1981 Fiat Spider 2000 - What am I doing!? LOL!!

[redcars]

For your radiator hoses check your radiator cap and the over flow hose. If it can not suck coolant back in when it cools down it will create a vacuum and you get sucked in hoses. To check when the hoses are sucked in remove the cap and see if they return to normal. You have come a long ways. Just remember when you think you are just about there you are about half way. Even when it is nice you find things that you would like to fix or change.

[jimmycakes401]

I know it will never end. : )

Will fiddle with my hoses soon. Tgese were given to me by the PO. I thought they were new but I fear some may be old.

[jimmycakes401]

I popped the radiator cap off and I heard a suck or a release. One or the other. The top hose is no longer collapsed, but the bottom hoses still are. I fear that there are some acorns in the engine block or something. But it's had coolant in it for three years, I would imagine they would have disintegrated quite a bit by now if they were in there. I don't have time to pull hoses off at the moment, but I figured I'd unscrew the cap.

[seabeelt]

First things first. As for the suspension, start with the things that you know are broken. Siezed rear shock - replace the rear shocks as a pair. Go with KYBs, skip cutting the springs, and drive the car... get to know it first befor trying to improve it. They should be fine for the occasional drive - even a spirited one. I have put 2k on the 71 since I got it on the road. The KYBs are just fine and I have a heavy foot. Is there more to do? You bet. On the list for this year is a master cylinder - It failed in October. Rubber brake hoses, trailing arms, tranny and diff fluid change, A-Arm buishings ( cheaper than whole arms but a bit of a pain to change...... ) Send me a PM with your email and I will send you a pdf on the way to do it, or search Minifori. Sway bar bushings..... anyway I digress.. Centerlink - replace that if you can twist it side to side or it wobbles around in the bolt holes. There should not be excessive play. Radiator hoses - i'd check the cap first. make sure you have the right pressure and right depth of cap. There is a difference. I believe AR has both so you can see the difference. Those should be replaced every few years anyway and are cheap enough. Acorns in the engine. ARGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!. If you are not kidding, I suspect that there is quite a bit of debris in the top of your radiator. Do a coolant flush NOW! and get that stuff out of there. Besides plugging up your radiator, thermostat and heater core, god knows if its mucking with the water pump too.

[jimmycakes401]

Not joking about the acorns. Found them everywhere. You can probably go back to my blog and see the early nasty-ness that I dealt with. I'm going to have to flush because I need to replace half of the hoses which means I'll just get a whole new set. I think they are about $35 for everything.

Thanks for all the advice. Just about everything rubber looks cracked and crappy. I need to figure out why the front end feels so loose. Frighteningly loose. I don't even want to drive it. I will recheck and clean the steering box. Hoping that's it because I'd prefer not to replace much yet.

I can move the center link by twisting super easily. Side to side, not too much. I hear a little clink left to right when I grab the bar. Like the tie rods MIGHT be loose. We'll see.

Thanks again for the helpful advice!

[jimmycakes401]

I wonder if this could be my steering issue. But I'd be afraid to adjust the steering box on my own.
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2547

[seabeelt]

Before adjusting the steering box, I would make sure that all of the other steering components are serviceable and within spec. Alvon's description is a good one, but unless you disconnect the front wheels as suggested, you could be trying to compensate in the steering box for what is a worn tie rod or center link or other steering component. If you think you are going to replace the tie rods, buy them as a left side and right side set, as each set has a left hand and right hand threaded tie rod for proper adjustment.
R/

[jimmycakes401]

I may just replace that whole section. I think it's just over $100.

[jimmycakes401]

I popped the radiator cap off and the hoses came back to normal. It may be the cap. But this cap is brand new... bought it from autoricambi last summer. I'm going to replace that small section of hose that tore and replace all my hose clamps with some constant torque style clamps that my uncle gave me. I'm just going to buy the hose locally to see what's what.

I received my hose set with my car. They had gotten gear oil all over them. Should I just order a new set. Could the gear oil have effected them in such a manner that they collapsed? I'm going to place an order for rear shocks, so I could just tack that on and be done with it. I guess I'll order another cap just in case.

I've been through all the threads on the rear end shocks, anyone have suggestions for extra bits to order?

[jimmycakes401]

Drained my rad. The fluid is quite brown. I filled it two years ago when I got her up and running. Gross.

[jimmycakes401]

Just a quick update.

I was able to find some hoses to put on the car this week. I went down to the local mom and pop parts store and we scrounged around. They ended up ordering me a flex hose with wire in it for the bottom hose. This should keep it from collapsing in the future.

I also may have found the culprit for the collapsing. Not only were my hoses pretty worn, but there was an acorn on the top side of my thermostat. Hopefully there aren't more. If you followed this thread from the beginning, you know I really had my work cut out for me.

I had a pile of 'constant torque' hose clamps from the PO (aka UNCLE) and I need three more to finish up my hoses, then I filler her up and burp her again. I hope to order some shocks for the rear on Thursday and see how that helps out the ride. One is seized, as many of you already know.

After that is all said and done, I have a bunch of work to do on my daily drivers and then hopefully I scrape some money away for some front end work.

[jimmycakes401]

I just finished burping my car (it still needs a name). No overheating and the fan works correctly. My shocks just came in the mail. I hope to install them in the next few weeks. Hopefully that will make the car feel better. Next on the list is a-arms and front end suspension. All factory still.

[4uall]

How about WAID pronounced WADE = What Am I Doing

[jimmycakes401]

Ha!

[jimmycakes401]

I think I will be putting my Spider up for sale soon. Anyone interested please PM me. I can't keep up with the maintenance, I'm not good at driving it and I would rather it be in a place where it will be used.