74 Restoration

[aj81spider]

Big day today - I started the engine for the first time in two years!

It actually went pretty smoothly. I have Mark's Computronix ignition that was added while the engine was out. I got the static timing done on that, then checked a bunch of stuff. Left the key turned until the fuel pump pushed the fuel up to the carb. A couple turns of the key and it started! Got it timed correctly and had a few minor glitches.

The most alarming, but easy to fix was caused by coolant fill point I added on the thermostat hose on top of the engine. The top wasn't screwed down tightly enough so I had a momentary panic attack when smoke (steam) started bellowing out of the right side of the engine. It was just coolant dripping onto the exhaust manifold.

Also had a gas leak at the accelerator pump. However I had a carb rebuild kit with the diaphram, so changed it out and it seems to be good now. Ran it until the fan cycled a few times - then realized the fan was blowing the wrong way - so reversed the wires and there was no overheating, so I think the cooling system is fully functional.

My only open issue is that the acclerator doesn't open the secondary all the way. It appears the linkage has an issue I'm going to have to work out.

All in all it was a good day! Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to get some of the interior back in and try to get a ride in before the snow falls.

[RRoller123]

That is fantastic, congratulations after so much work and time!

[BEEK]

the 3rd metal line to the tank, needs to be kept open, hooking it to the carb vapor line is the best option. the metal line is the place where air is sucked into the tank when the fuel leaves

[aj81spider]

Thanks RRoller.

I'll double check that Beek - I know the third line is hooked up in the back, but forget what I did in the front.

[aj81spider]

Pretty good day yesterday. I replaced the accelerator linkage which I apparently broke when pulling the engine. My carburetor now actually opens both barrels when the accelerator is pressed!

I also fitted the rechromed rear bumpers that I bought recently:



Today I'm working on the speaker boxes - hopefully I can get everything wired soon so I can put the interior back in (and maybe actually drive her!).

It's looking like I might actually get her completed by spring.

[RRoller123]

Cars and Coffee at The Larz in the Spring would be a great goal!

[aj81spider]

I hope to make it!

[RRoller123]

It is a good one, and even better I think is the Herb Chambers series of C&C. I regularly go to the one he has at his Lexus dealership in Sharon. Tremendous collection of amazing cars are always there. But I must say that the atmosphere at the Larz is fantastic. It is the friendliest venue I go to. The Millis MA Saturday cruise is really good too. Can't wait for the Spring!

Pete

[aj81spider]

There's a lot happening on my car now - mostly being posted in other sections. I've actually driven it a few times around the block. First I had a leaky cam seal, written about here:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26797

When that was fixed I discovered a ticking sound:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26896

That problem is still open. When removing and reinstalling the plugs I noticed that the #1 hole didn't grab. Having already helicoiled #3

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... ug#p151146

I tried to be very careful. When I started it up the first time it was rattling, so I tightened it very slowly and tried to stop before it started slipping. Today on my test drive to start looking for the ticking sound it blew right out of the hole. Sigh....

Ticking sound on hold, helicoil in #1 to be done next. This car does not seem to want to get on the road! As soon as the engine cools I'll head out to start that project. I'm only thankful that it's the #1 cylinder!

As a side note - your car makes a lot of noise when you make the drive of shame back to the garage with the #1 spark plug blown out of the hole!

[aj81spider]

Still lots of work going on in other threads. However another drive of shame back into the garage. This one on the back of a flat bed tow truck.

Got the timing better (I hesitate to say right), got the carb dialed in better - everything was running well. Spent today working on my new package shelf and interior stuff.

At the end of the day decided to take the girlfriend out for a Fiat ride, as it was a beautiful day and I hadn't driven it yet. Went about 5 miles when it died. The starter wouldn't crank - checked and the voltage at the battery was 11.5. Had to call AAA and got towed home. Big truck, beeping, and flashing yellow lights to make sure all the neighbors knew that the Fiat was dead!

I suspect I have an alternator problem and the battery isn't charging - but I'll find out tomorrow. Battery is on the charger overnight. If the car starts tomorrow that will be a big sign it's the alternator.

The car is painfully close to running - but just doesn't want to get that final step made!

[aj81spider]

Charged the battery overnight and it started right up this morning. Looks like a charging problem.

I have a brand new (OK I bought it two years ago - but the engine started up for the first time this spring) 95 Amp alternator. Guess I'm going to have to dig into that.

It got oil on it when my cam seal leak happened - I'm hoping that didn't cause an issue. Given how little I've driven it (and I keep the battery on a float charger) it's possible it's never worked though.

[aj81spider]

It appears I installed the new 95 amp alternator wrong. I checked the voltage tonight and the battery was just over 12 V. Then I started the car and it dropped to 11.5.

A little research on the forum (this place is great) made me realize that although I wired it so the external regulator was out of the circuit I didn't jumper the alternator light relay out. I hooked that up and the voltage when running went to 13.5.

One remaining issue is that the alternator light in the tach doesn't ever light. I know that it is supposed to light when the key is in the run position before the car is started - then go out. It didn't before I jumpered the relay out and the voltage was at 11.5, and it doesn't now that the voltage is at 13.5.

I'm left with two questions:

> 13.5 seems a little lower than I expected - is that OK?

> ..and how important is the light? I have a long list of things to do, and this would be down on the list if the car will run without it. However if it's needed for the alternator to work properly then I'll push it up the list and do it next.

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

[V12StealthHunter]

At least in my experience with soft alloy engines timeserts are a much better option than helicoil;
http://www.timesert.com/

[aj81spider]

Hi V12 - I looked at the web site and one thing that worries me is the lip on the insert. Won't that interfere with surfaces that mate?


Good news! I decided I needed to hunt down why the alternator light wasn't lighting in my tach. Took off the dash and it turns out when I installed the dash the light fell out of the tach. Pushed it back into the socket, re-attached the dash and it all works.

Took the car out for a drive tonight and everything seems to be working pretty well - so hopefully things are starting to stabilize!

[aj81spider]

Erratic work with no posting. However I've been driving the car while I work on it. Recent progress:

> Today I took it down to a friend who has a dyno shop. It started at 72 Hp and 82 ft-lbs of torque. The fuel-air mix was off at high RPMs, and too rich at idle. In a miracle it appears that the timing was pretty much spot on! We changed the secondary jet, adjusted the idle mixture, fixed the throttle linkage (wasn't opening all the way) and finished the day at 80 hp and 86 ft-lbs of torque. Not as good as I would have liked, but passable.

There's still a ticking sound and the consensus was that it isn't an exhaust leak - so next step is check the valve clearances. The engine is newly rebuilt so I'll be cranky (but not for the first time) if they are off.

I've also made a lot of progress on the interior. No door cards yet, but built a package shelf and a speaker box for the back:



The rest of the interior is coming along as well. The carpet still needs work, but the seats and dash are in:



Big issues remaining are the ticking sound, a clunking sound when I hit bumps a certain way or turn left hard, and first gear - which is now not really working at all.

However I am driving it, so there is some gratification!