Gonna be pulling the radiator...some progress with pics

[Fiat88]

Gonna have some time off from college, so I want to do a few things...

Well, I think it's time to replace my coolant hoses as I don't know when they were last replaced but they seem a little bulgy and soft. I noticed when I did my first flush and fill the radiator was still pretty dirty internally. So, instead of just replacing the hoses I want to pull the radiator(which seems straight forward) and clean it or get it cleaned by a shop and paint it, what have you guys done to get yours cleaned out? It's the automatic trans type. BTW, What company has the most accurate type of replacement hoses? IAP, Vicks, etc.

I also want to remove and clean my timing belt cover because the bottom of it is pretty grimy and I'm trying to see where some slight engine leaks are coming from. I also noticed that the bottom bolt head to the timing belt cover broke off, so I got to see what I'm gonna do about that.

Another thing is that I think my oil pan gasket might be leaking and the pan has some tiny dents in it and needs painting but not sure if I can handle the procedure to unbolt the pan because of the engine clearence problem.

[SLOSpider]

This is exactly what I started to do on the fiat I just got plus the timing belt. Here is where I am at and recommend you might look at your own situation:

Get some engine degreaser, 2 or 3 cans and start cleaning off all the grease and grime.
Hoses can be found even at your local parts store, may have to order.
Radiator came out and went to Radiator shop to boil out, back flush then repair a few leaks ( Highly recommend you to do this )
Spay down Front crank pulley bolt with Kroil or good penetration oil after cleaning and getting grease away from it (yes going to remove it to replace front seal and housing gasket)
Might as well replace the cam and aux shaft seals while Im this far as there is a dark spots around them.
Replace timing belt tension bearing as its getting a little noisy
Replace oil breather gasket and short hose (what a pain that is, can we not get a factory replacement hose made!)
Replace heater hoses (gates # avail to get at parts store as well as 5/16 choke heater hoses)
Back flush and forward flush heater core with garden hose several times till runs clear ( turn heater valve on)
Back flush engine with garden hose
Install an in the head thermostat

And to think I was just going to replace one radiator hose and the timing belt.

This on top of:
repairing wipers (removed cowling)
Fixing wiring alt to starter, and other wiring repairs
Cleaning engine bay from brown back to red

If I wasn't already wore out and pocket book empty I would go ahead and do a new oil pan, gasket and oil pump.... save it for later I guess.

[Fiat88]

Spent the afternoon removing the fan and radiator, had a couple of coolant spills during the process.
Gonna have to order some new hoses. I'm debating whether to replace the thermostat with a new one or reuse the old one. Should I do the thermostat test which my manual says?

I then took the plastic timing belt cover off for the first time. The timing belt looks good. How much grease should be on those gears? Would it be safe to spray engine degreaser around the gear parts or should I just use a shop rag?

From the pics do you guys see anything that I should be concerned with?

[kmead]

Don't use a heavy degreaser. Some simple green with warm water and a rag with several spray downs will get the majority of that off. Be sure to get any dirt off the toothed face of the belt and particularly the gears lower down.

You don't want to subject the timing belt to harsh chemicals that could attack the base materials.

[majicwrench]

I'm of the opinion if it aint broke...
I see no reason to change the t stat. Has car been overheating??
Hoses in the pics look fine. Back in the '70s I had a fleet customer at my shop, he wanted all the hoses and belts changed on his fleet of Chevy vans. So we got aftermarket hoses on all his 10yr old vans.
Within a year about half of the "new" hoses were ballooning.
We replace em all...again....this time with factory stuff. Problem solved.
Moral of the story, most aftermarket hoses are not up to snuff.

I sure wouldn't be spraying things around in there, doesn't look too dirty to me. Are you planning on changing belt??
Keith

[SLOSpider]

I would the put thermostat in a pan on the stove and check that its opening and closing, replace all the hoses and clamps, change the belt and with the oil I see there I wouldnt hesitate to change all the seals too. Of course I like doing things once and be done with it. The timing belt looks too shiny from oil to be reusing for my taste. You may find that the tensioner bearing is getting a bit noisy once you give it a spin when the belt is off too. This is a good time for the heater and choke hoses and back flush the heater core and block. 2 cents given.

