The Engine BLEW UP on my Abarth 500 Esseesse! (THIS IS HOW MUCH IT COST)

[@ThatWristShotGuy]

Love this content. Glad you got it fixed for a reasonable amount of money. It’s funny how many people over look these cars. Such great little pocket rockets. One of the few cars I’ve owned that put a smile on my face everytime I fired it up.

[@RichReviews_]

Thanks Jason. Overall the car has been very reliable and a great buy. Yeah it looks tatty now but that’s because it’s been used to it’s fullest extent and Still on its original clutch at circa 140k!

[@claytonevans5721]

Jay Leno has two of them and said if you can get one keep it

[@alanjames5660]

It's good to know big issues can be fixed for relatively little, I have a lovely early 2nd generation abarth, so much fun to drive and I want to keep it for a long time and it will be maintained within reason up to the cost to replace with a comparable car. They really are the last of the true hot hatches light weight, few gimmicks, small engine, silly turbo, no frill and at times a tad uncomfortable and a little bit terrifying. I think this is why Abarths have such a following they remind me of the old Renault 5 GT turbo. They are like an 80's hot hatch.

[@RichReviews_]

Apart from this issue mine has been very reliable.

[@markclewes-hx9vk]

Yes their a beautiful car with flaws I’ve had and now own an awesome 595 comp in Rosso red it’s a real pocket rocket. It’s my daily drive and I look forward to driving it and it puts a huge smile on my face every time I drive it I agree with you it’s the last of the mini hot hatch backs I had an Uno Turbo back in 1988 had it for 13 years should never have gotten rid of it

[@nathanfisher4452]

I LOVE my Abarth…. Do the maintenance, use the right oil… LET IT WARM UP!

[@RichReviews_]

Great cars and very reliable if you look after them.

[@nathanfisher4452]

@@RichReviews_ I commute from New Hampshire to Boston everyday, very reliable, fun, and there is not a lot running around in the states, so a head turner, she’s just beautiful… and it looks nice next to my 79 spider!

[@RichReviews_]

Awesome! 👍

[@robertcastoro2012]

I am so amazed at your depth of knowledge. I have a 2012 500 Sport. 111,000 miles. I hope to keep it for a while.

[@RichReviews_]

Thank you...I wish that would motivate the 90% non-subscribed viewers to click a button! 🤨😆

[@Michael-0000]

A very clear and easy to follow explanation of the problem - well done! I would have struggled to be as coherent while driving the car. I can understand why you went the route of repairing an old car. Aside from your personal history with the vehicle, the Abarth has loads of character! There is a prevalent perception out there that Fiats are unreliable but I’m not convinced that’s the case. Your cam sprocket troubles not withstanding, you’ve had great use and considerable mileage out of this tiny car.

[@RichReviews_]

Couldn’t have put it better myself, and thank you for the kind comment- a rarity on the internet nowadays.

[@daveyb89]

Ov course the crank bolt comes out for a belt change! And i suspect when it had its previous belt it was not torqued correctly or replaced

[@RichReviews_]

It may have been removed, I will never know for sure.

[@jonesy66691]

You don't need to remove the centre bolt from the crankshaft sprocket, you just have to remove the three bolts holding the harmonic balancer on.

[@pdtech4524]

I feel happier now it's had a good wash! 👍😁

[@RichReviews_]

Knew you’d be pleased. 😀

[@EightyDeuce-x1d]

These Fiat Abarth's have really revolutionized the small car segment of high performance. I would love to own one but, I'm afraid that some of the parts for it are hard to find. Especially here in the US, not many auto mechanics are interested in working on them.

[@BrodeyDoverosx]

I have an Abarth and parts are not hard to find, so I don’t know share that comes from. As for mechanics, I work on my own car, have pulled it apart to change the turbo, camshaft, timing belt, water pump, etc. I’m an engineer, not a mechanic, and the car is like any other. Many cars need timing tools these days, many FWD cars are actually harder to work on.

[@RichReviews_]

Parts are very easy to come by!

[@whizzo94]

I'm not sure, are you talking about the timing pulley on the crankshaft or the camshaft?

[@RichReviews_]

The cog on the crankshaft that drives the timing belt.

[@ranblank1970]

Did the bolt come loose after timing belt replacement

[@RichReviews_]

It would seem to either have not been tightened properly from when the cam belt was previously replaced by a Fiat dealer or had somehow managed to work loose. I do not believe the latter because it is a 'stretch' bolt which by design are engineered not to be able to come loose like this did.

[@lawrenceholden5716]

The garage looking after my car checks it over prior to taking it for its mot, the annual service is done at the same time. I'm puzzled how a mechanic who has worked on a car so extensively for so long, presumably test driven and had up on ramps, could have missed the things it failed the mot on.

