[abhijeetveer]

Hey guys,
Figured out this last night. During hard acceleration, like you'll mentioned to check for any light on d speedometer, i saw my handbrake light coming on above 4k rpm. It goes when its below 4k. I guess some wiring issue, isn't it suppose to show some other light? Will get the throttle clean once i have the air filter hose. I hope it doesnt damage my engine by the time fiat guys arrange for the hose. Cant rely on K&N anymore :(
By the way Im thinking of getting a sonata v6. Im sure all of you will be wondering why a sonata. Reason: Its a v6 (i know so is an accord), its cheap (probably the cheapest v6 money can buy today, accord is certainly not cheap)
Will keep you guys updated. Thank you so much for your time and efforts.

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by abhijeetveer

Hey guys,
Figured out this last night. During hard acceleration, like you'll mentioned to check for any light on d speedometer, i saw my handbrake light coming on above 4k rpm. It goes when its below 4k. I guess some wiring issue, isn't it suppose to show some other light? Will get the throttle clean once i have the air filter hose. I hope it doesnt damage my engine by the time fiat guys arrange for the hose.

check brake/clutch oil level. use TVS Girling (BIL) DOT4 brake/clutch oil only. check the wiring as well.

slowly take it up to 4k in 2nd gear and see if the handbrake light (brake warning light) come on.

keep us updated.

[abhijeetveer]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

check brake/clutch oil level. use TVS Girling (BIL) DOT4 brake/clutch oil only. check the wiring as well.

slowly take it up to 4k in 2nd gear and see if the handbrake light (brake warning light) come on.

keep us updated.

hi,

sorry for the very long delay. My car had gone kaput. A month back I was casually driving in the city and there was some sort of snapping noise coming from the engine and the car just stalled and went off. The car refused to start after that. Pushed it aside along with a friend who was with me, since it was a sunday night I couldnt manage with any towing guys.

Got it towed to the garage next morning. Somewhere in the back of my mind I had a feeling that it could be the timing belt. Indeed it turned out to be true. I said to myself "lets get the throttle cleaned too now since its at the workshop". I didnt do it till that time because this is the only car i own at the moment and my traveling is too much, without a car I am stranded.

I tell the workshop guys to clean the throttle and go home. Next morning a guy from the workshop calls me up. He says that 2 of my valves have got bent too. I think he said exhaust valve. And continues saying that the head needs to be opened up and put under a lathe machine and all the valves need to be replaced since you cant buy single. I said ok. Back of my mind i had a feeling that this time expenses are gonna be real big. I just asked him if there is any way around we can try n curb the expenses. He says there is no compression so the engine wont start without the work. Asked him for the expenses he said roughly around 25k. Time frame one week.

A week later he called saying work is done the bill amount is 24k. I was down with malaria so couldnt go and pick up the car so it remained there till yesterday.

i went yesterday and picked up the car paid the amount. Sat in the car with a smile on my face saying finally its back on the road again. The car felt different after using my freinds gets all this while. It felt solid. Switched on the ignition and I was disappointed. The cars idle was very unstable, as if it was misfiring in between. Sometimes smooth, sometimes shakey. I had also asked them to change the filters and the engine oil which was long due. I thought probably since the car was just lying there for sometime it could be the issue. Took the car out reached home noticed the idle still the same. Went out for a spin. I tell myself it was much better when it wasnt serviced, at least it was butter smooth then. Touched the accelerator to the metal, it shoots, one sign of relief, the throttle is cleaned and all 4 cylinders are working, not like before. One issue sorted. Got home again opened the bonnet, found lots of wires and pipes taped up and hanging here and there. Throttle looked cleaned, but the wires connecting to it were taped, apparently the hook was broken since before, couldnt find a replacement yet. Car is still shakey, seems like misfiring, idle has probably gone down than before. It feels like a diesel. Call the workshop guys and tell them the issue, they asked me to get the car back for tuning.

now here is the question:
I spoke to fellow tbhp member speedy, when the workshop guy called me saying head needs to be opened and valves need to be changed but speedy said its not possible, also called another mechanic, he said that happens in diesel cars, petrol cars dont go through so much. I'm feeling cheated.
what can be the solution to this unsteady idle. how can i get it back to the way it was before? what could have gone wrong. could it be that these guys havent done the work properly or is it a minor thing?

[drifter]

Timing belt snap can seriously damage the engine. Like you said you tried to start the car after the snap, therefore damage to the valves is possible.

As far as the idling and misfiring problem, get your ignition coil checked/changed. That should sort it out.

Drifter

[abhijeetveer]

Originally Posted by drifter

Timing belt snap can seriously damage the engine. Like you said you tried to start the car after the snap, therefore damage to the valves is possible.

As far as the idling and misfiring problem, get your ignition coil checked/changed. That should sort it out.

Drifter

The timing belt snapped at probably 20kmph speed. And yes i did try to start the car after that, many times but it sounded different than the usual start so I just left it there. My bad. But lesson learned.

Besides that, the cars acceleration was better than before no loss of power. Its only the idle that is bothering me right now. So could it still be the case of ignition coil?

Another thing that concerns me was my air filter hose pipe. I'm still finding it difficult to get it from anywhere. Can you try and locate it for me. I managed to get a second hand filter box in a good shape but still cant find the pipe. The old owner has directly put a K&N filter to the throttle body. I also want to change the wires which are taped and cracked.

