What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Mapped my distributor advance curve and also tried to fit a replacement points module sent FOC to replace my failed unit. Apparently it was still in warranty.

What I found was the points plate the module bolts to wasn’t flat, meaning there wasn’t enough contact area to conduct heat away form the module. This is probably why the original developed a fault.

Given I’ve got questions over my current distributor I’m shelving the points module idea and will look at a full electronic replacement instead.
 
NEG said:
I’m shelving the points module idea and will look at a full electronic replacement instead.
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I know you guys did not get many of the FI version X's, but did you get many with the factory electronic ignitions? Or are things like the Bosch VR distributor and matching control module rare there? That would be the easiest plug and plan conversion (and is very reliable).
 
AFAIK Dr.Jeff in the UK we only ever had the points system and certainly no FI. Not sure about the rest of Europe.
 
Well that sucks. I recall something about the FI not offered but thought maybe the electronic ignition might have been (with a carb) at some point. I suspect it was the same for all of Europe. Interesting how Fiat continued to sell the X for so long (later year models) with still a carb and points there. I've always had the impression Europe was ahead of the US in terms of fuel economy and emissions. So I would think more efficient systems like FI and EI would have been common by the eighties.
 
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Pulled out right rear panel ~symetric to left side. Now can sleep well as both wheels stick out 5mm, before that right side was 25mm.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Well that sucks. I recall something about the FI not offered but thought maybe the electronic ignition might have been (with a carb) at some point. I suspect it was the same for all of Europe. Interesting how Fiat continued to sell the X for so long (later year models) with still a carb and points there. I've always had the impression Europe was ahead of the US in terms of fuel economy and emissions. So I would think more efficient systems like FI and EI would have been common by the eighties.
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I think it’s a reflection of the disregard Fiat held for the x19 in the UK, it didn’t fit in to the corporate thinking and vision of the company. An odd ball that didn't fit with any other car in the range and severely lacked development and investment, maybe the whole of Europe as well.
 
NEG said:
I think it’s a reflection of the disregard Fiat held for the x19 in the UK, it didn’t fit in to the corporate thinking and vision of the company. An odd ball that didn't fit with any other car in the range and severely lacked development and investment, maybe the whole of Europe as well.
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I think it had a lot to do with US emissions laws (more specifically, California) making the X1/9 a turtle by 1979. UK/EU laws weren't yet as stringent so the car was still pretty quick with the older less expensive hardware. Bosch tech wasn't cheap and while the Lambda system is an antique by today's standard it was cutting edge in 1980. Ferrari 328's were still using open loop CIS as late as 1987.
 
My X needed to lose some wait.

We have had a lot of rain of late. Once the rain would let up the cars would drip for some time, the X in particular. Over the last week we have had 5.7 inches of rain which supports the notion that Grand Rapids is not only nearly as cloudy as Seattle but we get similar rain.

I noted that the car wasn’t draining properly from the right door and when I shook when open I could not only hear water sloshing but the sounds of something solid moving in the door.

I needed to make it so I didn’t have to wait for the water to drain, to not cause rust or other problems. Took the trim, the door panel and found a nicely taped together thin plastic membrane behind the panel. Pull that back and find some water and of course the chunks which were making the noise.

Out came the vacuum to suck out the water and chunks of broken tempered glass. Actually quite a lot of broken tempered glass, at least a pound of it in the various little nooks and crannies of the door assembly. The glass was partly blocking the drip holes, causing dirt to collect and further block the drip holes.

Happily no rust and no other problems. The factory did a great job of rust proofing in the bottom of the door so no additional problems, yay!

So, to get rid of my wait I was able to lose some weight from my X.

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kmead said:
My X needed to lose some wait.

We have had a lot of rain of late. Once the rain would let up the cars would drip for some time, the X in particular. Over the last week we have had 5.7 inches of rain which supports the notion that Grand Rapids is not only nearly as cloudy as Seattle but we get similar rain.

I noted that the car wasn’t draining properly from the right door and when I shook when open I could not only hear water sloshing but the sounds of something solid moving in the door.

