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124
USEFUL ADVICE
FOR LENGTHENING THE
LIFE OF YOUR BATTERY
When you park the car, ensure the
doors, boot and bonnet are closed
properly. The courtesy light must be
off.
Do not keep accessories (e.g. radio,
hazard lights etc.) switched on for a
long time when the engine is not run-
ning.
IMPORTANT A battery which is
kept at a charge of less than 50% for
any length of time will be damaged by
sulphation leading to a reduction in
cranking power and a higher risk of
the battery electrolyte freezing (this
may even occur at –10°C).
If the car is inactive for a long peri-
od of time, refer to “Storing the car”
in the “Driving your car” chapter.If, after purchasing your car you
would like to add electrical accessories
that require a permanent power sup-
ply (alarm systems, hands-free phone,
radio navigator with satellite anti-theft
system, etc.), visit a Fiat Dealership.
The staff of experts, besides suggest-
ing the most suitable accessories in the
Lineaccessori range, will also check
whether the car electrical system can
support the required load or if a larg-
er size battery needs to be installed.
These devices will, in fact, run off the
battery even when the key is not in-
serted (car parked) and can deploy the
battery.
Incorrect fitting of elec-
trical and electronic ac-
cessories can seriously
damage the car.Batteries contain sub-
stances that are very
harmful for the environ-
ment. You are advised to have the
battery changed at a Fiat Dealer-
ship. It is properly equipped for
disposing of used batteries in an
environmentally-friendly way that
complies with the law.
Do not attempt to recharge
a frozen battery. Thaw it
first otherwise it could explode. If
the battery froze, make sure the in-
ternal elements are not broken
(short-circuit risk) and that the cas-
ing is not cracked (risk of spilling
the poisonous and corrosive fluid).
WARNING
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125
– Do not connect or disconnect the
terminals of the electronic units while
the ignition key is at MAR.
– Do not check polarity through
sparking.
– Disconnect the electronic units if
you are electrically welding the car
body. Remove the units if tempera-
tures exceed 80°C. (special operations
on the bodywork etc.)
IMPORTANTIf the radio or car
alarm systems are not installed cor-
rectly, they can interfere with the
working of the electronic control
units.ELECTRONIC
CONTROL UNITS
When the car is being used normal-
ly, special measures are not necessary.
The following instructions must be
followed very carefully however, if you
work on the electrical system or in
cases where starting with another bat-
tery is necessary:
– Never disconnect the battery from
the electrical system while the engine
is running.
– When recharging, disconnect the
battery from the wiring system. The
latest battery chargers can, in fact, gen-
erate voltages of up to 20V.
– Never start the engine with a bat-
tery charger. Always use another bat-
tery.
– Be particularly careful when con-
necting the battery to the electrical
system. Ensure the battery posts are
connected up to the right leads (the
polarity is correct) and check that the
connection has been made properly.
Battery Maximum admitted
stand-by intake
50Ah 30 mA
Furthermore, remember that high in-
take electric devices (such as baby bot-
tle warmers, vacuum cleaners, cellular
phones, mini-fridges, etc.) powered
when the engine is off can run the
battery down.
IMPORTANT If you need to install
added systems to the car, improper
wiring connections, in particular if they
affect safety devices, are dangerous.The total intake of these systems
(factory and after-market) must be less
than 0.6 mA x Ah (of the battery) as
shown in the following table:
Modifications or repairs to
the electrical system car-
ried out incorrectly and without
bearing the features of the system
in mind can cause malfunctions
with the risk of fire.
WARNING
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126
WHEELS
AND TYRES
TYRES PRESSURE
Every two weeks and before long
journeys, check the pressure of each
tyre including the spare.
The pressure must be checked when
the tyre is rested and cold.
It is normal for the pressure to rise
when you are driving. If you have to
check or restore the pressure when
the tyres are warm remember that the
pressure value must be 0.3 bar above
the specified value.
SPARK PLUGS
The cleanness and soundness of the
spark plugs fig. 9are very important
for keeping the engine efficient and
polluting emissions down.
The appearance of the spark plug, if
examined by an expert eye, is a good
way of pin-pointing a malfunction even
if it has nothing to do with the ignition
system. Therefore, if the engine has
problems, it is important to have the
spark plugs checked at a Fiat Deal-
ership.The spark plugs must be
changed at the times
specified in the Service
Schedule. Only use the type of
plugs indicated: if the heat ratio
is less than required or the life
specified is not guaranteed, prob-
lems can arise.
fig. 9
P5S00684m
Spark plug (type)
Champion RC10YCC
NGK BKR6EZ
Tyre pressure must be cor-
rect to ensure good road
holding.
WARNING
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132
Windows
Use specific window cleaners to
clean the windows. Use very clean
cloths to avoid scratching the glass or
damaging its transparency.
Engine compartment
At the end of each winter season,
carefully clean the engine compart-
ment. Have this done at a garage.Detergents pollute wa-
ter. The car must there-
fore be washed in an area
equipped for the collection and
purification of the liquids used
while washing.
