where to get this gasket

[FiatColombia1]

Does anyone knows where to get the gasket found under the black lid. Thanks

[narfire]

I thought they are in the complete gasket kit. I have a 80 so I don't need it if I have one. I can look tomorow but likely cheaper/easier to get some material and make one yourself.
Chris

[Wheel]

I bought gasket material and made my own using the old gasket and the cover for the template. Coincidentally a "single" paper hole punch, the kind that kids use in school, works perfectly for the stud fastener clearance hole. It was pretty easy to make.

[wachuko]

I thought they are in the complete gasket kit. I have a 80 so I don't need it if I have one. I can look tomorow but likely cheaper/easier to get some material and make one yourself.
Chris

I bought a complete (I thought, heheehe) gasket set from IAP... not included in the kit. Actually, if I think back, none of the FI gaskets were included in the kit... as if the kit was meant for a carburated car...

[leftfield6]

Yep, I replaced mine earlier this year. Made it myself from the thinnest gasket material I could find. BTW, you do have to make the gasket exactly like the old one. Don't know what I was thinking the first time I did this, I just cut the gasket to fit the outside edge, and did not cut the bolt holes. All four bolts began leaking immediately.

[katsi]

First rub a little dirt on that motor and I will tell you Just kidding.

[FiatColombia1]

Lol katsi!! Looks better in the picture. But yess hopefuly I'll be able to put some dirt on it soon

Thank you guys.. I'll get some material and fabricate my own... We'll see how that goes.

[RDSPYDR]

Bayless has it @$3.49 I believe. It is called the Throttle Body Preheater Gasket Item#5920322. Hope this helps

[KidDingo]

FWIW, as with everyone else, I made my own using gasket material. But I also used gasket sealant just to make sure it worked.

And it did!

[FiatColombia1]

Thanks RDSPYDR. Ordered one!

[JoeDQ1]

There wasn’t a gasket in mine, just a blue silicone…. Right or wrong stuff I don’t know, but it wasn’t leaking.

So here is another question (not to hijack the thread but explore a question related to it) why would anyone want to heat the throttle body? I am not sure why this was designed this way in the first place, some say to prevent frost on the throttle body or cold drivability or something… but it makes no logical sense. By the time the engine is pumping warm water, the engine bay and throttle body are warming up, by the time the warm water would temper anything for drivability the car is almost by definition warmed up so that it shouldn’t have any effect anyway. These cars run too hot anyway, in your case your air filter is drawing in warm air in the engine compartment, then they heat the air via the throttle body to reduce performance? I just bought the stainless heater tube from Allison’s without the throttle body heater nipple, it is one ounce lighter than stock (though I will have to add some back in for a bracket) it is slightly smaller in diameter and removing the throttle body heater removes a total of 15 ounces of coolant, hoses, clamps, and metal from the front bias weight distribution and mostly high side of center of gravity. And it will remove a heat source to the intake air that must be a detriment to power production.

Disclaimer: Allison’s makes their stainless tube with and without the nipple, they did not recommend this modification… though they did not offer a good reason as to why one could not delete the throttle body heater so I made the decision to give it a shot and offered to report to them any issues or benefits realized from making the change. The first observation is a reduction in weight that I expect to be about one pound once I remove the heater casting.

[4uall]

Since purchasing mine last fall I have had zero issues by not having one.


1980 Fiat Spider F.I. Engine January 2012 by itzebtze, on Flickr


IMG_0253 by itzebtze, on Flickr

[JoeDQ1]

What did you use to plug the top port? I haven't attempted to remove that fitting yet. Oh, I get it.. there wasn't a heater on cars before 81 right? I should find out what it was for... I wonder if the vacuum and cold and fairly large intake manifold would collect frost or condensation after the throttle, maybe it was to correct a very specific problem in a very specific climate like Mediterranean mountains... anyway, my car is a fair weather car for the most part so I wouldn't expect any issues.

[4uall]

Nothing, it was like this when purchased. There is no opening to seal. I will try and get a better pic later.

[SunnySideUp]

If I remember correctly, the pre-heater on the the throat of the throttle body showed up in late '80. There were a couple of configurations including a "strap-on" version on the late '80 early '81, and then Fiat modified the throttle body casting to include the basin for the manifold. The first FI cars didn't have manifolds (see 4uall's pictures above). The pre-heaters are to prevent icing in the throttle body until the engine reaches operating temperature. Seems to be a whacky US requirement. On my '82 I removed the pre-heater manifold and capped the coolant ports in the head. To cover up the cavity I fabbed a plate out of sheet aluminum and used a piece of scrap inner tube to make a gasket. I plan on getting some nice acorn nuts to dress it up a bit.



Unless you're running your Spider in freezing temps you may not need the pre-heater. In my part of the US (desert Southwest), we have plenty of heat - it didn't make sense to make sure the air is hot when it runs better with cooler air.