Author Topic: Zelmot or Marreli distributors (Read 3917 times)

Chris Lakin · « **on:** December 27, 2005, 05:33:02 PM »

the BIS has 2 different distributors, one is a zelmot and the other a marreli

i would imagine the marreli is the better of the 2, i think its the later one too.

anyone know much about them?

Chris

The Laird · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2005, 08:12:27 PM »

Hi Chris,

I gave somebody some advice a few weeks ago. A forum entry said they were interchangeable. According to my motor factor who had the suppliers manual ( Intermotor of Nottingham ) they are not the same. the part numbers are different I am sure they would not make two if one would suffice. I guess it is possible when they first started manufacturing in Poland they used some Marelli stuff. ( Maybe that is why a lot of 126's run like a bag of old nails !! )
My Bis 704 1990 manufacture is all Zelmot . I keep spare points in the car all the time just in case !

I have just discovered my first bit of rust behind the bracing strut on the bonnet. I cannot get at it easily and it has come up so quickly that your average rust killer will not correct it. Guess it is a case of containment until I can get her off the road for a few days perhaps when I come back to the Uk in March for a visit.

Regards,

Peter Goodwin

Chris Lakin · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2005, 09:15:33 PM »

hi Peter, nice to see you on here again, i hope youve had a nice xmas? any father xmas dressing up this year??

on april the 8th we are having our 126 bash in wiltshire, maybe you could postpone your trip untill then!!!

would be good to meet you.

so is the zelmot much better? do you know why it is? i have loads of rust poping up!! it makes me feel really angry! its started to bubble on the corner of the of the windscreen / scuttle panel. shouwl i get this sorted professionaly??

got lots of bits poping up in the front, whats the best way to kill these little bits? any advice would be apreciated.

regards

Chris

fiatfsm · « **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2005, 09:43:42 PM »

Oh dear Chris, sorry to hear it but its virtually impossible to kill off the rust without cutting it out. The 126 is made from notoriously bad steel, its of Soviet origin and is recycled steel. When steel is recycled the carbon content is reduced during the proccess, a decent recycler of steel can overcome this but those Ruskis didnt! What this means for us is that the steel the 126 is made from rusts badly as soon as its exposed to air and moisture. Its fine whilst protected but obviously Fiat didnt protect it that well, thin paint, minimal rustproofing. I remember years ago having various old English cars covered in stonechips and they never rusted until the salt got to it, but our old Fiats start to go as soon as the metal is exposed and once its in there its hard to stop it!

Chris Lakin · « **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2005, 11:28:58 PM »

blimey Barry!! a wealth of info there!!

yes i better get onto it shapish!! Another worry otherwise. Im weighing up if i should get it done professionaly, i dont want to break windscreen, their is a fiat body repair shop in Windsor which isnt too far for me. I will find out costs, but i prefer to be hands on!

regards

Chris

fiatfsm · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2005, 10:36:03 AM »

getting a 126 screen out is easy enough, you shouldnt break it unless you are really careless. Really though it will need to come out as the rust is more than likely to be under the screen rubber too.