I have a 1972 500L with a 650cc engine ,oil cooler, weber40, sports silencer and a few other internal mods. I have tested the heat on the manifold where it bends going into the silencer and noticed it measures around 300deg, has anyone fitted an electric fan onto the vents on the boot lid above the manifold to cool them down a little, I have at the moment got manifold wrap on the manifold.

ClassicFiat500 said:

I have a 1972 500L with a 650cc engine ,oil cooler, weber40, sports silencer and a few other internal mods. I have tested the heat on the manifold where it bends going into the silencer and noticed it measures around 300deg, has anyone fitted an electric fan onto the vents on the boot lid above the manifold to cool them down a little, I have at the moment got manifold wrap on the manifold.

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Hi, I have a modified engine and gearbox on my 500. I have found that with heat wrap on the exhaust downpipes the engine bay is cooler, but I have the addition of a thermostatically controlled cooling fan on my oil cooler and the engine bay lid is propped open to the horizontal. the fan helps draw air into the engine bay and even on a hot day I can maintain 90 to 95deg C oil temp - even if I press on A fan on the engine bay cover would be difficult to secure and the power cable could cause problems. My fan is mounted on the rear crossmember (see pic) and draws air from under the car.
Ian.

Hi Bleeding knuckles, your car looks awesome! I have hinged my boot from the top with just 3" opening at the bottom , so I thought I would mount the fan on ourthe inside of the boot lid drawing air through the grill on the manifold side & blowing into the manifold. Don't know if it will have any effect!
Can I ask you where you fitted the temp gauge to keep an eye on your oil temperature. My oil cooler is mounted under the car below the back seat at a slight angle, little vulnerable though.

ClassicFiat500 said:

Hi Bleeding knuckles, your car looks awesome! I have hinged my boot from the top with just 3" opening at the bottom , so I thought I would mount the fan on ourthe inside of the boot lid drawing air through the grill on the manifold side & blowing into the manifold. Don't know if it will have any effect!
Can I ask you where you fitted the temp gauge to keep an eye on your oil temperature. My oil cooler is mounted under the car below the back seat at a slight angle, little vulnerable though.

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Hi CF500, given your proposed mounting position you are still going to have a cable of some sort providing power to the fan, plus a switch cable?? I have also needed to wire the fan direct to the battery with a 20Amp fuse because of the current draw by the fan when it starts up!!! I reckon that if you wish to keep the engine cover arrangement as is, it would be best to have the fan drawing air through the engine bay from under the car and through the gap in the bottom, then blow the air out of the grill?? If you try to blow air into the bay this will largely be cancelled by the airflow from under the car unless the fan is powerful!! Are you trying to reduce the engine bay temperature??? You will find that the alternator protection plate under the engine will help scoop air if you have it fitted. The other idea would be to fashion a scoop on the outside of the engine cover facing into the airflow pushing air to the carb, but you would need a horizontal cover for this.
I have a 4Ltr alloy sump with a temp probe in it, along with a duel pressure transducer that provides visual pressure and a low pressure light.

I think if you have reverse hinge your hood and you let it open from below hot air is going out of the bay when you are moving and this is enough. I am opening mine during summer. I have also wrap my pipes with special titanium tape and that reduces heat but most important increases sound and backfiring:slayer::slayer::slayer: Here is my poor mans temp gauge installation since i can't afford abarth instruments