tuscl

How to Start a FIAT

san_jose_guy
money was invented for handing to women, but buying dances is a chump's game
Saturday, April 9, 2022 7:42 PM
Our younger members need to hear this because they have never driven carbureted cars, much less ones where you have control of the choke. So you sit down and check the mirrors and fasten you seat belt. Push the accelerator pedal to the floor and hold it there. That gives it one priming squirt, and that should be enough. It also makes it much easier to pull the choke knob out, as the choke has a smooth fast idle cam. So pull the choke out about as much as you think best for the temperature. For really cold, maybe 50% to 75%. Hold the clutch down and back off on the accelerator to about 10% and start cranking. Once it catches you should get oil pressure right away. When you change the oil always prime the filter so that you will get oil pressure right away. Idiot lights should be out and any ammeter or volt meter should show electricals working. You are keeping it running with the accelerator pedal. Push the choke all the way in. On cars with cold start injectors, these only run for about 2 seconds. That should be the maximum for the choke. Choke stuck closed can destroy an engine in 20min, that can wash oil off the cylinder walls, contaminate the oil, cause vapors to be in the crank case and explode. So aim for 1 second on choke, 2 seconds max. Now, you want it to idle without your foot on the accelerator. So start pulling the throttle knob out until that takes over from the accelerator. Now you can move your foot from the accelerator to the brake. As you drive along you will be pushing this back in. Now look all around, put it in gear, release emergency brake and you are off. FIATs are a real blast to drive as well as being a pride to own and a pleasure to work on and maintain. SJG

46 comments

  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    FIAT 850 spyder, multiple page brocheur. [view link] SJG
  • CandymanOfProvidence
    2 years ago
    You left out putting a statue of St Christopher on the dashboard and praying before each start.
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Does posting from the library stymie your thought process hence all the useless shit that you post? Do you think Cesar Chavez might give up his holiday so that you would have an extra day a year to work on your thought processing? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of lettuce? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of grapes? Did you ever have any wine made from grapes squished by Cesar's feet? Did his feet remind you of younger hat dancing boys? *after all they're Mexican too* Did you need a bathhouse towel boy to dry you off after your excitement of pondering Cesar's feet?
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    ^^^ Maybe sewing up TheeOSU's asshole was not enough. Maybe need to Bondo his mouth shut too. SJG
  • Jascoi
    2 years ago
    Thank you SJGuy for the info. Brings back memories of my first car... A 1959 Fiat 600 sedan.
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Well first you need to answer the questions then we can work on the ass to mouth fetish you obsess over
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    I remember way back when you had posted about that. And I am sure, manual control with a choke knob and a throttle knob. FIATs are really a blast to drive. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Does posting from the library stymie your thought process hence all the useless shit that you post? Do you think Cesar Chavez might give up his holiday so that you would have an extra day a year to work on your thought processing? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of lettuce? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of grapes? Did you ever have any wine made from grapes squished by Cesar's feet? Did his feet remind you of younger hat dancing boys? *after all they're Mexican too* Did you need a bathhouse towel boy to dry you off after your excitement of pondering Cesar's feet? Did you also harbor an ass to mouth fetish regarding Cesar? Did you know that Cesar was Catholic? Does that enter into your obsession over him?
  • Jascoi
    2 years ago
    Actually it reminds me of all the Fiats I had. Including parts cars. I had the 59 600 two-door sedan (with suicide doors), and a 850 fastback. I think it was a 1968, and also 1971 850 spider. Had much fun with all three of those drivers but they definitely had their issues.
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Does the fact that Cesar was happily married to a faithful wife unlike your train wreck marriage affect how you think of him?
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    FIATs are light and nibble, and good at tight cornering. They went to overhead cam long before the American firms did. And 124 and 131 were dual overhead cam. And 128 was an early FWD transverse, years before VW Rabbit. They did around 80 or 81 come out with an updated version, Strada. Higher roof and higher seats, like a Rabbit, and a longer stroke engine with higher gearing. But I have to say that I never saw one on the road, only in the deal show room. And as they were pulling out they did not have enough dealerships for parts. And then as they have tried to come back with that Nuevo FIAT 500 they did not have enough dealerships. I liked the car, especially the Abarth. I wish they were still bringing it in. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    "light and nibble," Nibble? You mean that they take uninterested small bites unlike your gorging yourself on bathhouse ass to satisfy your ass to mouth obsession? I suppose that's interesting to some but not really here on TUSCL? Isn't there a bathhouse forum somewhere for you to indulge your obsessive fetish?
