First car project, help to turn engine

[NJJo]

This 1982 X19 was a anniversary present my dad gave to my mother in the early 90's. He'd always put it away for the winter and they didn't take it out one summer and there it sat....until now! My dad passed a couple years ago and we forgot about the car until I was helping my mom clean the garage out. It was a dry garage, no flooding, attached to the house, etc. There was an old Bonneville that sat for 10 years, charged the battery, put new fuel in and she started up. This gives me hope that this project won't be the typical find a car in the junkyard and trying to get it to run.

No rust on the visual inspection. I changed the oil and filter, put new fuel in, antifreeze, brake/clutch oil. New battery and the lights all turned on. I go to start the car and it makes a click but the engine doesn't turn/start. I installed new spark plugs and am basically lost at what to do now. Hoping for some help on how to get the engine to turn over. Thanks!

 

[KBabcock]

I would confirm the engine can spin with a socket on it, make sure it's not froze up. If that is good confirm voltage to the starter is good, look for loose connections. Make sure the ground cable is attached to the engine/trans is good. If all is good then test the starter, may have gone bad.

 

[NJJo]

I would confirm the engine can spin with a socket on it, make sure it's not froze up. If that is good confirm voltage to the starter is good, look for loose connections. Make sure the ground cable is attached to the engine/trans is good. If all is good then test the starter, may have gone bad.

Sorry, new to all this. Where is that located? I'll try and spin it tomorrow then go from there.

 

[jimmyx]

Sorry, new to all this

Put a socket on the crankshaft pulley bolt and see if the engine turns. Remove the right rear wheel/tire to ease access and turn the bolt clockwise when facing the front of the engine. If that checks ok, go under the car and make sure the braided ground strap is clean and tight between the transmission case and body. Next check that you have full battery voltage on the lug of the starter motor where the battery cable attaches and the connection is clean and tight. Near the main starter lug you just checked will be a thinner single wire with a connector. Pull the connector off and have someone turn the key to the start position while you check if you have full battery voltage at that solenoid wire. If you don't have a volt/ohm meter handy, you need to get one. Once all that is done, if it's still a no start at least we'll have more info to go on.

 

[dllubin]

Make sure the transaxle is in neutral before you try turning the engine.

 

[NEG]

or disengage the e brake, put the car in 4th gear and see if pushing it forward spins the engine over…or jack up the passenger side and rotate the rear wheel forward.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on the acquisition. However please be aware the Fiat will not be anything like the Bonneville was, this is a completely different animal. With a very different propensity for issues. And if I'm totally honest, it isn't necessarily the very best choice for a first car project. But hey, I love challenges....even huge ones. I'm reminded of something I was told at age 10 when I began my first automotive engine rebuild - a air cooled VW. The comment to me was, "if you can figure this one out, then you can work on anything".

This forum is the very best place for help. But also take the time to open the free Fiat X1/9 Factory Workshop Manual and review it. You'll find it here:

WorkshopManuals - X1/9 Wiki

xwebforums.com

 

[KBabcock]

Sorry, new to all this. Where is that located? I'll try and spin it tomorrow then go from there.

No problem, now that we know your starting point we can be a little more helpful. You will find everyone on this board great to work with and a huge help. JimmyX added a lot of detail. That braided ground line is on the drives side by the rear wheel, take it off and you should be able to see it pretty easy.

Where in Wisconsin do you live? You may no be that far away.

 

[KBabcock]

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on the acquisition. However please be aware the Fiat will not be anything like the Bonneville was, this is a completely different animal. With a very different propensity for issues. And if I'm totally honest, it isn't necessarily the very best choice for a first car project. But hey, I love challenges....even huge ones. I'm reminded of something I was told at age 10 when I began my first automotive engine rebuild - a air cooled VW. The comment to me was, "if you can figure this one out, then you can work on anything".

This forum is the very best place for help. But also take the time to open the free Fiat X1/9 Factory Workshop Manual and review it. You'll find it here:

WorkshopManuals - X1/9 Wiki

xwebforums.com

LOL, My first rebuilt was also a VW engine out of a 66 bug.

