Engine Bay Gallery! Please add your own!

[snakeknuckles]

[architect]

Anyone want to sell their chrome valve covers?

[vdesigner99]

Here is my 84 pininfarina.





and car:

still much to work on.

[davery]

Before


After


Now if I can just figure out why the lo beams and front side lights are not working.

[jagonza]

How do you add engine oil ?? where is your fill opening ??

[davery]

How do you add engine oil ?? where is your fill opening ??

On the FI engines the cam covers are reversed. On carbed engines the oil cap is passenger side front, on the FI engines the oil cap is drivers side back.

[njoconnor]

Over the last couple of years, we've met one of Madison's original Fiat mechanics (ex-Fiat of Fitchburg) while we showed the 72 at the Botham Vineyard's annual Vintage Celebration. Each of the last three years, he's noticed the annual changes, and gently made suggestions for the next year. Last year, it was direct: "Neil, you really have to clean up that engine compartment, especially the wiring and those cam box covers!" What he saw:



and:



(PS: the air cleaner wasn't THAT rusty; bad lighting or something.... ).

After a lot of reading on the various forums, planning and sequencing, and some excellent help from Ari K (Merci tres beaucoup, mon ami!) on polishing cam boxes, and Csaba on hoses and other worries, Patty and I rolled the following out the door this afternoon:



and



and



Essentially pulled the various parts out of the compartment, cleaned, degreased, and repainted the compartment walls, and all of the metal brackets, holders, and of course, the radiator. Corralled up the wiring, installed wiper relays (ignition set is in a couple of weeks). New coolant hoses, and the de riguer "T" for burping. Fired up, got to operating temp in good order, and ran beautifully between storm cells this afternoon.

Needs a good cleaning inside and out, and then it's ready for Freakout 2017! See you there!

Neil

[AriK]

You are very welcome Neil. Your engine compartment has come a long way with the cleaned up cam covers and your new color theme. I've never seen wire loom protectors come in that color. I'm also eyeing your fancy rad hose clamps and your Die Hard battery. It used to be my battery of choice, back in the 80s, rated as the best battery on the market. Several years ago Sears Canada sold off their auto service centers bringing the Die Hard to sudden extinction. (in any case Sears Canada filed for bankruptcy protection last month so it looks like we'll be losing the brand altogether.)
How did you accomplish sprucing up the firewall and the area where the VIN numbers are stamped into the cowl, short of removing the engine, or did you, or is it your secret that you will take with you???
Seems my fantasy of attending FFO '17 won't materialize due to boys being unable to attend. I still have not cancelled the hotel, so unless i track down other Fiat fellows that i can tag along with along the same route i'll be withdrawing from the trip. I'm sure hell not roadtripping that distance without other Fiat support. Only a few days left until registration closes

[njoconnor]

Ari: the secret to the firewall painting: a 1/2 inch angled sash brush, and self leveling enamel! There. I've admitted it. I paint (some things) with a brush!

Rattle canned most of it, but the brush and some finish sanding where needed took care of the rest. Slow and easy was the guiding principle. There's more I may do, in bits and pieces over the next few years, but I'm not going for concours, just "nice looking". I think I'm almost there.

The wire looms were strictly by coincidence. Was picking up sand paper at O'Reilly's Auto, turned around, and .....yeah, buy some! The hose clamps are inspired by Csaba's recc's on their website. A little overkill, but can't find a leak yet (and just checked the levels in the rad and the T: no losses/bubbles!).

Sorry you guys won't make Milwaukee.... ; was looking forward to meeting you all. If next year is in an interesting place, Patty and I may consider trailing the car there. Don't blame you for not wanting to go it alone; yet.....I recall thinking it was nothing to jump in my old 124 coupe and head out for San Antonio, or multiple holiday trips home from Washington DC to Wisconsin. 'Course I was much younger then.....

Neil

[AriK]

Wow Neil, I never remotely imagined it possible to attempt that while the motor is still in and not get paint all over the place. I always imagined spraying is the way to go. It must be tedious. How do I know if paint is self levelling? Tremclad and rustoleum have the correct shades of red which match my paint. Are they self levelling?

[njoconnor]

Ari: I used Rustoleum Sail Blue, which was very close to my exterior color, and gave a little contrast to the outside of the car. 2 years ago, I experimented with this paint and the spray/brush technique on parts of the trunk. While not mentioned on the cans, I found the Rustoleum does, in fact, self level as long as the recommended temps/humidity levels are followed. I did paint a section (unseen) when it was too cold/dry, and got more runs than usual. The occasional drip was sanded (had all that nice fine grit paper from the cam box work!), and lightly touched up. The trunk turned out so well, I decided to eventually do the engine compartment. Again, no where near concurs, but I was never going that far in any event.

If the engine had needed any work, yeah, I'd have pulled it and done the compartment the usual way. But the engine was rebuilt 5 years and about 3000 miles ago by the PO's mechanic. No reason to pull it.

I'd try on an unseen part of the car, and make sure you like the results. Then....with steady hand and wiping rages close....go for it!

Neil

[AriK]

Come to think of it i had excellent results with Rustoleum on parts unseen on the car (southernmost part of the lower grill, on the floor on my back). Did it 3-4 yrs ago, still looks pristine, mind you i prepped it properly so that i never need to place myself in that vulnerable position with a wet dripping red paint brush hovering over my face. (Imagine the mess i could make and then scare the crap out of my loved ones?) Looking at it now it doesnt look like it was brushed on. Yeah!
Regarding the engine compartment, your advantage is that yours is a 72. Forget it on a '79 for obvious reasons. The firewall could be rusted out and non existant, or painted with pink polka dots, nobody would ever know it.