Tyre pressure FIAT 500 1971 1.G Workshop Manual

indicates the condition inside the combustion chamber
and may be used as a guide to engine tuning.
Before the spark plugs are removed b l o w away any
loose dirt from the plug recesses using a compressed air
jet or tyre pump. Store the plugs in the order of removal
ready for inspection.
Examine the gaskets and if they are about half their
thickness they may be used again otherwise they must be
replaced.
Inspect the electrode end of the plugs and note the
type and colour of the deposit. Normally it should be
powdery and range from b r o w n to a greyish tan in colour.
There will also be slight wear of the electrodes and the
general effect described is one which comes from mixed
periods of high-speed and low-speed driving. Cleaning
and resetting the gap is all that will be necessary.
If the deposits are white or yellowish they indicate long
periods of constant-speed driving or much low-speed
city driving. Again, the treatment is straightforward.
Dry, black, fluffy deposits are usually the result of
running with too rich a mixture. Incomplete combustion
of the petrol air charge may also be a cause and this might
be traced to a defect in the ignition system or excessive
idling.
Overheated sparking plugs have a white blistered look
about the centre electrode and the side electrode may be
badly eroded. This may be caused by poor cooling, wrong
ignition timing or sustained high speeds under heavy load.
To clean the sparking plugs effectively they should be
cleaned using an abrasive blasting machine and tested
under pressure once the electrodes have been reset. File
these until they are clean, bright and the faces parallel and
set the gap to .019 to .023 inch. Do not try to bend the
centre electrode.
Before replacing the plugs use a wire brush to clean the
threads taking care that the electrodes are not touched.
Thoroughly clean the spark plug in petrol, and dry using a
compressed air jet or a tyre pump. If difficulty is found in
screwing the plugs into the cylinder head by hand run a
tap d o w n the threads to clear away any carbon. If a tap is
not available use an old sparking plug with crosscuts d o w nthe threads. Finally tighten the plugs to a torque wrench
setting of 18 to 21 Ib ft.
Sparking plug leads:
The spark plug leads and the lead from the coil to the
distributor cap must be regularly checked for cracking of
the insulation and also correct seating in the distributor
cap and coil top. It is recommended that silicone grease is
smeared around the sockets before the leads are replaced
to ensure no moisture may enter causing difficult starting.
3 : 9 The distributor driving spindle (sedan and
sports engine)
If for any reason, the driving spindle has been removed
from its housing in the crankcase, it must be correctly
meshed w i t h the camshaft gear otherwise it
will be impos-
sible to set the ignition timing.
3:10 Fault diagnosis
(a) Engine w i l l not fire
1 Battery discharged
2 Distributor contact points dirty, pitted or maladjusted
3 Distributor cap dirty, cracked or tracking
4 Carbon brush inside distributor cap not touching rotor
5 Faulty cable or loose connection in low-tension circuit
6 Distributor rotor arm cracked
7 Faulty coil
8 Broken contact breaker spring
9 Contact points stuck open
(b) Engine misfires
1 Check 2, 3, 4, and 7 in (a)
2 Weak contact breaker spring
3 High-tension plug and coil leads cracked or perished
4 Sparking plug(s) loose
5 Sparking plug insulation cracked
6 Sparking plug gap incorrectly set
7 Ignition timing too far advanced

A tolerance of —10'.+ 15' is permitted providing
that the value is the same for both rear wheels. It is
important that both rear wheels are set to the same
angle otherwise uneven tyre wear and adverse handl-
ing conditions will result. When the wheel is parallel to
the centre line of the vehicle the pin of bracket
C.696/3 will be .216 inch apart from the pin of the
front suspension swinging arm.
7 Release the swinging arm outer support to body
mounting screws and position arm in such a way as to
obtain the condition as described in Number 6 above.
