Fiat / Lancia Twincam setup- where is your earth?

[GavinLaird]

Hi folks,

I have a 1600cc lancia twincam moggy that sadly is having some earth and possibly starter solenoid issues.

Currently the neg runs from battery to block, with earth going from the back of the gbox bellhousing to a chassis crossmember. Sadly however the circuit is only made if you push the gearstick over into contact with it's mountings!! Keys in - turn to 2nd stage - nothing - jam g'stick over to your left and oil / bat lights come on. Turn to start and nothing, not even a click from the starter motor.

All the contacts have had a good clean and a sand down, metal on metal everywhere now, but no improvement.

Could a faulty solenoid cause this or am i better off changing all the ignition cables to new ones before looking to the starter motor?

Assuming it is the starter solenoid needing replaced can anyone point me in the direction of somewhere I can purchase just the sole' without replacing the whole started motor? Believe the starter was originally from fiat 131 (E100-1,3/12 type) but I can aonly find a lucas exchange for the whole thing.

Lastly - the exhuast on my mog is a bad joke - noisy, no top end, nasty cherry bomb ino tiny backbox that has deffo seen better days.... what bore / backbox are people typically using with the 1600 twincam?

Thanks in advance!

Gavin.

[bmcecosse]

First - off - just run an additional new earth cable from anywhere there is a good clean contact on the block - to a good clean contact on the car body. I'm pretty sure that will sort out all your problems - but do also check the battery and starter motor connections are all clean and tight!

[Wal]

Gavin,
as bmcecosse suggests I would run the earth to the body either directly or from the block.

Either way there is a bolt fixing on the back of the starter motor, this is where the earth should go for the starter. So run a separate earth wire from either body or block, depending on what you choose to do with the battery earth, and connect it to the bolt fixing on the back of the starter motor.

I would certainly check the wires to the starter motor. Both the large one straight from the battery and the smaller wire from the iginition can deteriorate. The motor draws a lot of power and if the large wire is kinked or old then it could be a problem.

With regard to exhaust, depends if you are using the original FIAT manifold which goes into 2 and then a single pipe. If your are going to fabricate a new exhaust I would have 2" on the twin primaries into 2.5" single pipe. If not buy the standard FIAT down pipes which I think where 1.75" into 2" but I can't remember exactly. As for back boxes you could buy a standard FIAT one. If you are fabricating one then any reasonable performance box should do. You can even run a main silencer with a little cherry bomb at the rear.

Regards,
Wal

[dp]

I had earth problems so added an earth strap from block to floor. As the engine and box are rubber mounted they are insulated unless you add the extra earth. Engine mount to chassis mount could be a good place with existing bolts/studs to take advantage of.

Jetex do a range of boxes and tubes from which you can make up a system in mild or stainless steel without the need for welding

[GavinLaird]

Thanks folks.

Re-earthed to no avail, orderdered new starter solenoid and will work from there. Also looked at new satrter motor (bosch 0001311040) but the price was eye watering so really hoping it is just the solenoid that has gone.

Thanks for the jetex link, I'll have a peek at that just now.

Cheers,
G

[dp]

You can often have the existing starter or solonoid rebuilt. I've had an alternator rebuilt by this company before:
http://www.jafm.co.uk/

Starters sometimes go for about £30 on Ebay. I suspect the starter is a universal bolt pattern suitable for lots of vehicles, possibly modern and still in production too. I'm assuming you have the type with the solonoid attached to the side of the motor itself?

[GavinLaird]

Cheers folks.

Re-earthed, new battery pos and neg leads, new battery and all is sweet.

for the exhaust I went with Jetex 2 inch pipes for a custom short side exit setup and is now in place - looks good and sounds great.

Also took the time to change the front suspension bushes to new poly ones, weld in a new gearbox support crossmember and plate a bit of tin worm near the offside suspension. Oh and put in a new black interior

Should get her back from the last of the welding this weekend and will pop up some pics if I can.


Ta,

G.