Please recommend me to a good mechanic if possible, I'm thinking of doing up the car completely from scratch, since I have already put in so much of funds and efforts. Some body work, engine work, electricals, almost everything if it falls in the budget. I'm having difficult time with the tata fiat guys, most of the parts are never in stock and they never take the efforts to get them they just cut and stick it with a tape.

Love the GTX to ends and bits and cant see it in this shape.

By the way my car gives(or used to) me 16kmpl on my occasional pune mumbai runs @ 140kmph constant acceleration. Strange but true.

[planet_rocker]

How much did the car clock when the belt snapped? How old is the car? did they run a scan to check the source of the problem?

EDIT: i just saw it clocked 50,000kms

[abhijeetveer]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

How much did the car clock when the belt snapped? How old is the car? did they run a scan to check the source of the problem?

EDIT: i just saw it clocked 50,000kms

The car is a November 2003 registered according to the rc book. 51k kms clocked on the odo today. They didnt run any scan. They got the timing belt in place and then called me to tell me the engine is not starting due to low compression, heads need to be opened up and checked. And later that day they called again with the complaint of valves being bent. I'm assuming this is the "scan" according to them.

Yesterday during hard acceleration I also noticed that the handbrake light comes up. Dont know if I have mentioned this earlier or not.

[planet_rocker]

Check Brake Oil level - top it up. check for signs of leakage.

Did the timing belt just snap or there was some kind of mechanical noise?

[abhijeetveer]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

Check Brake Oil level - top it up. check for signs of leakage.

Did the timing belt just snap or there was some kind of mechanical noise?

will check the brake oil level and the rest. the timing belt just snapped while reducing gear from second to first.

[abhijeetveer]

Update: Cranked the engine today, found out it took usually long to come alive. Maybe 5 seconds. The engine didnt come alive all of a sudden like it used to. it climbed slowly, 100rpm, 200, 300 n so on till it went till 1100 and then settled down at 800. Previously it used to jump directly to 1100 and then cool down. Please note this was cold start. Took her out for a spin after waiting for 5 mins to get optimum engine temperature. Noticed the idle meter on the dashboard to be stable but when engine bay was opened the engine seemed to be shakey. Took her out for a short spin, noticed that slight tap of the accelerator gets the rpm level down to maybe 500 or less, engine struggles to keep up only when you press the accelerator little more it comes up. If its left like that it struggles and sometimes comes up again or sometimes stalls if the rpm goes down below 500. Besides that when i saw the boot i noticed 16 valves and some bent screw like thing 3 of them. So i was assured that the valves were changed. Now the issue seems to be only of the throttle. Will aslo be getting spark plugs cleaned tomorrow along with throttle cleaning, if this helps then fine. If it doesnt then i guess coils need to be checked and changed if necessary.

I also noticed that the handbrake light coming on during hard acceleration, checked the oil levels, found it to be correct. Maybe this is still the electrical issue, or maybe the check engine light wire is connected to this :P

I hope it answers everybodys question out here. Thank you once again for your kind inputs. It was appreciated

[drifter]

Even I'm yet to find a good outside mechanic for the GTX. But I've really not faced much trouble with Tata-Fiat at their Worli workshop. I had changed that very same intake pipe during my last service.

I'll be giving the car again sometime next month to change the ignition coil. Since the staff is being lethargic, why don't you approach the higher ups. Look for Mr Gujral, tell him that your problems aren't being taken seriously and he should act or give his juniors some stick.

Drifter

[abhijeetveer]

there was some parts department head called Mr chintamani who told me that he will order the part. Will keep Mr gujral in mind next time im there.

[KwokFist]

How's the car running now? Have you been able to sort out the issues. Is the idling problem sorted or does it still exist.

Anyone else had a problem with the timing belt on your Palio 1.6?

[abhijeetveer]

sorry for the long delay. i had been on a long vacation. just came back to town. saw the car with a puncture. will be reviving it tomorrow. will keep you guys updated

[abhijeetveer]

hi guys, sent the car to tata fiat workshop last friday. Asked them to revive it completely. Now here's the estimate:

part description cost of part + labour

Front studs both : Rs 8000 + 500
front lower arm assembly : Rs 9000 + 750
front balance rod bush : Rs 900 + 250
front angular bearing : Rs 4000 + 500
rear shock absorber : Rs 6000 + 400
power steering rack : Rs 17500 + 1000
brake pads : Rs 5000 + 250
brake disk : Rs 2600 + 350
rear wheel cylinder : Rs 2200 + 350
rear break liner : Rs 7000 + 750
silencer muffler : Rs 5500 + 350
clutch kit : Rs 6000 + 1700
clutch master cylinder : Rs 1200 + 500
clutch slave cylinder : Rs 1100 + 350
brake oil : 350
rear tail lights : 2400 + 350
front headlights : 7000 + 350
a mounting 900 + 350
b mounting 900 + 350
ignition switch 2000 + 350
fuel pump assembly + 14500 + 350
total 104050 + 10100

need help in knowing which work is required and which is not for example he said that fuel pump assembly is getting changed because my fuel meter shows wrong indication sometimes. i dont think its wise spending 15k just to repair fuel meter. also the ignition switch along with door locks were changed during last service so im ruling that out too. the spokes person also said that clutch isnt a major issue, its just become hard, also the power steering has developed some leaking according to him. help