Technical Project Little Blue - an introduction (and cry for help)

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Technical Project Little Blue - an introduction (and cry for help)

Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
463
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Location
Sydney, Australia
Hi everyone
She's here! Finally arrived, after months of back and forth communications, some fantastic help from Looigi, and the nightmare that is the import process.
My little 1963 D, as cute and fun as they come.

I have a long way to go with these little cars. I've owned classic minis in the past and love their size and simplicity, and I think the 500 goes one step further in both areas. I can't wait to get to know them better, hopefully with a little help from you guys. I'm not yet familiar with what switches and levers do what, but I have got the haynes manual which I'll have a good look at.


My first cry for help is oh dear she won't start.

Ticking over nicely (connected by leads to my wife's car) and the exhaust occasionally 'pops'. But not starting or even chugging.


Looking in the back, there is fuel dripping. I've had this in the past on a mini and given the carb a good tap and dislodged a stuck float.
Could this be my problem here, and if so, where do I tap!


As you can see, there's petrol dripping from the hose at the large circle point, almost spraying out given the fact that it's hitting the back of the engine bay.
The smaller circle is just showing all the petrol dripping to the floor...


ANy help would be fantastic. Unfortunately I hope to be calling on you guys for some simple tips as much as possible, as there aren't too many little Bambinos in Sydney!

Thanks again!
 

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I am thinking that you are lucky it didn't start. Hot engine and fuel spraying around with your face in the engine bay marveling at the engineering excellence is not a good combo.

Replace the fuel hose going up from the fuel pump up to the carb and use a couple new hose clips. (A small investment and any auto store can sell it to you so you can get this done tomorrow if you are free.)

Then wipe down the fuel pump and then crank the starter with no ingnition on. You don't want it to start, you just want to check for leaks. If you still have any fuel spraying around then perhaps the pump diaphragm, seals or the pump itself is shot. A slightly larger investment. (A hint of things to come.)

Someone else will chip in with wiser words, but please let us know how you go with this first step.


Joe R
 
Thanks for the advice, and safety tips too.

The hose to carb does seem like the weak point, I'll pull it off tomorrow morning and see what I find, it was driven to the depot just a couple of weeks ago so I'm curious as to what could have cropped up in the mean time.

As a test, can I pop the top off the carb and put some fuel in to see if it starts?
After making sure the hose isn't going to spray and cause a fire...
 
The benefit of a second pair of hands - got my wife to turn it over while I had a look and there's a small split in the fuel hose feeding to the carb. As suspected, thanks Joe! Will head to supercheap auto tomorrow to see what I can find to replace it
 
I would second everything Joe has said and also add that that whole fuel circuit looks like a fire waiting to happen. Is that a flexible hose held in place with two larger diameter flexible hoses and a clip before the pump? If so that's a big no no. I would disconnect the hose from the carb and put it into a container. Get a friend to crank the engine over (no ignition) and see where the fuel is coming out. A good circuit with no leaks should be into the container only. I think yours will be coming out around the pump as well. keep us posted

Damian
 
Is that a flexible hose held in place with two larger diameter flexible hoses and a clip before the pump? If so that's a big no no.


THanks Damian yes it is some rubber hoses around the edges, maybe a quick fix job that has sat in place for 15 years forgotten.

Plan today is to replace both hoses before and after fuel pump, and the clamps. The leak is definitely in the hose up to the carb but by the sounds of it I may as well do both!

Thanks again,
Jeremy
 
You may want to look at a small inline fuel filter as well. You can get clear ones that give some indication of whats going on. I think the consensus is to put it before the fuel pump.

Joe R
 
Ah did my photo not show? It's a pretty ordinary one admittedly. Doesn't show the split either but I've found it now. Nothing like your engine bay! Obviously a lot of work to do on mine but if there wasn't then it wouldn't be a project.