I needed to make it so I didn’t have to wait for the water to drain, to not cause rust or other problems. Took the trim, the door panel and found a nicely taped together thin plastic membrane behind the panel. Pull that back and find some water and of course the chunks which were making the noise.

Out came the vacuum to suck out the water and chunks of broken tempered glass. Actually quite a lot of broken tempered glass, at least a pound of it in the various little nooks and crannies of the door assembly. The glass was partly blocking the drip holes, causing dirt to collect and further block the drip holes.

Happily no rust and no other problems. The factory did a great job of rust proofing in the bottom of the door so no additional problems, yay!

So, to get rid of my wait I was able to lose some weight from my X.

View attachment 25917
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I am betting I have some too!! I will post when I get to working on the door this winter

Odie
 
On one of my X's there was a lot of broken safety glass inside the bulkhead/crossmember that goes between the engine bay and the rear trunk - the box section from side to side where the engine lid latches and trunk lid hinges. How the hell did that get full of glass?? And I haven't found any elsewhere. :confused:
 
Dr.Jeff said:
On one of my X's there was a lot of broken safety glass inside the bulkhead/crossmember that goes between the engine bay and the rear trunk - the box section from side to side where the engine lid latches and trunk lid hinges. How the hell did that get full of glass?? And I haven't found any elsewhere. :confused:
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Labor strife causes all sorts of foreign objects to be inserted into blind and sealed/welded up areas of cars in order to create inexplicably vexing problems down the road for owners and dealer service departments, with the intent of damaging the reputation of the manufacturer. Not sure if anyone has ever documented or verified, but there are those tales of Detroit autoworkers putting bottles, cans and such into blind cavities of cars on the production line and then welding up the panels.

Italy had LOTS of labor strife during the era that exxies were manufactured. Which could account for the very inconsistent quality control of Italian autos from those days.
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
Labor strife causes all sorts of foreign objects to be inserted into blind and sealed/welded up areas of cars in order to create inexplicably vexing problems down the road for owners and dealer service departments, with the intent of damaging the reputation of the manufacturer. Not sure if anyone has ever documented or verified, but there are those tales of Detroit autoworkers putting bottles, cans and such into blind cavities of cars on the production line and then welding up the panels.

Italy had LOTS of labor strife during the era that exxies were manufactured. Which could account for the very inconsistent quality control of Italian autos from those days.
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Sadly, I can verify a lot of this from what I have read, at least.

One of the reasons the Big 3 got eaten alive by Japan Inc. after the 70s-onward...The incompetent mgt. of the Big 3 also played a huge role, of course...but strikes/resentment on the line did the quality of cars no favors!
 
Managed to do the headlight mod on one side of the car today. Comparing the modded side to the standard side the standard side is dropping about 2.6v measured at the headlight and the modified side about 0.5v

Quite an improvement. I need to tidy the wiring and make a better connection at the battery ...oh and do the other side!

Mounted the high/low relays back to back on the horn mounting bolt.



 
Well done.

You might consider putting them in a project box, those are not waterproof relays and will eventually fail. Alternatively going to water proof relays as an alternative.

Yes 2v is a huge change in the lighting output. On a late X it already has high beam relays which work very well, the low beams, hah! I have handheld flashlights with better output.
 
kmead said:
On a late X it already has high beam relays which work very well, the low beams, hah! I have handheld flashlights with better output.
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One wonders why they set up only the High Beam for relayed power, a mode most of us never get to even use. Maybe they ran out of room on the board? Good news is the late US cars are easy to convert to Low Beam relayed power (especially for non-AC cars that have 3 spare relay sockets right on the relay board). Use a Fiat 4339372 equivalent just like High Beam. Not only does it give brighter light, it reduces amperage through those expensive switches!
 
I imagine the higher electrical load (greater wattage) of the high beams compared to low beams was the drive to add relays to the high beams. However I totally agree, why not do it for both. Presumably a cost issue. Perhaps if enough cars caught fire and lawsuits followed then they would have spent the extra money to add them to both levels? :D
 
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