 

[kmead]

Sorry, new to all this. Where is that located? I'll try and spin it tomorrow then go from there.

Alternatively, pull the spark plugs, put it in fourth or fifth and push the car forward after squirting a bit of automatic transmission oil, technically you could move it without pulling the plugs but it would be nice to add some lube.

 

[kmead]

Also, welcome! Nice car, nice rare color and a great background story.

We are more than happy to help with any questions you may have. There are some good posts in the Best of Xweb (BOX) folder at the top of the Workshop Forum along with the Wiki which is invaluable.

box new owner info

Glad to have you here.

 

[NJJo]

Wow, thank you all for the replies!! I'm going through Jimmy's advice and will update when that it done!

 

[NJJo]

No problem, now that we know your starting point we can be a little more helpful. You will find everyone on this board great to work with and a huge help. JimmyX added a lot of detail. That braided ground line is on the drives side by the rear wheel, take it off and you should be able to see it pretty easy.

Where in Wisconsin do you live? You may no be that far away.

Oshkosh area, you?

 

[visualistics]

I'm also in Madison area. I'm new to the platform but always do my own wrenching on the various other oddball vehicles I've owned, so it's good to know there are others in the area if we ever need to lend a hand or borrow some goofy tool.

 

[KBabcock]

Oshkosh area, you?

Lincolnwood, Just North of Chicago. Looks like your a couple hours away. When we both get our X's on the road might be a nice road trip to Milwaukee. Cheers!

 

[SuperTopo]

As like 10 people said, make sure the engine spins easily first. If it does, the solenoid on your starter needs a good wack with a stick. Usually does the trick. If that doesn't do it, you need to replace it. The solenoid, not the stick.

Another way to check the engine is simply put it in gear and push the car forward. With 1 foot of clearance in front of the car you'll see if the engine spins or not.

 

[Russe11]

Oshkosh area, you?

Welcome, from another Cheesehead. I'm just around the corner, in Winneconne.
There are a couple other forum members not too far away: MLott in Neenah and Stoney1 in Wrightsstown. And as you've seen, there are helpful people from all over.

Brian

 

[Dan Sarandrea (Phila)]

As like 10 people said, make sure the engine spins easily first. If it does, the solenoid on your starter needs a good wack with a stick. Usually does the trick. If that doesn't do it, you need to replace it. The solenoid, not the stick.

Another way to check the engine is simply put it in gear and push the car forward. With 1 foot of clearance in front of the car you'll see if the engine spins or not.

Yeah, I think he's already past the "good whack" stage.

 

[NJJo]

Looks like the Midwest is where all the fiats went, and I used to golf at Lakebreeze all the time! I was able to turn the crackshaft bolt easily. I noticed a little oil leak on top afterwards, I'll try and find out where exactly it is. It looked like it was coming from a gap in the picture below. I'll be checking the solenoid and following the rest of Jimmy's checklist. Weekend is finally here, hopefully I can get a lot done from the advice so far. Thanks again everyone! A fiat meet up when all is said and done would be cool!

The odometer is at 60,009. I got a chuckle out of that.

 

[NJJo]

Put a socket on the crankshaft pulley bolt and see if the engine turns. Remove the right rear wheel/tire to ease access and turn the bolt clockwise when facing the front of the engine. If that checks ok, go under the car and make sure the braided ground strap is clean and tight between the transmission case and body. Next check that you have full battery voltage on the lug of the starter motor where the battery cable attaches and the connection is clean and tight. Near the main starter lug you just checked will be a thinner single wire with a connector. Pull the connector off and have someone turn the key to the start position while you check if you have full battery voltage at that solenoid wire. If you don't have a volt/ohm meter handy, you need to get one. Once all that is done, if it's still a no start at least we'll have more info to go on.

Thanks for all the help so far! The starter wasn't getting any connection. I took it off, cleaned it, lube it, etc. I'm going to put it back on tonight or tomorrow. I would've had this done already but it's been so hot out!

Before I put the starter back on, is it working properly? I don't know how far the solenoid is supposed to push the gear out. I didn't know how to take apart the solenoid without breaking it. It seemed to be connected to a single strand of copper in there.