Lancia Beta Forum

Hi all
I've just joined and bought myself a 79 spyder and a crashed 1982 2000 ie.
I've got trouble selecting 5th gear and mounting is loose wipers slow and oil is pushing out of the dipstick engine breeding problems
I think I need new shocks also in the front.
Any advice please I'm in Ireland Wicklow.
thank you
Great Forum

Hi and welcome!

On the wipers, check the electrical earth and check that the mechanism is free to move by disconnecting from motor assembly. Mine were almost ceased where they come through the scuttle panel and this would be a major obstacle for the motor to try to move it.

On the selection could be bad linkage bushes, there is a kit available in the U.S. which refurbishes all the gear linkage costs $99 plus postage.

Peter

Breathing problems as you describe indicate either worn engine or blocked crankcase vent, hopefully the latter not the most fun of jobs so people rarely clean it. You will find it at the front of the car close to the dip stick, the centre bolt needs to be removed then you can take off the cover and clean it but it is not easy to access. If the vent is blocked I think that suggests that oil changes have been neglected so I would be tempted to use an engine flush and then fill with a high quality oil of suitable viscosity 10w40 or slightly thicker, avoid modern super thin oils as the engine wasn't designed to use them.

Great.
I'd say it's a blocked vent. The engine is smooth and responsive with no smoke.
Do you by any chance have a photo of that vent.
I'm in the process if buying a workshop manual from amazon.
I was thinking of letting the whole sub frame off of the car to deal with linkages vents, shocks.
Never done this before.
It would allow me to get a good look at the whole front suspension.
Any comments?
Thanks
Huw

Windscreen wipers.
Thanks I'll try that. Happened on a Volvo I had too. I'll check the earth.
The linkages, looks like a nasty job. Anyone here done it before?

Hi

I removed the motor and the rest of the mechanism before I cleaned them up. I removed the mechanism from the motor to allow it to be easily moved back and forth.

Peter

Depends how deep you want to go, personally I wouldn't take the subframe out unless you are doing a serious amount of work. Be careful with workshop manuals the Haynes doesn't cover later cars very well tbh you are better off trying to get hold of the official manuals but the situation with these is complicated as you need to buy various ones to make up a suitable set, look at the documentation section of my old article https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz6sslfhqolfzbz/BETA%20AT%2040.pdf?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/uz6sslfhqolfzbz/BETA%20AT%2040.pdf?dl=0)
This explains it all (I hope), if you read the rest be aware that South African cars were built by TAK not by daihatsu, as far as I know the rest is reasonably accurate although Tim speechley has now retired from fiat.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hycz3spgahqkebc/77lubricationsystem.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/hycz3spgahqkebc/77lubricationsystem.jpg?dl=0)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c7bhxvezkyv0v2v/7block%20and%20head.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/c7bhxvezkyv0v2v/7block%20and%20head.jpg?dl=0)

You can see the crankcase vent cover it's the round item with the bolt that goes through the middle, if you look at the picture of the block it fits to one of the circular mounts, you should find a rubber pipe that runs from the air cleaner down to the vent

Another thought the engine oil could be overfilled

The rubber pipe from breather to air cleaner must be oil resistant or it will swell up and fail over time. Industrial hose suppliers can usually find you some pipe and there should be a Christmas tree like wire thing in that pipe which is a flame trap so clean it and re-use it.

Eric

Thanks all
I'll get into that and give it a try.
Can anyone recommend a good shock absorber supplier?

Yes it was. Seems to have done the trick.
Now to deal with the not charging issue.
Red light came on rather dull.
Alternator or regulator?

Thanks peter
Just put that order through this week.
I should have it in about 2 weeks. I've never driven the car in 5 th gear!!