PO'd @ the PO??

[onemorespyder]

Today I was messing around with '80 2L. Spider we just bought and I found that a bit of care is needed to hit the oil fill w/o spilling a bit!! Spilled some so I cleaned what I could then fired the motor. Had the hood open and I found a pulsating oil cloud coming from #3. Just before shutting it down, POW, the spark plug blew out. Apparently a PO had put in a helicoil in #3 cylinder and by the appearance of the plug that came out, did a really poor job. The plug was wearing the remains of three threads of what used to be the helicoil and they were deformed and looked cross-threaded on the plug. Further inspection showed the plug had been installed that way and the threads of the plug itself nearly to the washer had been burned off from exposure to the combustion chamber. Apparently the plug wasn't sealing the comb. chamber due to 2 1/2 to 3 threads being in play and the oil had run past those into the cylinder. The added compression from the bit of oil stressed the repair and out it came. Anyone have experience like this and how bout a fix. I think I'll get a kit for a fresh helicoil and retap the hol and cut a new landing surface for the plugs washer. Should I use some type of locktite or similar? PO'd @ PO's

Regards, and ain't we havin' fun!!! Darrell
P.S I just happen to be sorting out ignition issues on my 76 Alfa Spider so I'm havin' all the fun any of us deserve today. I always thought that you needed to own 2 Italian roadsters to always have one running, but maybe I need to round up another. LOL

[maytag]

Why not swap on a new head? They are plentiful. And cheap.

[So Cal Mark]

helicoils have a sort of pigtail that gets removed after installation that should lock it in place

[GeorgeT]

Today I was messing around with '80 2L. Spider we just bought and I found that a bit of care is needed to hit the oil fill w/o spilling a bit!! Spilled some so I cleaned what I could then fired the motor.

Just get a funnel and not worry about it anymore.

[onemorespyder]

Thanks for the input guys. The idea of just changing the head makes a lot of sense and I'm thinkin' that's the way to proceed. One question before I search for a head though. I see mention on this forum of an 1800 head on the 2000. Is it a straight bolt up with injection and what are the benefits? If I'm changing the head anyway, if there are performance gains to be had using the 1800 I may as well go that route. I'm a long time Alfa guy and this is my first foray into Fiats. Any advice from the forum members would be helpful.
Thans in advance for your advice, Regards, Darrell

[narfire]

Yes the 1800 head is a direct bolt on. There are 4 air ports on the top of the 1800 head exhaust side that need to get plugged. I believe there is a vendor that sells neat plugs or I have bought 4- 12 X 1.25 bolts and cut the heads off so they fit flush and cut a slot in the top to screw in.
The FI intake bolts on just fine.
There is a bit of an improvement in power from stock. Last year I bought a 80 FI with a blown head gasket and I swapped the head to an 1800 and I noticed the difference, not a lot really but bit more than stock.(then sold the car)
I'd surface the head obviously, and valve work? port match? cams? adjustable cam wheels... oh where does it stop?
Chris

[majicwrench]

I'm all for just doing a nice job with another helicoil. And Mark, that pigtail is just an installation aid. At least that is what my ole brain thinks.
Make short work of it, stick a heli coil in it. Follow the directions. Be done with it. One back on the road.
Keith

[majicwrench]

Just checked my Heli coil box,the ones I uise for spark plugs threads are NAPA Sav-a-thread. They have no pigtail, but a knurled area that you expand after installation to help keep it in. Nothing wrong with locknutting em in either. And if they do come out----thread out, not blow out------is really no big deal, just thread em back in. Follow directions.
Keith

[onemorespyder]

Just finished installing the new helicoil. Chased the threads with some crisco on the tap and spun in the helicoil, Fresh plugs and she fired right up. The head was changed apparently before i bought the car and it is an 1800 version already. Best of both worlds and a 30 min. fix!! I still am looking for a good excuse to find another Spider of some variety. Anybody seen a Corvair recently??? LOL

Thanks for the input, YOU GUYS ROCK!
Regards, Darrell

[majicwrench]

What type heli coil?? Did you secure it in there??

[bobplyler]

Anybody seen a Corvair recently???1

I used to have a Corvair. I got real good at putting fan belts on. And I never had to change the oil. I was putting in 1 quart/week.

[onemorespyder]

Got a simple kit from Auto Zone. Had the tap and several diferent coils ( different lengths ). Had the pigtai that I broke off w a pair of needlenose pliers. Plug seems secure and I'll avoid pulling it till plug change. Original fix had only about 3 threads and was the cause of the engine misfiring when I first looked at the car. Obviously the unsealed plug allowed water ( which was standing in the plug recesses from the PO washing the engine ) to wet the plug in #3. 10 miles toward the house the engine came to life and ran well on all 4. Wish all my Italian based issues were as simple.

Thanks again, Darrell.
P.S. Did anyone ever get good at Corvair fan belts???

[2ndwind]

I had three Corvairs in the late 1980s ('63 vert. auto, '64 4spd, '66 auto.) Never had a belt come off. I think there was an adjustment on the idler pulleys. Corvairs leaked because the factory pushrod tube seals only tolerated 300-350 degrees. The engine could frequently go over 400 degrees in the summer. I would change the pushrod tubes to viton o-rings as soon as I could - No more leaks.

The 2-spd power-glide transmissions were plain stupid IMO. I still miss my '64 4spd 110 Hp. PDQ for what it was.