After the adjustment has been completed tighten
the outer support mounting screws to a torque wrench
setting of 28.9 to 36.2 Ib/ft. Also tighten the two
swinging arm pin nuts C (see FIG 7 : 7) to a torque
wrench setting of 43.4 to 50.6 Ib/ft. Take off the gauge
C.696 w i t h bracket and support C.696/3, and repeat
the check and adjustment operations on the other
wheel. Care must be taken to ensure that bracket
C.696/3 is reversed from the position previously used.
New 500 type 500D, 110F and 110L sedan and
station wagon:
After the rear suspension has been replaced, check
and, if necessary adjust the rear wheel geometry.
1 Inflate the tyres to the normal operating pressures.
2 Lower the car body so that the rear wheels are set at
90 deg. to the floor. This condition is obtained when
the lowermost portion of the sump is 6.61 inches from
the floor level for the new 500D model or the centre
rear bracket for jacking up the rear of t h e vehicle
8.9 inches from the floor level for the 500 Station
Wagon.
3 With the vehicle set to the above conditions check the
wheel geometry. The wheel plane must converge w i t h
the centre line of the vehicle by an angle of 0 deg. 10'
(—10', +15') toeing in at the front.
4 The wheel plane must be 22.343 ± .059 inches from
the centre line of the vehicle for the 500D model.
Whereas for the 500 Station Wagon the distance must
be 22.264 ± .059 inches.
5 To adjust the rear wheel toe-in adjust the positions of
the mounting screws A and B as shown in FIG 7:7.
86
7:7 Modifications
The new 500 Sedan (110F) and late 500 Station
Wagon are fitted with modified wheels side flexible
joints and rear control arm as shown in FIG 7:13.
Together w i t h these modifications a new design rear
coil spring has been fitted details of which are given in
Technical Data.
7 : 8 Fault diagnosis
(a) Irregular or abnormal tyre wear
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Wheels out of balance
3 Wheels off centre
4 Misadjusted brakes
5 Weak or broken coil springs
6 Excessive load
7 Incorrect wheel alignment
(b) Sag on one wheel
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Weak or broken coil spring
3 Wear of shock absorber causing poor dampening
action
(c) Squeaks, thumps or rattles
1 Wheels out of balance
2 Wheels off centre
3 Misadjusted brakes
4 Weak or broken coil springs or spring seats dislodged
5 Wear of shock absorbers causing poor dampening
action
6 Worn rubber bushings in control arms
7 Poor lubrication of wheel bearings
(d) Pull to one side
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Misadjusted brakes
3 Distorted suspension arm

to the body and proceed as follows:
1 If the camber angle requires to be increased (see FIG
8:16) add the same number of shims S on both
screws D and E.
2 If the camber angle requires to be reduced (see FIG
8:16) remove the same number of shims from both
screws D and E.
The addition or removal of shims at the t w o points D
and E permits camber adjustment to be made without
any disturbing of the castor angle.
8:10 Modifications
Checking and adjusting castor and camber angles:
When checking the castor and camber angle the
static loading should be such that the distance between
the semi-elliptic spring mountings G (see FIG 8:16)
and the floor level to be approximately 6.81 inches, also a
distance between the lowermost portion of the sump and
the floor level of approximately 6.14 inch for the Model
500D. For the 500 Station Wagon version the distance
between centre rear bracket for jacking-up the vehicle
and the floor level should be approximately 8.90 inches.
All other front wheel alignment specifications are the
same as for the remaining 500 saloon models.