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    I almost bought a FIAT 850 spyder from a used car dealership. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Explain how almost bought an actual car equates to someone that doesn't have enough money to buy his own internet connection.
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Lol
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    FIAT 850 came in Sypder, Sedan, and Sport Coupe. I think when Jascoi talks about having a Fast Back, I think he meant the Sport Coupe. 850 is small. I think if you wanted a Sedan you would look to something bigger, and with a bigger engine. Sport Coupe is real neat, but I have never seen one on the road, just moored in someone's front yard. Originally 850 was 850 cc's. But then they enlarged it, maybe 926cc's. Always tail end engine, like VW beetle. But always independent suspension and water cooled. 4 gears. And the choke and throttle knob. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Explain how almost bought an actual car equates to someone that doesn't have enough money to buy his own internet connection.
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    124 and 131, even the 124 spyder, were rear wheel drive and they did not have independent suspension. They had coil springs, but they used this lateral panhard rod approach. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Does posting from the library stymie your thought process hence all the useless shit that you post? Do you think Cesar Chavez might give up his holiday so that you would have an extra day a year to work on your thought processing? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of lettuce? What's your thoughts on the nutritional value of grapes? Did you ever have any wine made from grapes squished by Cesar's feet? Did his feet remind you of younger hat dancing boys? *after all they're Mexican too* Did you need a bathhouse towel boy to dry you off after your excitement of pondering Cesar's feet? Did you also harbor an ass to mouth fetish regarding Cesar? Did you know that Cesar was Catholic? Does that enter into your obsession over him?
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Here it shows how a panhard rod works. And they show Mazda MPV, a mini-van. Fiat 124 and 131 used this. [view link] [view link] [view link] SJG
  • motorhead
    2 years ago
    I can’t even start my snow blower.
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Does it have a starting battery or a recoil starter. Clean car, operating the choke, clean air filter. Probably have to reset spark plug gaps. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    ^ SPAMMING MORON!
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Motorhead, if your snow blower has a recoil starter instead of a battery, then it must have a magneto for its ignition. In that case the voltage is lower during starting so you have to make sure the spark plug gaps have not worn to big. SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Mondo Agnelli : Fiat, Chrysler, and the power of a dynasty / Jennifer Clark. (1972) + Abarth : Fiat-based cars / Andrea & David Sparrow. (2005) * SJG Wounter Hanegraaff [view link]
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    ^ SPAMMING MORON!
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    [view link] [view link] ************************ This is the FIAT 850 I like best. But never seen one on the road. Sport Coupe [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    850 and 128 had doors that were too flimsy. They had this thing which stopped the door from opening too far, and held it open. But if that came off, just the wind could over extend the door and give it a huge dimple just behind the door hinges. Not easy to fix. And today, not much parts availability. One guy I know has preserved an X1/9. He had to wait some months to get a new heater core from Italy. But FIAT's still are just really neat. [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    [view link] FIAT 850, 1477 lbs for saloon (sedan) Might be a 1500 lbs min weight for us highways. FIAT 600, rear engine water cooled. Was it I2? [view link] FIAT 500 classic [view link] City Car, meaning not for highway. Was it Air Cooled I2? Originally had suicide doors. FIAT 126, rear engine, 23hp [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    2012 Custom Fiat Abarth - Jay Leno's Garage [view link] Robert Tallini, performance parts for Nuevo FIAT 500 Abarth [view link] Our owner, Rob Tallini, has over 30 years of racing experience and applies his extensive knowledge to the engineering of parts that only help the performance of your car, rather than hinder or fail to improve. [view link] [view link] Forum: [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    1959 Fiat Millecento - Jay Leno's Garage (1100) [view link] Shows choke and fast idle controls below dashboard. SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Lancia used to be totally separate from FIAT. 1967 Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3 Zagato - Jay Leno's Garage [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    FIAT 1200 talked about FIAT 1100 above. THis had the same mechanicals, but I guess 1200cc 3 different bodies, and I like them. [view link] not much availability of manuals. I am sure though that they would have drum brakes all around, live axle rear, and independent from suspension. Not sure about rack an pinion steering. SJG Ain't No Mountain High Enough [view link]
  • skibum609
    2 years ago
    FIAT. Fix It Again Tony.