[@RichReviews_]

This car gets hammered as a daily driver by me, it now has near 140k on the clock and is bound to illicit signed of that mileage. Still on the original clutch though.

[@ynot5105]

Revving a cold engine like that, may ultimately cause damage to any engine

[@RichReviews_]

I would recommend you Watching the video. 😀 When did I mention that the engine was being revved cold?

[@rubenoliveira3127]

@@RichReviews_ 1:38

[@timnewbury1792]

Hi loving the content If you had changed the Campbelt on time the mechanic would of removed the bolt in question and retighten so for no future failure Tim

[@RichReviews_]

Thanks for watching our videos Tim and for the kind comment. I asked my mechanic about the bolt issue and he stated it wouldn’t have been noted during a cam belt replacement service.

[@whizzo94]

@@RichReviews_ That is correct. The camshaft pulley bolt has to be loosened when changing the timing belt but not the crankshaft bolt.

[@2lturbo]

Content starts at 02:04

[@RichReviews_]

The content starts at 00:00…you’re preferred start point may be 02:04…each to their own.

[@mc02fly28]

Quote “ if you think a car isn’t going to cost you money, then your in for a serious surprise!!!!! Unquote… Never have more true words ever been spoken!!! That did make me smile!! Ps I’ve just rebuilt two Mitsubishi 4d56t top ends L200 and Shogun Sport, about £600 each for the parts including new heads, it’s not worth your time rebuilding heads unless they are made of unobtainium! On the first one a fuel pump issue manifested itself and. cost another £700 to get the thing reconditioned and calibrated. Bloody cars!!!!

[@RichReviews_]

😁 learnt that one many years ago. What’s the saying, if it has tyres……it’s gonna be expensive! 🙄😂

[@andrewfielden284]

So that's what smashed valves look like. As you might remember, this happened to my previous car. New cylinder head required.

[@RichReviews_]

Haha yeah…note the bore wash from the engine being flushed with fuel that never ignited. In effect cleaning all the coke off the pistons.

[@craigmorganemancipateyours123]

Great vid! :) Any chance you have the part number, for that stretch bolt? Thanks and safe journeys!

[@RichReviews_]

Thank you. If you call any Fiat dealer they will tell you the part number.

[@gavinivers8941]

Why do I think there was a cambelt replacement prior to you buying the car, and the stretch bolt was reused? Now all the work has been done, you shouldn't have many problems going forward.

[@RichReviews_]

I’ve owned the car from new, 2009. I hope there is no issues, however it’ll probably be going in exchange for something else some time soon.

[@stewartdcampbell]

the central bolt isnt removed during belt replacement, just the outer 3 holding the pulley on.

[@owen8538]

Costs can go up so quick on cars

[@RichReviews_]

Of course.

[@owen8538]

@@RichReviews_ watching your video made me happier am not only 1 having spend lot on repairs lately

[@RichReviews_]

Thank you

[@billwilson6096]

Should I be nervous now that my Fiat has reached 100,000 plus miles ?

[@RichReviews_]

Not at all as long as regularly serviced.

[@thurmanmerman9099]

yep.. sell it ASAP

[@freddaniali]

Rich, great video. So I was wonderfully surprised. I didn't know that Fiat had a division called Abarth?

[@RichReviews_]

Thanks Fred, yes Fiat had a relationship with Abarth some years back and re-initialised the relationship in 2008 with the Abarth 500 and Abarth Punto. I bought mine new in 2009 and has now lasted me 13 years and has 136k miles on the clock and Still on the original clutch! 😀

[@freddaniali]

@@RichReviews_ Wow, that's awesome!

[@hatanbu1]

Abarth even worked in collaboration with SIMCA a french car co.

[@philgibbs8218]

And you didn’t hear a noise? Wot rot!

[@RichReviews_]

Think what you like, no mechanical sound at all. Do you own an Abarth and have had a similar failure? Maybe you should base your responses on evidence?

[@theotherwayofstopping4717]

IMO that isn't "one of those things". Either it's shoddy workmanship from the factory (unlikely) or shoddy workmanship from whoever replaced the cambelt last. "One of those things" is when you scratch the rim against the kerb or give the letterbox a tap while reversing. If it was wheelnuts that came loose instead because of some smooth-brain and you had to fork out the same in panel damage, would it still be "one of those things"? Like hell.

[@RichReviews_]

When replacing the cam belt you do not need to access the crankshaft cam belt cog therefore the previous engineer ma not have been complicit...hence my statement, One of those things.

[@werdrecords4465]

£400 for a second hand lump, don't go rebuilds unless you're looking for big power output.