8:11 Fault diagnosis
(a) Wheel bounce
1 Tyre casing faulty
2 Uneven tyre pressures
3 Wheels out of balance
4 Semi-elliptic mounting spring worn5 Weak or seized shock absorber
6 Wheel rim or tyre misaligned
(b) Suspension noise
1 Lack of lubrication
2 Noisy or inoperative shock absorbers
3 Worn or loose wheel bearings
(c) Pull to one side
1 Low or uneven tyre pressures
2 Incorrect front wheel alignment
3 Suspension arms distorted
4 Inoperative shock absorbers
5 Brakes binding
(d) Excessive t y r e wear
1 Incorrect tyre rotation during servicing periods
2 Incorrect camber angle
3 Incorrect toe-in
4 Incorrect tyre inflation
5 Excessive play at wheel bearings
6 Wheel wobble
7 Stiff suspension arms
8 Brakes out of adjustment
(e) Wheel wobble
1 Uneven tyre pressures
2 Loose or worn wheel bearings
3 Inoperative shock absorbers
4 Loose steering knuckle or kingpin housing
5 Incorrect front wheel alignment
6 Control arm rubber bushings, or kingpin housing and
semi-elliptic spring 'estendblock' worn
96

reassembling and during assembly liberally lubricated
using Fiat W90/M oil (SAE90 EP).
2 The pitman arm nut should be correctly positioned on
reassembly to the sector shaft and both are marked
with notches or a master tooth on the sector will mate
with a double tooth on the pitman arm which will
prevent incorrect reassembly.
3 The pitman arm nut must be tightened to a torque
wrench setting of 72 Ib/ft.
4 Fill the box up to the level and filler plug with SAE90 EP
gear oil.
Refitting the steering box:
To refit the steering box to the vehicle proceed as
follows:
1 Engage the w o r m screw f r o m the steering shaft by
gently manipulating the steering box.
2 Replace the steering box to body nuts and tighten to a
torque wrench setting of 14 to 18 Ib/ft.
3 Replace the t w o track rod pins in their seatings in the
pitman arm and tighten the self-locking nuts to a
torque wrench setting of 18 to 21 Ib/ft.
4 Replace the steering shaft to worm screw mounting
bolt, lock washer and nut.
9 :5 Relay lever and support
The steering idler arm is secured to the body by means
of a support bracket and a rubber bushed pivot bolt. This
is shown in FIG 9 : 7. When this unit is being serviced
the following points should be noted.
1 If there is excessive play between the pin and the
bushes the bushes must be renewed. Also check the
condition of the pin and if there are signs of excessive
wear it must be renewed.
2 To eliminate torsional stresses in the rubber bushes
during assembly the pin nut must be tightened to
torque wrench setting of 39 to 43 Ib/ft, once the
front wheel toe-in has been correctly adjusted w i t h the
wheels set in the straight ahead position.
3 The relay lever support to body mounting nuts must
be tightened to a torque wrench setting of 14 to 18
Ib/ft.
9 : 6 Steering rods (tie rods)
The steering rod is connected to the idler arm and the
drop arm by means of non-adjustable ball joints. The
track rods are connected to the right and left steering
arms by non-adjustable ball joints and comprise t w o
sleeves which are split and having internally threaded
ends. The ball joints are clamped to either end of the
sleeves. To facilitate adjustment one ball joint end has a
lefthand thread and the other a righthand thread.
Adjustment is made by loosening both the clamping bolts
and turning the central sleeve.
To remove the steering rods from the pitman arm, the
relay lever and knuckle arms Fiat pullers A.46006 and
A.6473 or universal ball joint removers should be used.
If excessive play is evident in the ball joint linkage or
the pin is damaged the complete ball joint assembly must
be renewed.
Upon reassembly the tie rod to ball pin knuckle arm
nuts must be tightened to a torque wrench setting of
18 to 21 Ib/ft.
F500101
FIG 9:7 Relay lever support section
FIG 9:8 Front wheel toe-in checking diagram
Key to Fig 9:8 A—B = 000 inch to .079 inch
It is important that all steering linkages are thoroughly
checked at regular intervals and if any parts are suspect
then they must be renewed.
9 : 7 Front wheel toe-in
To check and adjust the front wheel toe-in proceed as
follows:
1 Ensure that the tyres are inflated to the recommended
pressures. Ensure that the steering wheel is in its

normal straight-ahead position with the spokes
horizontal. Check that the wheels are in the straight-
ahead position.
2 Load the vehicle to static load conditions or with four
average size passengers.
3 Move the vehicle forwards for a distance of approxi-
mately six yards so that the suspension may settle
correctly.