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    They were great cars. The major influence behind Datsun. Almost nothing left of the company now though. Pride to own and to work on. SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Special version of FIAT 600, only 5 ever built, for giving people tours around the Mirafiori. 600 cc's, and kind of big and with a glass roof. Two of Five Ever Built: 1958 Fiat 600 Multipla Mirafiori - Jay Leno’s Garage [view link] FIAT 600 is water cooled. SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    ^ these special oversize versions only do 65 km per hour Leno says that the 600cc engines do 38hp. As I remember the first VW Bettles brought into the US had 1200 cc's and they did 25hp. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Ok, a serious honest question, I'm not going to argue, I would just like a valid answer. Every time i see this thread from the forum page I see your first sentence... "Our younger members need to hear this because they have never driven carbureted cars" My honest serious question is why do younger members that are here to read and learn about strip clubs need to hear about carbureted fiats?
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    These ones Leno is looking at have water cooled inline engine, over head valve. Maybe 3 or 4 cylinders, can't tell. But not 2 cylinders. Rear engine mount and everything looks much like FIAT 850. Never personally looked at any FIAT older or with smaller engine than FIAT 850. FIAT was the General Motors of Italy, as Leno explains. SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    ^ seat positions do not adjust. SJG
  • TheeOSU
    2 years ago
    Ok, forget I asked a serious question since you either refuse to or don't have an answer. Back to normal..............
  • 48-Cowboy
    2 years ago
    Why? I just get in my car and turn the key 🔑
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    Cowboy, look at what I wrote in the OP. Young people have never drive cars that are not fuel injected, or at least ones that have an automatic choke. These vintage FIATs have neither. Manual choke, and fast idle, and then of course the accelerator pump on the carb. Fast idle and choke knobs right at the right of the steering column: [view link] FIAT 600, 600 cc's, Inline 4, water cooled, 1290 lbs kerb weight. [view link] Seems very similar to the FIAT 850 which came along. Looks the same in the engine compartment. FIAT 850 TC Abarth [view link] SJG
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    So the Jay Leno material above is about FIAT 600, water cooled. So now the classic Fiat 500, rear engine rear wheel drive [view link] 1957 to 1975, 1100 lbs! launched as successor to 500 "Topolino" Station wagon version has the same engine, but laid on its side. ( suggestive of VW suitcase engine for Type 3 ) Yeah, two cylinders and 13 hp Doesn't say if it is air cooled or water cooled. Yeah, 13hp or 18kw [view link] Yeah, this is definitely air cooled I2 [view link] SJG Dance Little Sister (2005 Digital Remaster) [view link] [view link]
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    ^^ Independent suspension all around, no swing axles. SJG Dance Little Sister (2005 Digital Remaster) [view link] [view link] Stray Cat Blues [view link]
  • san_jose_guy
    2 years ago
    A neighborhood person has a Neuevo Fiat 500. I think it about 10 years old. Tire size 185/55/15. Now, you can get lower profile tires, and have bigger rims. This outside diameter is about like a alot of compact cars were in the 80's. But after they minimum size got bigger. When they first started selling the Nuevo 500's, it looked to me like they had the same power train as the Dodge and Plymouth Neon. I wish they still made those. BUt even then I felt that the power train was out of date, only SOHC and maybe 3 or 4 automatic transmission speeds. Not keeping up with Japan. So selling that a decade later in the FIAT was way out of date. Maybe they went to a Mazda Power train, up to date, but could you get parts, and they dropped from 6 speeds automatic and manual, to 5 speeds. Not oday. I want them to keep making stuff, a lot more stuff, but they have to have cars that are competitive so that they sell. SJG
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