Somebody should have remindet me...

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Tobi
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:50 am
Your car is a: 1981 2.0 FI
Location: Minneapolis MN

Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby Tobi » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:05 pm

Somebody should have reminded me how much work a complete engine overhaul is. Also, people keep saying how easy these cars are to work on, well, they are not. It took me one hour and broke my back to attache the clutch cable to the pedal.
Well, I got it done and I am looking forward to the first test drive and the first time putting the pedal down after the total break in.
What I ended up with is high compression Mahle Mondial pistons with around 10.2 :1 (found a gas station that sells 110 octane less than 3 miles away if I need it).
Mark Allison's 285V cams, 2mm head gasket and head studs.
Jason Miller's lightened flywheel (love your stuff and wish I would have a bigger budget)
Gear reduction starter and lots of parts and help from Autoricambi. Thank you Ramzi and Csaba you are the best.
Radiator and electric fan from Vick's and no guy's, the little feet did not come with the fan so screw you guys.
Catalytic converter is gone and I still need to feed more air to the air filter.
I ended up with less than 2mm distance from the Gear reduction starter to the steering box and hope I can fix this by moving the motor more to the passenger side.
I can see adjustable cam wheels and a header and exhaust in the future.

More after my test drive and I hope I will find time to post pics.
Still, somebody should have told me, it will take a while to catch up with my job and social live.
Last edited by Tobi on Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Green 1981 FI
Red 1976 Fiat 126 Bambino (more than 25 years ago)

narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby narfire » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Well congrats on the re-build.
In my opinion the attachment of the clutch cable to the pedal is the most difficult evolution on this car. I find the top starter bolt, or top driver tranny bolt easier.
I still have to connect the cable to the pedal on a 72 I have in the shop and break into sweats thinking about it...perhaps some colder installation fluid...
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box

CajunMike
Posts: 313
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:44 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby CajunMike » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:24 pm

Geez way to encourage us who are soon to start. :roll:

Fiats are easy to work on until you start actually working on them. You quickly discover that the person who designed these cars also designed rat mazes on the side.

TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby TX82FIAT » Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:12 pm

The clutch cable is one of those difficult areas. I carry a spare in the trunk during long trips just in case. Hint always hook up the pedal side first so you can give yourself a little slack. There is always some difficult aspect of everything on a 30 - 40 year old Italian car.
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban

Tobi
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:50 am
Your car is a: 1981 2.0 FI
Location: Minneapolis MN

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby Tobi » Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:25 pm

The clutch cable only took me 15 minutes but the little white plastic clip took 45 minutes and it was 2am so that did not help.
Fixing the gear shifter by myself ones was a bigger pain and the replacement of the heater valve left me more unsatisfied. That thing did not seem to fit at all.
Here is some encouragement for Mike, I just did the brake in for the cams and after all it was totally worth it.
I drove it around the block and the motor was purring like a kitten and I did not find a single leak :D
The old motor was leaking and burning like crazy and I had to ad 0.3 liters of oil and lots of coolant every day.
Now I need to do the first oil change and reinstall the hood and the grill.
Even though there was a lot of pain it was also very satisfying and I learned a lot.
Working on the car in the future will be so much better because it will be all clean and not like sticking my arm in to a cows bud :lol:
Green 1981 FI
Red 1976 Fiat 126 Bambino (more than 25 years ago)

User avatar
joelittel
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 1013
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:53 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Evanston, IL

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby joelittel » Fri Dec 11, 2015 8:14 pm

Tobi, are you using the stock fuel injection?

Tobi
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:50 am
Your car is a: 1981 2.0 FI
Location: Minneapolis MN

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby Tobi » Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:33 am

Yes joelittle, it's the original Fi and it was running well for the last 6000 miles till the first cylinder spark plug was drouned in oil a month ago. I will need to take it out again and check the rings. I am thinking about using a bigger afm in the future.
Green 1981 FI
Red 1976 Fiat 126 Bambino (more than 25 years ago)

User avatar
toplessexpat
Posts: 1183
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:29 am
Your car is a: 1976 Spider 1800
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby toplessexpat » Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:08 am

Hey - lots of l Jetronic options on afms around. I've got one from an Alfa spider in our 2000. Runs really very nicely.

I'd be interested to hear your cam experience with the FI. Is it really super smooth?

A
---
Many classic Fiats - it's a disease!
www.mirafiori.com

Tobi
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:50 am
Your car is a: 1981 2.0 FI
Location: Minneapolis MN

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby Tobi » Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:21 pm

I could not tell the flywheel or the cams when it idles. Thinking about an afm from a beamer.
Green 1981 FI
Red 1976 Fiat 126 Bambino (more than 25 years ago)

User avatar
toplessexpat
Posts: 1183
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:29 am
Your car is a: 1976 Spider 1800
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Somebody should have remindet me...

Postby toplessexpat » Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:44 pm

Yeah - as long as it's L Jetronic it should all be fine
---
Many classic Fiats - it's a disease!
www.mirafiori.com


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