I'm in north Sydney, and hoping to find a fiat boffin nearby that I can even pay to come and work through some tasks with me. I'll post a better image of my engine bay later but judging by the fact that the coil is dangling from a wire and the distributor cap is loose, I could be up for some excitement.
 
Jeremy,

can we get some photos of the coil and distributor please? Some of the rest of the car would be good too, we are a bit tragic here ....

Joe R
 
Ah did my photo not show? It's a pretty ordinary one admittedly. Doesn't show the split either but I've found it now. Nothing like your engine bay! Obviously a lot of work to do on mine but if there wasn't then it wouldn't be a project.

I'm in north Sydney, and hoping to find a fiat boffin nearby that I can even pay to come and work through some tasks with me. I'll post a better image of my engine bay later but judging by the fact that the coil is dangling from a wire and the distributor cap is loose, I could be up for some excitement.

In Sydney The Italian made social motoring club has heaps of 500s and people who know them well

The Fiat club NSW also has a fair number of 500s as well

I am in Canberra so a bit far to pop in but maybe we will see you at Autoitalia Canberra one day

Cheers

Geoff
 
Thanks Geoff! I'll have to look into those clubs.

Well, a busy day today.
During delivery the tow truck driver must have clamped the front wheel too tight, and it was leaking air. So she spent much of the past few days up on the jack while a local Jax tyre shop enjoyed the challenge of a tiny tyre, which was leaking around the bead. They gave it a wire brush on the inside to remove any corrosion and it's holding air beautifully now (and all at no charge!) - I was under the impression these little wheels had inner tubes in the tyres? Not this one it seems, but might be something I look into.

Picked up some fuel hose and clamps and changed the hoses. Didn't have enough clamps as I decided to do the pre-fuel pump hose too, but the local service station was kind enough to give me some as freebies.

Cleaned out the distributor as it was pretty filthy inside, and even a bit wet - probably a side effect of the customs cleaning process. Put it back, tested the hoses - no leak - then cranked it! Crank crank but no bite.

Hmmm... flipped the distributor cap around the other way and presto, she rides! Feeling pretty lucky, the kindness of the tyre shop and mechanic in donating their time and goods.

The engine runs pretty rough, may need a tune? Classic Putt Putt sound but goes. There's obviously a lot of work to do but enjoying it so far. And thanks for the help from everyone!
For some reason it won't let me upload pictures :(
 
Here she is, imgur seems the only way to get images up at the moment.

Up on jacks, sadly while the tyre was repaired:
Jacked

And most importantly, the engine bay. I'm not sure where to start with this, it's not beautiful. Wires all over the place and coil is just sitting perched on the left. Unclear where / how it's meant to sit!

Engine Bay

Distributor cap is a little wobbly, the small wire clamps that loop over the top aren't particularly tight, but it holds nicely enough. Could any putt put running / idling be de to this, or more likely in need of a tune? Or even some carby cleaner?
 
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Coil fitted on left-hand side is to eliminate overheating from the exhaust.
Loose distributor cap = poor running.
A new cap should be your first purchase.
 
Thanks for adding the pics!
Feels good to have done something properly and those clamps and hoses should last a while.

Did some running around today in it.
It's giving the odd pop / backfire, but runs ok.
Cleaned the spark plugs which were black and sooty - mixture too rich?

Should the distributor cap have a gasket or something? Seems like there should be a rubber rim or something to hold it more securely.

There's also some knocking at the back that increases with speed which is a bit concerning.

And when the brakes are applied a knocking at one of the front wheels!

If anyone has any ideas how I can trouble shoot these things it would be great!
 
First please tell me that you've bought some jack stands - jacking the car the way you have done in the picture and then getting under it could prove very dangerous.

Recommissioning any car that has been sitting for quite a while involves looking carefully at every subsystem - electrics, fuel, brakes, clutch, suspension, cooling etc. - and working your way methodically through them.

As for the knocking, I'd be checking the brakes first.

Otherwise, a RHD 500D - nice one, congratulations

Chris
 
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