Sec 7A)
13

9Turn the engine clockwise using a suitable
socket on the crankshaft pulley bolt, until the
exhaust valve of No 1 cylinder (valve No 1) is
fully closed; ie the cam lobe is pointing
directly upwards. Alternatively, the engine can
be turned by jacking up one front corner of
the vehicle and supporting it securely on an
axle stand (apply the handbrake and chock
the diagonally-opposite rear wheel before
jacking), engaging top gear and turning the
raised roadwheel in the forward direction of
travel. In both cases, it will be easier to turn
the engine if the spark plugs are removed, but
if this is done, take care not to allow dirt or
other foreign matter to enter the spark plug
holes.
10Insert a feeler gauge of the correct
thickness between the cam follower shim and
the heel of the No 1 cam lobe (photo). If
necessary, increase or reduce the thickness
of the feeler gauge until it is a firm sliding fit.
Record the thickness of the feeler gauge,
which will represent the valve clearance for
this particular valve.
11Turn the crankshaft, and repeat the
procedure for the remaining valves, recording
their respective clearances. Note that the
clearance for inlet and exhaust valves differs.
12If a clearance is incorrect, the relevant
cam follower shim must be removed, and a
thicker or thinner shim must be fitted to
achieve the correct clearance. To remove a
shim proceed as follows.
13Turn the crankshaft until the relevant cam
lobe is pointing directly upwards.
14The cam follower must now be depressed
in order to extract the shim. FIAT special tool
No 1860642000 is available for this purpose,
but alternatively a suitable tool can be
improvised (photo). The tool should locate on
the rim of the cam follower, leaving enough
room for the shim to be prised out by means
of the cut-outs provided in the cam follower
rim. Depress the cam follower by turning the
crankshaft as described previously until the
relevant cam lobe is pointing directly
downwards, then fit the tool between the
camshaft and the edge of the cam follower to
retain the cam follower in the depressed
position.
15Ensure that the tool is securely located, asthere is a risk of personal injury if the tool is
dislodged whilst the cam follower is
depressed, then turn the crankshaft until the
relevant cam lobe is pointing directly
upwards, leaving sufficient room to extract
the shim (photo). A pair of angle-nosed pliers
will greatly ease removal of the shim.
16Once the shim has been extracted,
establish its thickness. The thickness in mm
should be stamped into the face of the shim,
although it is possible for wear to obliterate
the number, in which case the use of a metric
micrometer is the only way to accurately
establish the thickness.
17Refer to the clearance recorded for the
valve concerned. If the clearance recorded
was larger than that specified, a thicker shim
must be fitted, and if the clearance recorded
was smaller than that specified, a thinner shim
must be fitted. The required thickness of shim
can be
calculated as follows.
Sample calculation - clearance too large:
Desired clearance (A) 0.40 mm
Measured clearance (B) 0.45 mm
Difference (B - A) + 0.05 mm
Original shim thickness 3.40 mm
Required shim thickness 3.40 + 0.05 =
3.45 mm
Sample calculation - clearance too small:
Desired clearance (A) 0.50 mm
Measured clearance (B) 0.35 mm
Difference (B - A) 0.15 mm
Original shim thickness 4.55 mm
Required shim thickness 4.55 - 0.15 =
4.40 mm
18Shims are available in thicknesses from
3.20 to 4.70 mm, in steps of 0.05 mm. Note
that if several shims have to be changed, they
can often be interchanged, thus avoiding the
need by buy more new shims than are
necessary.
19The shims should be fitted to the cam
followers with the stamped thickness marking
against the face of the cam follower.
20After fitting a shim, rotate the crankshaft
as described previously until the relevant cam
lobe is pointing directly downwards (resting
on the shim), then carefully remove the tool
used to retain the follower in the depressed
position.21Re-check each relevant valve clearance
after fitting the shim.
22On completion, where applicable, lower
the vehicle to the ground.
23Refit the camshaft cover, using a new
gasket.
24On the ie engine, reconnect the hoses and
refit the air cleaner unit.
25On the Turbo ie engine, reconnect the air
hose and the accelerator cable.
Timing belt tensioner
and sprockets -
removal and refitting
#
Note: The timing belt must be renewed after
removal: never refit a used drivebelt. When
fitting the new timing belt it will need to be
correctly tensioned and to achieve this the
manufacturers specify the use of special tools
1860745200 (18760745300 on Turbo model)
and 1860745100. If these tools are not readily
available, an approximate setting can be
made, but in this instance it is strongly
recommended that the car be taken to a FIAT
dealer at the earliest opportunity to have the
belt tension checked and correctly set using
the recommended tools.
26Loosen off the front right-hand side wheel
bolts, then raise and support the car at the
front end on axle stands. Remove the front
right-hand roadwheel.
27Remove the underwing shield from the
right-hand wheel arch to allow access to the
lower timing cover and alternator fixings (photo).
13•38 Supplement: Revisions and information on later models
7B.27 Underwing shield (A) showing
central compression pin (B) and retaining
clip (C). Drive pin through clip to remove
7B.15 Removing a shim from a cam
follower7B.14 Special tool for retaining cam
follower in depressed position7B.10 Measuring a valve clearance
(No 2 valve shown)