fiat500 said:

The part I can't be bothered with now is tarting-up all the cowlings etc. so I can test it properly; I'll probably just bodge it together and give it a try,

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I hear you with this one, spent quite a lot of time recently refurbishing calipers for various vehicles which took quite a lot of time using the little blast cabinet I have...…..I'm thinking moving forward I will just take parts to be done as it's such a long drawn out, dirty process...…..


It's great to do it all yourself but sometimes I'm starting to think my time would be better used elsewhere and it is no shame to pay for things doing...….

The Whitakers said:

.I'm thinking moving forward I will just take parts to be done

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...That's where we diverge.......I might just leave them scruffy. It's taken me 11 years to get to the point where my existing engine has matching tinware in matt/satin-black....so not really matching.

Toshi 975 said:

I know that you have been meticulous with keeping the engine internals clean but it will be interesting to see the oil when you first drain it. I know I used fully synth but the oil came out quite blackened after running in as it gets to the bits you can't.

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.....not that meticulous... but better than previously. But you're right about the blackness. It found it the same with my gearbox oil which I expected to be hardly tainted...it was like something a squid had deposited.

But modern oil does do a great job of cleaning. When I removed the rocker-cover on my current engine, which has had four oil changes so far, the top surface of the head was spotless with not a sign of that ground in patina you find on a neglected engine..

I finally got around to fitting the engine to the car so I can get it run in and get any possible problems sorted out. It started easily, having been laid up since May, and needed no adjustment apart from reducing the idle speed a bit.

After a few miles driving it's hard to compare with the 650 engine yet. It seems to have a bit more torque, which makes it more flexible as to which gear you are in. I will do 1,000 miles running-in and report back how we've progressed.

https://youtu.be/ueS56ZvhYuI

The engine has been in the car for 350 miles now, so we're coming up to time for the running-in oil to be drained. Any slight gremlins have been sorted and it starts and bowls the car along seemingly as well as the 652 engine did. In fact it is such an instant starter, hot or cold now, that it points to there being no truth in any argument that says that electronic ignition is needed to improve starting...it's still using contact breakers in an original distributor.

I've done a video the start of the cold engine where I almost immediately pushed the choke off. This resuts in very slow and wobbly tickover. But it becomes steady and speeds up nicely when the engine is warmed up.

https://youtu.be/XgaiKtAzR3U

Toshi 975 said:

I know that you have been meticulous with keeping the engine internals clean but it will be interesting to see the oil when you first drain it. I know I used fully synth but the oil came out quite blackened after running in as it gets to the bits you can't.

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At a much slower pace than usual, the engine mileage has finally made it to 500, at which the running-in oil needs draining. It is dirtier than I would normally expect oil to be by this stage, but still brown rather than black.
After it's fully drained overnight it will be refilled with my favourite oil.

I'm continuing the road-testing until at least 1,000 miles and then I have to decide if I will try to sell it or if I'm at least going to put the 650 back in. As things stand now, maybe more because of the brand new head that was fitted rather than all of the other enhancements, this has been a very perky engine and immediate starter at all times....it's become my favourite.

A lovely image of engine oil attached.

fiat500 said:

As things stand now, maybe more because of the brand new head that was fitted rather than all of the other enhancements, this has been a very perky engine and immediate starter at all times....it's become my favourite.
:

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Of course you are now in danger of reviving the age old argument about the 594cc being the best of the Fiat 2 cylinder air cooled engines

Toshi 975 said:

Of course you are now in danger of reviving the age old argument about the 594cc being the best of the Fiat 2 cylinder air cooled engines

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...it does feel unburstable. Now that I've got some proper oil in it and booted it past the 60MPH point I feel even better about it.

I've only known a 594cc lump but the little engine does well. She will go to 70mph on occassion when the need arises. I tend to cruise on motorways at 100K. :slayer:

Well I for one don't believe these dizzy speeds of 60 or 70mph...
I used to celebrate reaching 30 without anything breaking...

I demand to see a speeding ticket from our law enforcement officers!!