Most helpful intake & DFEV swap posts?

[Slartibartfaster]

OK, I need some help...I'm spending too much time searching and reading and not enough time turning wrenches
I've read a lot of posts that say "just search for 'step-by-step' instruction posts on the forum...there's tons of them"...really? My forum-shui is failing me.

So, for those many who have made this swap, please share the topics/posts that you found the best/most useful/kept you from going crazy. Where is that most definitive step-by-step...does it exist? I know that there are many variables, so here's my specifics:

1979 2000 w/ the usual boat-anchor stuff...double plane manifold, 28/32ADHA with all 49-state emissions management equipment. 4-2-1 exhaust (stock) incl cat. Electric fuel pump in the trunk added by PO due to low fuel pressure at the carb.

I'm swapping in a 1756 intake manifold and have a Redline Weber 32/36DFEV K518 kit on the way.

[bluespider262]

I've done it on my 79 but didn't write a book about it. There are some hints here and there but no authoritative reference afaik. Certain pieces i.e. egr removal have different approaches with their own pros cons.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Bolting on the big parts is easy. Your biggest struggles will probably be:

Crank vent hose. The lunchbox cleaner fittings are too small. I used and aftermarket breather adapter but needed some drilling and creativeness.

Reed valves in the head need to be removed/plugged or they make a racket iirc. Mine broke on the way out and it was kind of an ordeal.

Throttle linkage. Easy to get it working, a bit of effort to make it work properly perhaps.

Deleting the egr. My approach was to pull the exhaust manifold and remove the whole pipe then plug it with proper mm plug. Some people bend or weld the cut tube or try to use block plate on drivers side of the head.

And don't forget the unexpected.

[KnightDriver]

That's funny (interesting, not haha). I've spent the last 3 days trying to find specifics about how to do a similar swap (same intake, different carb) on my 79 Spider. I've come to the conclusion that it will likely wait until next winter! I think I will spend this winter working on the suspension and steering.

I will be keeping an eye on this thread.

Good luck!

[Fiatlanta]

I did the exact same operation not too long ago. I made it way more complicated in my head than it turned out to be.

Here are the highlights:

Getting all bolts and nuts off old intake was a pain. Had to approach some of them from under the car with creative use of extensions and swivels. Same for putting new one on, although you do have a little more room with the new manifold.

The old intake should come right off and out once all the bolts and nuts are off...I missed one and fought with it for a while. And it IS possible to take it off and out without removing anything else...just kinda gotta lift and jiggle it a little to coax it.

I couldn't get the recirculation tube off exhaust manifold, so I fabbed up a plate to put on intake side. Works, but not the preferred solution.

I got the same swap kit as you for the carb...yeah the throttle linkage took a little bit of work, but you just gotta be patient and don't bend anything trying to get it all hooked back up.

Good luck!

[Vandrid]

I also just did this swap during the summer. It does take some work but once you get it running it is worth it!

Other things people haven’t mentioned that might be common sense but I’m new to this car thing is always by new gaskets, don’t do what I did and forget one and get so close to having it running then find you have to wait for one gasket to ship...

Other points I can think of off the top of my head: I had to get new studs for the carb because the ones on the manifold were too long. The linkage is a bit weird. I cut a piece off my carb and attached the old linkage to it. There is a thread for that, I’ll try and find the link. Check your jets and float of your new carb, they may not be right or need adjusting. The two holes in the top of the head are either 16mm or 18mm depending on the head. You will have to plug your fuel return or find a different solution as the carb doesn’t have a return.

I’m sure I’m missing other things

[Slartibartfaster]

Thanks - so, I did the swap a couple of weeks ago and have been troubleshooting ever since - thanks Vandrid for your help on another post.

I've started a thread in the Restoration section for future updates/pleas for help: http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic ... 30&t=36378

In case others are reading this with the same swap in mind I'll leave my somewhat random thoughts on the project here as well...

- I suggest putting the whole car on jack stands for the work - some of the manifold bolts were more accessible from underneath and you're going to spend a lot of time leaning over the car. This would have killed my back otherwise.

- Even with draining the suggested amount (1 gallon) of coolant, when you loosen the intake manifold there will still be coolant leaking out, especially from the coolant line at the right end of the manifold for the water choke. Wish I'd had a bunch of shop towels stuffed under the manifold.

-I've read many posts about how hard it is to get the intake out even after you get all the nuts/bolts off. This was a total pain, until I decided the studs had to come out too. My car had two studs and the others were bolts. Since the original intake is so wide it is blocked from pulling out by the timing belt rear cover (if you still have one). Removing the mounting studs allows you to slide the intake to the right. Used the 'two nut' method to back them out. Be prepared for more coolant leakage from the stud holes.

- as for the carb, I ordered the k-518 kit put together by Redline. Shop around online -prices vary. Parts needed to connect throttle to rod are included, along with many unneeded bits for other installations. Importantly, I ended up having to take the top off the carb for troubleshooting and found metal shavings and brass 'sand' in the float bowl of whatever cheap metal the carb is cast from. Not impressive QC from Weber. Also the nut holding the linkage to the throttle shaft kept coming loose, and the little tab that bends over the nut is a joke so I'm trying some thread locker to see if it will hold.

-Finally, During my first post-installation test drive, the secondary idle jet and holder fell out somewhere on the highway. I have invested a lot of time learning about my carb trying to troubleshoot this problem...wish I had invested that time and dismantled the carb and learned something before rushing into installation. Not sure I'll ever learn this lesson though.

-Most importantly, it was worth it! Still working on the tune, but I'm amazed at what a difference this made in the car. Need better brakes now.

[leigh0680]

I'm in the middle of this process too - ugh!!

I acknowledge my limited mechanical abilities but somehow underestimated how complicated it would really be! If only there were step-by-step instructions out there. And there are some posts around that make it sound easy (not!!!). If I don't finish soon, I'm seriously worried my girlfriend will leave me - it's taking up all my weekends.

I did find this post helpful, with all the pics of various hoses: https://fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6967
And the feedback here is great too!

Also just posted separately last night with the bits that I couldn't figure out on my own - it seems like we all end up with our own unique issues. Anyway, you can get to my question post by clicking on my profile name. Getting some good replies there to my remaining questions, but if anyone else who's been thru it has additional input would be great!

My main takeaways:
- all the emissions junk causes serious confusion when you're just starting out. You'd be amazed at how many hoses you can pull out and throw away and clearing out all that crap that probably hasn't worked in 20 years and barely worked when new is satisfying
- disconnecting old manifold can take all day
- re-connecting everything, even if you label it, is extremely hard and not intuitive for those of us who can't eyeball every little part under the hood and identify it. I'm still trying to figure out what goes where, especially on the coolant side of things.

Bright side? You'll learn a lot about your car! And hopefully it'll be much better after it all. And try to find some time to spend with your significant other in the middle of it all.

[architect]

Did anyone need to swap out the jets of the k518 kit?