My new 79...

[garion]

Sweet. I'll be stopping by HF on my way home tomorrow.

I just ordered new tierods and centerlink.. Figure if I'm taking this all apart, might as well do it right.

[81SPIDERMATT]

Sweet. I'll be stopping by HF on my way home tomorrow.

I just ordered new tierods and centerlink.. Figure if I'm taking this all apart, might as well do it right.

single item coupon code 25 percent off one item 93481220 just give these numbers to cashier as a coupon code

[garion]

There's that coupon code, and also this one: http://www.harborfreight.com/20off-coup ... ff-11.html

[garion]

So I'm taking a break tonight, and decided to work on my top cover a bit.. Its in decent shape, but the glue is separating from the plastic and metal..

Here's one of the ends..


After I glue it down:


Making my money work for me:


The coins at least have the curved shape, and some weight to hold it down for the 24hr curing time.

I'll pull the coins off tomorrow, and see how it turns out.. I'm using something call ShoeGoo..

Then I have to do one of the hooks that go into the ones by the trunk.

Also, I picked up that tierod separator from HF today.. TOmorrow morning, I attack the tierods, center link and finally the steering box. I'm also going to swap the heads tomorrow, though I won't be putting the 1.8 head on my 2.0 motor, until I get the steering box straightened out. I wanna put the head in with the intake on, and I want that extra room.

[garion]

Got the head off the 2.0. Other than what looks like some oil burn, everything looks decent to me. I can even see some of the original hatching on the 2 and 3 cylinders.

I'm guessing that the extra distance from the top of cylinders to the top of the block is the difference between a 1.8 and a 2.0?

[RRoller123]

Rotate the crank and the pistons should move higher, about flush.

[garion]

You are correct sir. The engine must have moved slightly when I was moving things around.

Now.. Onto the steering box.. I have the tierod and center link disconnected from the steering arm.. And the tierod is off completely. That tool from HF works miracles. Less than 5 minutes..

Got the steering box bolts out, and disconnected from the steering column.. But I can not find a combination to get it out completely! Any suggestions? Please don't tell me I need to remove the motor..

[garion]

ITS OUT!

Had to take the starter out, and the impossible bolt.. I have no idea how I got on it from below... Once I got it loose enough, I removed it from above..

Once I got the starter out, it was a matter of maneuvering the box around the clutch cable, and pulling it down, out of the firewall..

And the result? Yes. I need a new one... The sucker is nearly dry, and there's all sorts of rust grinding away.. Not pretty...



Tomorrow I'll pull the other Spider in the garage, and swap the heads... Long day..

Lesson learned: Don't eat a chorizo burrito for breakfast the day you work on your car.

[garion]

More parts to order...

Took off the remainder of the steering components, namely the idler, tierod and centerlink. The idler is basically frozen.. OPen it up and its full of dried crud.. I'm not even going to try and rebuild it..

Also noticed that my vacuum advance is dead. Doesn't hold a vacuum.. So got that too..

Wheeee... Csaba must love me!

Heopfully I'll have everything by the weekend, and I can get through it all...

[garion]

Two questions, as I still wait on getting my new steering box.. I think its coming via donkey..

I just got the ball bearing version of the steering idler from AR.. Do I need to grease up those bearings?

Next question: I have a 4-2-1 on this 79, and I'm putting on a 1.8L head, which doesn't have the EGR port on the front of it. What size is the EGR tube hole coming out of the exhaust manifold, so I can get a plug for it?

[sehovarter]

Garion - I just swapped the intake on my 79 with an 1800 and a new weber 32/36. not done yet - but all the removal and R7R from under the intake is complete - all I have left is to check my steering box for oil, and then I start putting it back together. WRT your question - for the port that is pumping heat from the exhaust side thru the front of the block to the old 70 intake manifold, you want to block that heat. what I did was remove the 2 bolts for the pipe on the exhaust side that goes into the block, and traced the flange on a piece of paper (as best I could). i then took a scrap piece of home HVAV tubing (6 inch), traced the outline, drilled the 2 holes and put that between the intake manifold and the flange I traced. the hole is now blocked and it cost me basically nothing! can't even see the plate under the flange. you will also have to find a place to re-mount your dip stick - as it used to attach to the 79 manifold and now there is nothing there if you went to an 1800 manifold. again - this was very simple - I went to home depot and got a flat plate of steel from the decking department (Strongtite or something like that). I used the alternator mounting bracket (it's slotted) and attached the plate there, did 2 90 degree bends first towards the fire wall, second straight up, and then marked where I needed the 2 holes. drilled, painted black, and now my dipstick mounts right were it was and is very stable. I can send you a pic if you want - let me know!

[sehovarter]

one more item - be sure to check the crankcase oil separator and that little elbow - replace both hoses if they are hard or cracked and clean out the separator - the nut on top is all you have to do to remove it, with a little effort it will "pop" right off. there is a gasket under it, that is hard to see but needs to come off - get a new gasket. since you are down there - not is the time - this is fairly cheap work - the 2 hoses and the gaskets are around $40 (that is what I paid just last week from my guy here in Denver who has a stash of old/new Fiat parts).

[sehovarter]

now is the time - i meant to type!!

[garion]

Thanx sehovarter...

The car came with an 1800 intake, so most of that is sorted.. The dipstick I have is pretty short, goes right into the hole, there's no extension on it, so nothing needed to mount.. Could that be a FI dipstick?

I'm going to make an attempt at removing that exhaust pipe.. I have some good pipe wrenches, maybe I can get it out..

I do plan on cleaning the separator, once I get all my parts together.. The engine needs a good degreasing on that side too...

Still waiting on that steering box.. I think the pack mule took a detour to Mexico or something...

[sehovarter]

Understood - keep the faith! Let me know if you have trouble finding any parts - have a great guy here in Denver with a good stash of Fiat parts