Hi All,

Glad to be joining the 500 club!

First things first, full disclosure:

I know next to nothing about Fiats.


So, my wife thinks they are adorable, so we got a delightful little 1972 500L. Cute as a button, in nice shape, seems to run just fine. We love it.

But here's my total newbie question (I'm sure there will be more down the road):

How much noise are these little engines supposed to make?? It's hilarious. It seems to be chugging along just fine, but I swear I worry this engine is just going to shake itself right out the back of the car. And then there is the nice solid "clunk" when I shift gears.

I know there are few specifics in this question to go off of. But assuming that there is no black smoke or a solid trail of extravasating fluids of some sort, should I just relax and enjoy the cacophony?

Thanks! Look forward to more perplexed questions in the months to come!

Welcome and enjoy your 500 in great health. Its a great car if you’ve had an argument with the wife, as at speed ( greater than 30kmh in this case ) you can’t hear each other

You have to bear in mind, the engine is not far from you and there is jack all sound insulation.

If you’re worried, post up a video and the faithful will chip in

Rob

Try this link..they're noisy compared with modern cars and even with many cars of the same era; but what a lovely noise!

[ame]https://youtu.be/P8SDGpaDtqE[/ame]

fiat500 said:

Try this link..they're noisy compared with modern cars and even with many cars of the same era; but what a lovely noise!

https://youtu.be/P8SDGpaDtqE

Click to expand...

I am going to have to go to Scotland and see if I can find any decent cameras lying around on the roadside! You must have forgotten at least one?

That’s with the camera on the rear parcel shelf isn’t it? So it probably picked up more engine noise, added to the fact the sunroof is open.

You might remember my little dash cam film from last year? It’s quite impressive how quiet and smooth the car actually is, that’s with the window open as well. I think it highlights how those few extra horses makes so much difference.

[ame]https://youtu.be/c2kvkucMg6I[/ame]

Mine (also a '72 500L) quieted up a bit and became much smoother with the electronic ignition (aftermarket, not for purists). The vibration noise prior WAS substantial to say the least, even after a tune up from the nearby 500 specialist here in Sicily.

Vitesse said:

You might remember my little dash cam film from last year? It’s quite impressive how quiet and smooth the car actually is, that’s with the window open as well. I think it highlights how those few extra horses makes so much difference.

Click to expand...

Judged by that video, little Luigi is quiter than Murf; but half of that is your lack of gearbox whine. Even with my carefully rebuilt box I still find its noise more offensive than that of the engine. In fact, as I've said before, I love the noise of the engine.

We still don't know how vining 's car sounds, but I can say that Sheila and me did about 500 miles together on the return journey to Cornwall last year and we did still manage to talk to each other whilst driving. When everything is sorted, the noise of the engine at speed is not at all clattery but rather its something more akin to the spin cycle of a (good quality ), Italian-made washing-machine.

We've never noted that the engine noise is too great, yes definitely noticeable but not that much you cant hear each other....


I was also surprised at how quiet it was with the roof open too.....I expected the noise to make your ear drums ache...…..

The Whitakers said:

W

I was also surprised at how quiet it was with the roof open too.....I expected the noise to make your ear drums ache...…..

Click to expand...

I always feel that the experience inside the car is quieter, or at least, somehow more bearable, when the roof is open.

fiat500 said:

I always feel that the experience inside the car is quieter, or at least, somehow more bearable, when the roof is open.

Click to expand...

I expected quite a lot of 'buffeting' in the ears but relatively nothing and that was cruising at 50-60MPH...…


Although when the wind caught the vinyl roof and it slammed the middle support bar on the roof a couple of times Mrs W thought the car was falling apart...……

I had a clunking noise coming from my engine while driving. A little investigation revealed that the rubber dampener on the engine mount at the bridge had perished. In addition a previous owner had tapped a screw into where the dampener should have been, to limit the engine travel, so that it would not bottom out too hard.

The Whitakers said:

Although when the wind caught the vinyl roof and it slammed the middle support bar on the roof a couple of times Mrs W thought the car was falling apart...……

Click to expand...

I used to suffer that problem and looked to the Forum where I got some good advice including IanEmery tellling me that there is a strap that can be used from the earlier models.

But I noticed that you see most Italian cars roofs folded back in a different way than the simple way it goes if you just release the hood whilst moving. It only takes a few seconds to do and the doesn't flap at all which also saves the wear on the vinyl.

On the link below you can see what i did to reduce sound by 5db Then i installed a sport exhaust to increase sound by 15db Yes little car is noisy but for me is like music to my ears, reminds me that i am driving a real car.

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/448370-engine-noise-sound-insulation.html