What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Solenoid?
Cratecruncher said:
Took my X1/9 on a 1,000 mile excursion from Austin Texas to Carlsbad New Mexico to see a big hole in the ground.

Made my first pit stop 130 miles from home and starter just clicked. Hmm. Another X1/9 enthusiast helped me jump start it from his gigantic truck. Must be a bad battery? Drove a mile to NAPA. Replaced battery. Starter just clicked. Nice NAPA people push started me on my way - back home.

I'm determined to see that big hole in New Mexico some day. But obviously not today...
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Solenoid?
 
Cratecruncher said:
Took my X1/9 on a 1,000 mile excursion from Austin Texas to Carlsbad New Mexico to see a big hole in the ground.

Made my first pit stop 130 miles from home and starter just clicked. Hmm. Another X1/9 enthusiast helped me jump start it from his gigantic truck. Must be a bad battery? Drove a mile to NAPA. Replaced battery. Starter just clicked. Nice NAPA people push started me on my way - back home.

I'm determined to see that big hole in New Mexico some day. But obviously not today...
Click to expand...
My starter has begun this random ‘clicking’ thing as well, but it’s usually followed by a good start. Battery is new and healthy. Did you decide what the problem was, finally?
 
You may find that a rebuild of the starter solenoid, and the addition of a relay for the starter solenoid is in your future. Both easy to do jobs.
 
The 74s came with a relay for the starter as part of the seat belt interlock system. Unfortunately, it draws it's power from the ignition switch (can be easily changed) although the contacts should be already closed by the time it draws current for the starter solenoid.
 

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Alain - The Red Scorpion said:
Solenoid?

Solenoid?
Click to expand...
Not sure yet. After my road trip ordeal yesterday I didn't want to mess with it. I just wanted a cold shower and a very cold adult beverage. This morning I tried to start it and it fired right up with a healthy spin from the starter. So I cut the ignition and tried it again...click. I pulled the starter and didn't notice anything unusual in regards to wiring. I plan to pull the starter apart tonight and have a look. The solenoid is clicking "hard" but the starter motor isn't spinning. That leads me to think it's not getting juice from the solenoid to the armature. But that seems like a yes or no problem. Not a "maybe if I feel like it" sort of issue.
 
Heat increases resistance, so if it is a electrical problem between the solenoid and start motor then it would be better on the first start when everything is cold and worse after a couple attempts when things get warmer.

Cleaning the internal contacts may resolve it. There's been threads about this.
 
Cratecruncher said:
Not sure yet. After my road trip ordeal yesterday I didn't want to mess with it. I just wanted a cold shower and a very cold adult beverage. This morning I tried to start it and it fired right up with a healthy spin from the starter. So I cut the ignition and tried it again...click. I pulled the starter and didn't notice anything unusual in regards to wiring. I plan to pull the starter apart tonight and have a look. The solenoid is clicking "hard" but the starter motor isn't spinning. That leads me to think it's not getting juice from the solenoid to the armature. But that seems like a yes or no problem. Not a "maybe if I feel like it" sort of issue.
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Try the ground cable remedy before you remove the starter.
 
Maiden voyage of my faux Corsa Stradale today. Just around my neighborhood, but still pretty exciting. Car has never been driven under it's own power since I picked it up (out of the desert in Nevada). Drained/flushed the tranny, new lolly-pop, clutch master and slave...she did fine after one minor adjustment. Runs good, all new suspension, bushings, ball joints, steering rack. Alignment freakishly bad...that's the next job. Overall, crazy smooth, no squeaks, no puddles of anything...very satisfying.
 
Cratecruncher said:
Not sure yet. After my road trip ordeal yesterday I didn't want to mess with it. I just wanted a cold shower and a very cold adult beverage. This morning I tried to start it and it fired right up with a healthy spin from the starter. So I cut the ignition and tried it again...click. I pulled the starter and didn't notice anything unusual in regards to wiring. I plan to pull the starter apart tonight and have a look. The solenoid is clicking "hard" but the starter motor isn't spinning. That leads me to think it's not getting juice from the solenoid to the armature. But that seems like a yes or no problem. Not a "maybe if I feel like it" sort of issue.
Click to expand...
Exactly what mine‘s doing. No real rhyme or reason though. Old Mr. FIAT guy says to check for voltage at the ignition switch, and also mentioned a faulty solenoid possibility. Should know more later next week.
 
tvmaster said:
Exactly what mine‘s doing. No real rhyme or reason though. Old Mr. FIAT guy says to check for voltage at the ignition switch, and also mentioned a faulty solenoid possibility. Should know more later next week.
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Check the ignition switch connector. That was a common early failure on 74s. I knew people who had them replaced under warranty but I could not move my car so I removed the connector and soldered the wires together. As replacement connectors were not necessarily great, I left it that way.
 
dllubin said:
Check the ignition switch connector. That was a common early failure on 74s. I knew people who had them replaced under warranty but I could not move my car so I removed the connector and soldered the wires together. As replacement connectors were not necessarily great, I left it that way.
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I’m thinking this connector is located……?
 
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Maybe this clickity starter business is more common than I thought! I've made some headway since my initial posts I'd like to discuss. I'll start a dedicated thread so we can keep a record of it for posterity. These running threads are fun but everything quickly gets buried as the conversation evolves.
 
I went to Cars and Coffee in Kansas City this morning. Today’s event was at The Underground, a location of the Kansas City Auto Museum that is part museum and part classic car storage.

I got a little X1/9 inspiration while there.
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This 1987 was on display, but there was another green X under cover.
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My first time seeing a green X in person I get to see two of them.
There was a little extra Fiat goodness to be had from someone’s projects.
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That’s two Fiat Dino Coupes and engines. Pretty amazing to see. My first time seeing a Dino in person.
 
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Replaced Cromodora 7 in. and 8 in. with 6 in. Minilite style wheels, with 185x60 Toyo R888R on all 4. I am getting contradicting info from various sources regarding tire pressure for track use (vintage). Any ideas from people with track experience? Yes, I know, the "painted" panel looks terrible...

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Alain - The Red Scorpion said:
I am getting contradicting info from various sources regarding tire pressure for track use (vintage). Any ideas from people with track experience?
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I have Nankang AR1 185/60 13 on 6 inch rims. They do not differ much from the 888's. I run 2 psi rear and 1.9 psi front when warm. I suggest you start with these numbers and decrease the pressure depending on track, weather and temp.
On normal road I used to run 2.4 all over but noticed they wear at center so now I have 2.1 and 2.0 psi (cold).
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
I have Nankang AR1 185/60 13 on 6 inch rims. They do not differ much from the 888's. I run 2 psi rear and 1.9 psi front when warm. I suggest you start with these numbers and decrease the pressure depending on track, weather and temp.
On normal road I used to run 2.4 all over but noticed they wear at center so now I have 2.1 and 2.0 psi (cold).
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I think you meant bar (not psi).
 
Bjorn Nilson said:
I have Nankang AR1 185/60 13 on 6 inch rims. They do not differ much from the 888's. I run 2 psi rear and 1.9 psi front when warm. I suggest you start with these numbers and decrease the pressure depending on track, weather and temp.
On normal road I used to run 2.4 all over but noticed they wear at center so now I have 2.1 and 2.0 psi (cold).
Click to expand...
Thanks Bjorn. I'm sure you mean Bar, so that's 27 psi / 29 psi.
 
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