[@RichReviews_]

I was fortunate to speak with a specialist that knew the engines who said a top end rebuild would be fine.

[@smart3k]

You got shafted mate

[@RichReviews_]

Did you watch the video until the end?

[@smart3k]

@@RichReviews_ Of course, you could have chucked a low mileage engine in it for sub £1k 2.7k for a diagnosis and a new head is disgusting

[@RichReviews_]

Again, if you’d watched the video you would have heard that putting a 1-1.5k unknown engine in would have required at least £500 spending either side of the repair unless doing all the work yourself, which I never had the time to do and that’s not including the additional new parts such as cogs, belts, water pump etc. Once you get ‘into it’ it starts getting pricey. The reconditioned head was the most reliable economic approach.

[@dubmodeller2668]

I cant be the only one cringing a bit every time Rich says "SS" .Its "Esse Esse" pronounced like S.A.S.A .

[@RichReviews_]

🤣 yep you probably are.

[@chriscooper3384]

I bet you are - the original Abarth SS was a famous tipo in Abarth history so when they relaunched the brand they resurrected the name. It was re-spelt Esseesse to avoid any connections with the similarly named branch of the German war machine of WW2.

[@RichReviews_]

Wow, never knew that.

[@billwilson6096]

@@RichReviews_ I’m an Abarth owner and fan since buying my Sport in 2012. When I first heard you saying “SS” I thought wow that’s one I didn’t realize existed.

[@haydenbarr8265]

You chat sooo much crap! Also if the valves and pistons collided then pistons need replacing so it's a full engine rebuild 😂

[@RichReviews_]

You clearly have no direct experience of combustion engines and regurgitate what you have heard or read. Keep watching, you’ll learn something useful!

[@haydenbarr8265]

@@RichReviews_ Buddy I've just rebuilt an engine previously ( Along with many others ) Find it funny how you think you know it all and ... He's still using a "Mechanic" 😂

[@RichReviews_]

What a clown statement. 🤣🤣🤣 Buddy…I rebuilt all the engines in my early cars and performed many engine rebuilds for others. You don’t Have to replace the bottom end on a 500 motor IF you understand engineering tolerances and research the strengths and weaknesses of an engine design. You’d have wasted the price of a new short engine or worst bought a whole new one.

[@haydenbarr8265]

@@RichReviews_ For someone who has "rebuilt" engines seems to have a very slack knowledge so ... I call cap on that🙂 If you knew properties of metals then you'd know such impact would cause an excuse for "Heat spots" which can cause det 🙄

[@RichReviews_]

@@haydenbarr8265 explain some more, the hole you’re digging isn’t quite big enough yet. 🤣🤣🤣

[@lassostring]

Very old car. And never followed the service. Poor guy..

[@RichReviews_]

Did you watch the video complete? If so you will have noted that I state that the issue was Not a result of deferred maintenance. 👍

[@ENGBriseB]

Don't buy a Car if the car doesn't come with a full service record. And and too many owners.

[@RichReviews_]

How does this relate to the video?

[@isaillis]

In that case you will never be able buy the car you wanted life is never perfect. If such a car appears it will command a high price and you will say its too expensive

[@UAE-VIP]

😁

[@My-ym9nl]

Your car looks like a garbage. Buy a lada instead.

[@RichReviews_]

Thank you for your inspired comment...What do you drive?

[@dr.stephenflorezdc6358]

Honestly why did you even buy a FIAT? History your correct why do think “Fix It Again Tony!’ Exists. Italians may make beautiful works of art, but mechanics ! Makes me wonder about you! Be really daring and by the electric model these people ,make.

[@RichReviews_]

Overall I am really pleased with the car. So far 140k miles from new and still on first clutch…how many cars can you say that about nowadays? I explained the perception of why the engine failed in the video…and why would I want to buy an electric car and ADD to the climate issues?

[@rp6523]

These little mnemonics mean nothing. They're a joke.

[@IzzyGside961]

The badges are about the only Italian items on the car. My Abarth was made in Mexico by the Chrysler corp..

[@dr.stephenflorezdc6358]

@@IzzyGside961 Yes and Chrysler was always the worst car manufacturer in the US. Then (how can they get worse) bought out by FIAT, now merged with Peugeot I believe! You really want to chance buying into this group?

[@samleyton5316]

You really don't know much about cars.i guess you are one of those mo-rons who think German is best. If you really knew something about cars you would know how good Italian engines are.remember the lancia 037,the Stratos,the delta integrale???what about the busso v6?or the jtd diesel engines, almost indestructibles?I do hope you know a car need services well done,all cars not only Italians.