Hi all,

I am restoring a 1967 Fiat 500, I am nearing the end, but one issue continues to haunt me and that’s me starter cable. I have a brand new one, run through the cable, through the impossibly hard to access clip by the gear box and then out to the lever on the starter.
Problem is the cable is slack, it’s on the nearest hole, but is still floppy. Only when the lever is up is there any kind of tension. If it makes any difference it’s a 650 engine and the starter is on the side.

My thoughts so far are :

A. There is another clip I need to fasten the cable to, this will get the tension (probably at the end like a brake cable on a bike)

B. It’s the wrong cable, and is for another 500 type which is 2” longer.

I have been through all the previous threads, but nothing really helpful apart from the ones on the hole for the clip, which were really helpful.

Any ideas would be great.

Will

Hi Will;
With a 652cc engine in the back, along with its 'at the side' starter position (as against the 500s 'at the top' position), I think that you will require an early 126 starter actuating cable. Axel Gerstl lists different cables for the 500D/L vis-a-vie the 500R/126. Whilst you are about it, get a new starter cable connection cover because with the 126 engine/starter combination in the back of a 500, the 'pull' cable can run quite close to the battery-lead connection to the starter.

Middlewich said:

Hi all,

I am restoring a 1967 Fiat 500, I am nearing the end, but one issue continues to haunt me and that’s me starter cable. I have a brand new one, run through the cable, through the impossibly hard to access clip by the gear box and then out to the lever on the starter.
Problem is the cable is slack, it’s on the nearest hole, but is still floppy. Only when the lever is up is there any kind of tension. If it makes any difference it’s a 650 engine and the starter is on the side.

My thoughts so far are :

A. There is another clip I need to fasten the cable to, this will get the tension (probably at the end like a brake cable on a bike)

B. It’s the wrong cable, and is for another 500 type which is 2” longer.

I have been through all the previous threads, but nothing really helpful apart from the ones on the hole for the clip, which were really helpful.

Any ideas would be great.

Will

Click to expand...

Will, you probably have the correct cable for the 126 engine. A noticeable difference is that it has a sort of hook at the pulling end rather than an eye.
It is routed differently than when you re-use the 500 cable, which can end up looking like this....very dodgy!

MAL_3626[1] by Peter Thompson, on Flickr

I wasn't happy to take the risk, insulated or not, so I got hold of a heater tube designed for the 126 as seen on the left below:

MAL_5391 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr

Although the modified 500 one on the right looks similar, there is a big difference in the geometry. When fitted on my 500 it made everything point in the right direction and dispenses with that awkward clip that you mentioned. The small, white stop which is a separate item will be the solution to your problem as it gives a positive locator for the cable and takes up the slack. There are some metal tabs that keep the outer part tidy.

I find that the pull-starter is more positive with this later arrangement.

fiat500 said:

The small, white stop which is a separate item will be the solution to your problem as it gives a positive locator for the cable and takes up the slack.

Click to expand...

I forgot, that stop isn't in the images but fits in the slotted hole on the tube. The slot on the original 500 tube was made by me when experimenting, as was the roughly-shaped dent in the side.

Thanks Tom and Peter, bizarrely before I located the proper hole for the fixing I used the heater tube and moved the clip to the end of the cable, which sort of works, but was very stiff. I do have the later cable with the hook as opposed to the eyelet, so tomorrow I will have a bit of an experiment.

For Tom,

Tomorrow is day, or engine start day, cable or broom handle the little 500 will be cranking over, so fingers crossed.

All the best with "start the engine" day----I will walk around with everything crossed for you! I would suggest that you try cranking engine over with plugs OUT to start with---to ensure that you have oil pressure around the engine. Then with plugs back in, full choke (and maybe, a squirt of 'easystart') crank it over!! Let us know how it goes please.

All good, starter motor cable now works a treat, car wouldn’t start bar a few farts from the exhaust suspect my timing is all to cock. Battery back on charge and try two tomorrow.