Hello-- just bought a 500 yesterday, and I'm very excited! After a drive, the decklid is pretty hot to the touch. Is this normal? On my '67 912, this would be cause for concern...

My feeling has always been: If it's running ok and there are no smells of burning leave it alone. This applies even if the oil light is glowing, as long as there actually is sufficient oil in the engine.

No smells-- just a hot decklid. I'm going to go with your advice. Thanks for the reply.

Do you have the heat insulator that mounts on the inside of the deck lid just behind the license plate installed? That is supposed to reduce the amount of heat that the exhaust manifold transmits to the deck lid. Also make sure that you have both metal heat shields installed. One on the left and one on the right above the muffler.
John

Thanks, jjacob-- I'll look tonight when I get home.

Smells & smoke are deffo a sign of too hot!

What jjacob says is a good plan...

Great-looking little car - lucky devil. I had several 500s and the engine cover does get hot, though heat shields should make a difference.

On a well thrashed example such as my '58 Sport (21bhp 499cc engine) the engine cover handle could become too hot to touch......well it did occasionally when rallying it.

Thanks, everybody.

I see a heat shield on the right in this photo:

There should be one on the left also? Makes sense.


Nothing on the decklid.

It doesn't smell or smoke, so I'll go with it for now. Anybody have a pic of the missing heat shields?

It all appears to be there barring the engine lid heatshield which normally sits behind the numberplate.

Good to know-- I'll fab something up while I look for an authentic piece.

Here are pics of the two heat shields and the decklid insulator. Your decklid insulator is completely missing. Most likely cause of high temperature on the decklid.
The insulator has a thin metal frame and a fibrous insulator.
http://webshop.fiat500126.com/katal...plate_heat_protection_for_engine_cover_mframe
John

This is the thing to which everyone is referring - it's a small piece of thermal insulation (? sealed asbestos ...) mounted on the inside of the engine lid.

Chris

and I thought that the shield was more to do with keeping the tail light assembly away from the heat than keeping the lid cool.....

Joe R

Joe,

I use it to rest my beer on when I'm tinkering with the mighty air-cooled twin

And yes, I think you are right - it is there to prevent the number plate light from melting.

Chris

PS: Saw your car at David's last weekend when I was down there ministering to my next project. Very nice - I like the red interior and the lovely engine bay though I was a little disappointed that the exhaust had not been chromed ...

Ah, it's smaller than I had imagined it... thanks for the pic.

I'm going to put together a tune-up parts order soon. I'll see if one is in stock when I do.

My engine lid gets hot, as do the side of the car at the back. I think this is normal but I will ask my mechanic next time I see him. When all the covers and shields are fitted, the hot air has to vent somewhere and the louvres in the lid are one logical place.

Chris,

Can't bear to talk about why the car is there yet. When I get it back I will have calmed down and I will disclose all. We should take the opportunity for a photo op of the cars at David's.

Joe R

Well, I took it flat out on the freeway for a few miles yesterday. Hit 63.5 mph according to GPS. I think it had another one or two MPH to go, but I had to lift my foot a couple of times for traffic.

I exited the freeway, pulled over, and touched the engine lid-- HOT! No funky smells though, and no smoke-- engine isn't the cleanest either.

In my past VW's, and my current 912, the engine compartment is pretty well sealed off from the exhaust pipe. Mainly because the cooling air is sucked into the fan from the engine compartment.

I would definitely be interested in your mechanics opinion.

So does anyone have a extra heat shield for the muffler they need to part with