4 The toe-in measurements should be taken at the same
point of the wheel rim. Measure at A (see FIG 9 : 8)
then back up the car to bring points A to the position B
and remeasure. The value obtained at A should be
equal to or greater than B within .0079 inch.
5 As previously described the steering rods are adjust-
able in length. Loosen the clamps and screw in or out
the adjusting sleeves and before tightening the clamp
ensure that the sleeve slot registers w i t h the clamp
joint. With the clamp fully tightened there should
always be a gap between the joint faces.
6 If the steering gear has been re-installed the correct
front wheel toe-in must be set. Then the relay lever pin
nut must be tightened to a torque wrench setting of 78
to 85 Ib/ft.
9 : 8 Fault diagnosis
(a) Front wheel shimmy
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect front wheel alignment
3 Loose front wheel bearings
4 Wheels out of balance
5 Loose steering linkage connections
6 Loose steering gear or relay lever support at body
mountings
7 Incorrect fitting of steering worm to worm sector
(b) Hard steering
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect front wheel alignment
3 Incorrect adjustment of steering worm to worm sector
(c) Hard turning when stationary
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect adjustment of steering worm to worm sector
102
(d) Pull to one side
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect front wheel alignment
3 Incorrect front wheel bearing adjustment
4 Distorted kingpin housing or swinging arms
5 Unequal brake adjustment
6 Semi-elliptic spring weak or broken
(e) Rattles
1 Loose steering linkage connections
2 Loose steering gear or relay lever support at body
mountings
3 Semi-elliptic spring weak or broken
4 Lack of lubrication
( f ) Loose steering
1 Incorrect front wheel bearing adjustment
2 Loose steering linkage connections
3 Loose steering gear mountings
4 Incorrect adjustment of steering worm to worm sector
(g) Jerky steering
1 Incorrect front wheel alignment
2 Incorrect front wheel bearing adjustment
3 Wheels out of balance
4 Loose steering linkage connections
5 Loose or incorrect fitting of worm to sector
(h) Side-to-side wander
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect front wheel alignment
3 Loose steering linkage connections
4 Loose steering gear or relay lever support at body
mountings
5 Incorrect fitting of steering worm to worm sector
6 Distorted kingpin housing or swinging arm
7 Semi-elliptic spring weak or broken
(i) Tyre squeal on turns
1 Incorrect tyre pressure
2 Incorrect wheel alignment
3 Distorted kingpin housing or swinging arms

When the pedal is applied, it moves the rear (primary)
piston to pressurise the front brakes through the rear port.
This, in turn, forces the front (secondary) piston down the
bore to pressurise the rear brake circuit through the front
port. In the event of a failure in the primary circuit, the
primary piston moves into direct contact with the second-
ary piston and full braking is still available on the rear
wheels. If a leak occurs in the rear circuit, the secondary
piston is moved to the end of the bore, sealing off the out-
let port and full braking pressure is applied to the t w o front
brakes.
With two fluid reservoirs connected to the inlets 3 and 5
the two circuits are fully independent.
The remaining components in the braking system are
similar to those used in the earlier single circuit layout.
10:13 Fault diagnosis
(a) 'Spongy' pedal
1 Leak in t h e system
2 Worn master cylinder
3 Leaking wheel cylinders
4 Air in the system
5 Gaps between shoes and underside of linings
110
(b) Excessive pedal movement
1 Check 1 and 4 in (a)
2 Excessive lining wear
3 Very low fluid level in supply reservoir
4 Too much free movement of pedal
(c) Brakes grab or pull to one side
1 Brake backplate loose
2 Scored, cracked or distorted drum
3 High spots on drum
4 Unbalanced shoe adjustment
5 Wet or oily linings
6 Worn or loose spring fixings
7 Front suspension or rear suspension anchorages
loose
8 Worn steering connections
9 Mixed linings of different grades
10 Uneven tyre pressure
11 Broken shoe return springs
12 Seized handbrake cable