Somebody should have remindet me...

[Tobi]

Somebody should have reminded me how much work a complete engine overhaul is. Also, people keep saying how easy these cars are to work on, well, they are not. It took me one hour and broke my back to attache the clutch cable to the pedal.
Well, I got it done and I am looking forward to the first test drive and the first time putting the pedal down after the total break in.
What I ended up with is high compression Mahle Mondial pistons with around 10.2 :1 (found a gas station that sells 110 octane less than 3 miles away if I need it).
Mark Allison's 285V cams, 2mm head gasket and head studs.
Jason Miller's lightened flywheel (love your stuff and wish I would have a bigger budget)
Gear reduction starter and lots of parts and help from Autoricambi. Thank you Ramzi and Csaba you are the best.
Radiator and electric fan from Vick's and no guy's, the little feet did not come with the fan so screw you guys.
Catalytic converter is gone and I still need to feed more air to the air filter.
I ended up with less than 2mm distance from the Gear reduction starter to the steering box and hope I can fix this by moving the motor more to the passenger side.
I can see adjustable cam wheels and a header and exhaust in the future.

More after my test drive and I hope I will find time to post pics.
Still, somebody should have told me, it will take a while to catch up with my job and social live.

[narfire]

Well congrats on the re-build.
In my opinion the attachment of the clutch cable to the pedal is the most difficult evolution on this car. I find the top starter bolt, or top driver tranny bolt easier.
I still have to connect the cable to the pedal on a 72 I have in the shop and break into sweats thinking about it...perhaps some colder installation fluid...

[CajunMike]

Geez way to encourage us who are soon to start.

Fiats are easy to work on until you start actually working on them. You quickly discover that the person who designed these cars also designed rat mazes on the side.

[TX82FIAT]

The clutch cable is one of those difficult areas. I carry a spare in the trunk during long trips just in case. Hint always hook up the pedal side first so you can give yourself a little slack. There is always some difficult aspect of everything on a 30 - 40 year old Italian car.

[Tobi]

The clutch cable only took me 15 minutes but the little white plastic clip took 45 minutes and it was 2am so that did not help.
Fixing the gear shifter by myself ones was a bigger pain and the replacement of the heater valve left me more unsatisfied. That thing did not seem to fit at all.
Here is some encouragement for Mike, I just did the brake in for the cams and after all it was totally worth it.
I drove it around the block and the motor was purring like a kitten and I did not find a single leak
The old motor was leaking and burning like crazy and I had to ad 0.3 liters of oil and lots of coolant every day.
Now I need to do the first oil change and reinstall the hood and the grill.
Even though there was a lot of pain it was also very satisfying and I learned a lot.
Working on the car in the future will be so much better because it will be all clean and not like sticking my arm in to a cows bud

[joelittel]

Tobi, are you using the stock fuel injection?

[Tobi]

Yes joelittle, it's the original Fi and it was running well for the last 6000 miles till the first cylinder spark plug was drouned in oil a month ago. I will need to take it out again and check the rings. I am thinking about using a bigger afm in the future.

[toplessexpat]

Hey - lots of l Jetronic options on afms around. I've got one from an Alfa spider in our 2000. Runs really very nicely.

I'd be interested to hear your cam experience with the FI. Is it really super smooth?

A

[Tobi]

I could not tell the flywheel or the cams when it idles. Thinking about an afm from a beamer.

[toplessexpat]

Yeah - as long as it's L Jetronic it should all be fine