IMPORTANTThe car should be
washed while the engine is cold and
with the ignition key at STOP. After
washing the car, make sure that the
various protections (e.g. rubber boots
and various guards) have not been re-
moved or damaged. Outside plastic parts must be cleaned
following the usual car washing pro-
cedure.
Avoid parking your car under trees;
the resinous substances that often
drop will dull the paintwork and in-
crease the possibility of corrosion.
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must
be washed off immediately and with
great care as their acid is particularly
aggressive.
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135
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Motor and engineering enthusiasts as well as those
“in the trade” will probably start reading from this point
in the manual. This, in fact, is where a section jam-
packed with facts, figures, formulae, measurements and
tables begins. In a sense it is the Fiat barchetta’s iden-
tity card. A document that introduces the car and ex-
plains in technical jargon all the features that go together
to make the Fiat barchetta a model designed to give you
superlative driving satisfaction.IDENTIFICATION DATA ................................................ 136
ENGINE CODE - BODY VERSION .............................. 137
ENGINE ................................................................................. 137
TRANSMISSION ................................................................. 139
BRAKES ................................................................................. 139
SUSPENSIONS .................................................................... 140
STEERING ............................................................................. 140
WHEEL GEOMETRY ......................................................... 140
PERFORMANCE ................................................................. 140
WHEELS ................................................................................ 141
DIMENSIONS ...................................................................... 142
WEIGHTS ............................................................................. 143
CAPACITIES ........................................................................ 144
FLUIDS AND LUBRICANTS ........................................... 145
FUEL CONSUMPTION .................................................... 147
CO
2EMISSIONS ................................................................. 147
TYRES PRESSURE ............................................................... 148
Page 137 of 170
136
IDENTIFICATION DATA
MODEL PLATE fig. 3
The plate shows the following iden-
tification data:
A- Manufacturer’s name
B- Homologation number
C- Vehicle ID code
D- Chassis serial number
E- Maximum vehicle weight fully
laden
F- Maximum train weight (fully-laden
vehicle plus trailer)
fig. 2
P5S10041m
fig. 3
P5S00686m
fig. 1
P5S00688m
G- Maximum vehicle weight on first
(front) axle
H- Maximum vehicle weight on sec-
ond (rear) axle
I - Engine model code
L- Body version code
M- Number for spares
N- Smoke opacity index (for diesel
engines)
The plate is fastened to the front
cross member of the engine com-
partment at position B-fig. 2. CHASSIS MARKING fig. 1
This is stamped on the passenger
cabin floor pan near the right-hand
front seat and includes:
– vehicle model ZFA 183000
– chassis serial number.
ENGINE MARKING fig. 2
Marking Ais stamped on the cylin-
der block and includes the model and
serial number.
Page 138 of 170
ENGINE CODE - BODY VERSION
137
Engine type code Body version code
188A6.000 183SB1AA 01
PAINT IDENTIFICATION
PLATE fig. 4
The plate is fastened to the inside of
the hood seat cover.
It bears the following data:
A- Paint manufacturer
B- Colour name
C- Fiat colour code
D- Respray and touch-up code
fig. 4
P5S00687m
ENGINE
GENERAL FEATURES
Engine Code
Cycle
Number and layout of cylinders
Number of valves per cylinder
Bore x stroke mm
Capacity cm3
Compression ratio
Maximum power output (EEC) kW
HP
at rpm
Peak torque (EEC) Nm
m.kg
at rpm
188A6.000
Otto
4 in line
4
82.0x82.7
1747
10.3 ± 0.15
96
130
6300
158
16.7
4300
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138
FUEL SUPPLY/IGNITION
Integrated electronic injection and ig-
nition system: a single electronic con-
trol unit controls both functions. It
processes both the time the injection
lasts (for fuel metering) and the igni-
tion’s advance angle.
Type: Sequential in phase Multipoint
Air cleaner: dry-type with paper fil-
ter element; thermostatically con-
trolled intake.
Petrol pump: in-tank.
Injection pressure: 3 bar
Method of measuring the amount of
aspirated air by directly measuring the
maximum rate of flow with a hot wire
air flow meter.
“Closed loop” petrol metering (in-
formation about combustion provid-
ed by the Lambda sensor).Firing order: 1-3-4-2
Spark plugs:
– Champion RC10YCC
– NGK BKR6EZLUBRICATION
Forced-fed with gear pump with
pressure relief valve incorporated.
Oil purification by means of full-flow-
cartridge filter.
COOLING
Cooling system with radiator, cen-
trifugal pump and expansion tank.
“Controlled” by-pass type thermo-
stat on the secondary circuit for the
recirculation of water from the engine
to the radiator.
Electric fan for radiator cooling with
thermostatically-controlled on/off
switch on the radiator.
Modifications or repairs to
the fuel feed system that
are not carried out properly or do
not take the system’s technical
specifications into account can
cause malfunctions with the risk of
fire.
WARNING