[Fiat88]

Don't use a heavy degreaser. Some simple green with warm water and a rag with several spray downs will get the majority of that off. Be sure to get any dirt off the toothed face of the belt and particularly the gears lower down.

You don't want to subject the timing belt to harsh chemicals that could attack the base materials.

I'll just use a small amount of simple green around that area to get any heavy built up spots.

I'm of the opinion if it aint broke...
I see no reason to change the t stat. Has car been overheating??
Hoses in the pics look fine. Back in the '70s I had a fleet customer at my shop, he wanted all the hoses and belts changed on his fleet of Chevy vans. So we got aftermarket hoses on all his 10yr old vans.
Within a year about half of the "new" hoses were ballooning.
We replace em all...again....this time with factory stuff. Problem solved.
Moral of the story, most aftermarket hoses are not up to snuff.

I sure wouldn't be spraying things around in there, doesn't look too dirty to me. Are you planning on changing belt??
Keith

No it hasn't been overheating but refilling the cooling system is a messy job and don't want to have to drain it again for another few months. How long do these things last usually? Well anyway, I just tested the thermostat in a pan of water, I didn't have a glass thermometer to check the temp. but it seemed to open at boiling point. My sister thought I was nuts boiling that thing on the stove. So I guess it's still good.

Regarding the hoses, some of them have cracks. I'm going to try and see if the local advanced auto can order them for me.

[james124]

I would the put thermostat in a pan on the stove and check that its opening and closing, replace all the hoses and clamps, change the belt and with the oil I see there I wouldnt hesitate to change all the seals too. Of course I like doing things once and be done with it. The timing belt looks too shiny from oil to be reusing for my taste. You may find that the tensioner bearing is getting a bit noisy once you give it a spin when the belt is off too. This is a good time for the heater and choke hoses and back flush the heater core and block. 2 cents given.

I concur with SLOSpider. There is too much oil all over the timing belt and engine too ignore. Should rule out a leak, to begin with. Good luck!

[Fiat88]

I would the put thermostat in a pan on the stove and check that its opening and closing, replace all the hoses and clamps, change the belt and with the oil I see there I wouldnt hesitate to change all the seals too. Of course I like doing things once and be done with it. The timing belt looks too shiny from oil to be reusing for my taste. You may find that the tensioner bearing is getting a bit noisy once you give it a spin when the belt is off too. This is a good time for the heater and choke hoses and back flush the heater core and block. 2 cents given.

I concur with SLOSpider. There is too much oil all over the timing belt and engine too ignore. Should rule out a leak, to begin with. Good luck!

I'll have to look into that. I'm not sure if I'm capable of changing the timing belt as I've never changed a belt on a car before!

[Fiat88]

I'm stripping the rust and paint on the fan surround to repaint. What kind of paint should I use, maybe engine paint? The radiator looks ok but the metal overflow tube is pretty rusty, might need to see if a radiator shop could put one in and I gotta get one of those tools to bend back some of the radiator fins.

[SLOSpider]

Good progress and radiator looks like it has been redone recently. Any black paint will work it does not need to be high heat. Powder coat it then never worry about it again

[azygoustoyou]

When I did my radiator. i tried to reshapen some of the fins and it didn't last. They seem to go right back to the way they were. This pic is before the second coat of radiator paint.

[Fiat88]

When I did my radiator. i tried to reshapen some of the fins and it didn't last. They seem to go right back to the way they were. This pic is before the second coat of radiator paint.

Do you have a manual trans car? I have an automatic trans. and my radiator looks like yours, so I guess the PO put in a manuel type, that explains why I found an trans. intercooler in front of the radiator. I should be getting my eastwood rad paint and fin rake tomorrow, so i hope to maybe have it painted by the end of the week if the rain stops.

[NJFIAT1981]

Just did my radiator. Took it to the radiator shop and had it repaired, boiled out, and painted. Then I bead blasted the paint and rust from the fan surround and painted it with rustoleum. Came out great. I just bead blasted another surround and I am going to use some of the Eastwood products.
Hey Brady did you use the rust encapsulator or the rust converter or both? George

[azygoustoyou]

No, After I media blasted mine. I used a radiator paint from Eastwood and a primer on the shroud. Then I used the same paint to give it a uniform look. I'd show a final pic but I don't think I took one and now it's packed away in a box.