could I service my own Fiat 500L 1971__
I have a bit of knowledge but not much and would like to learn more.
I drive her everyday and is my only car
help and tips to maintain it would be great.
Fantastic local specialist serviced it in north London a year ago but I have time on my hands at the mo and want to save some money.
Any help would be appreciated
Best

All the basic and routine servicing can be carried out with a sensible range of tools and in a normal garage. I would go so far as to say that with a 'classic' car, especially when it is your 'one and only' it is an essential skill. The average AA man won't carry any spares for your car and in all probability wouldn't be able to diagnose certain problems (can't "plug it in"). Obtain a work-shop manual (Haynes will suffice if you can't lay your hands on an original), and spend a couple of evenings going through the basics.
There are however, a few jobs that it would be wise to get a specialist to do--overhauling king-pin assemblies being one that springs immediately to mind. Replacing rear hub-bearings is possibly another.
Well done for using your car so regularly--it is what they were designed for.

(The Hobbler beat me to it..)

Most people did the general stuff themselves in the 70's..

Special tools wont feature too often..
And certainly no computers to reset

What are you looking at doing..?

Oil and Air filters
Tyre pressures
Wiper Blades and Screenwash all pretty easy

Spark plugs ok

Brakes and Ignition points will need some help.. just because they are fussy

Everybody has a 'starting point'

Charlie

thanks for replying....
im looking at changing the plugs oil /fuel /air filters etc etc.. have no idea where the oil filter is and my Haynes doesn't help me locate
I need to change the wiper blades and the assembly'- not functioning well - how do I access the mechanism ? do I take the dash off ?
would love to learn how to strip and clean the carb / tune it adjust it - maybe this is a step too far - local specialist swapped the old carb for one I bought from eblay when the car had problems running when first bought - have the old one that probably just needs a clean ?
intermittent electrical / indicator / light problem - again specialist suggested sand blasting fusebox but they are only a tenner online so thought I could do this.
has a 126 649? engine in it and most things look pretty familiar as I am a 70's child and in my teens had to mend / deal with other problems on my VW polo etc..
what type of oil would be best to use ??
would do brakes / or anything too mechanical just service and tuning but know none of the tricks so bit nervous to start
tips would be welcome
im in North London so if there is anyone nearby who is a owner who could show me would be great!!
it had sone 250 miles in 4 yrs with previous owner - I will have done 3K in first year - love it, everyday motor!
Thanks

srenton said:

have no idea where the oil filter is and my Haynes doesn't help me locate

Click to expand...

....oil-filter here:https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/436867-centrifugal-oil-filter.html?p=4278469


It doesn't need cleaning all that often but when it does, you're glad you caught it in time.

There should be no item of regular maintenance that you can't do, although teh guidance here will help. Often, the hard part is being able to diagnose what is causing a problem; once you have that information it is usually a straightforward fix.

In my experience, you're doing the right thing by using it regularly. The key thing now is to sort out problems promptly and don't allow yourself to weaken and lay the car up.....good luck!

Go for it for a variety of reasons especially if it is your daily, saves you money (if you do it right), the satisfaction you will get and the knowledge you will gain will stand you in good stead especially if you break down and it is something you can fix. You obviously have a degree of practical skills, what sort of tool kit do you have?

Hi to all
Could someone help me I'm searching for the complete brake lines for the fiat 500l 1971 to set up
Unfortunately the fitted ones have destroyed and I don't have a "guide" to make new ones
Thank you in advance

F.D.Ricambi + Axel Gerstl + Van de Laan 500 all set complete brake-pipe kits, in either steel or copper. The copper piping is easier to bend round bends. Some of the kits come complete with new flexible hoses as well, some you have to buy the flexible hoses seperately.

Anyone in or near North London who could teach me how to check the timing and adjust valve clearances - I reckon I can work out most of the other bits to "service" my 500L but these I'm too nervous to attempt without someone else doing it for me whilst I watch. would happily compensate for their time / knowledge

I am about as thick as they come with mechanical stuff and I managed to adjust the valve clearances ok. I found the below videos helpful. One is for valve clearances and the other is ignition timing (which I haven’t done yet). Subtitles in English.

https://youtu.be/joedsmF7Cuk
https://youtu.be/9BmgSpDeE54

I would recommend this tool for valance clearances:
https://www.ricambio.co.uk/valve-adjustment-tool-classic-fiat-500-126

Out of stock but should be available elsewhere. Screwfix do a feeler gauge for just a few quid. I also bought a few rocker cover gaskets so I’m sorted for the next few times I need to adjust the clearances.

There are a couple of threads that explain valve clearances very well and between those and the above videos I muddled through it ok. Read through the whole threads as the information at the beginning is often improved upon.

The below video helped me understand the mechanics of adjusting valves even though there are more valves on that mini than on a fiat 500

https://youtu.be/ZFvwyCroV2w

Below is a good thread.

https://www.fiatforum.com/500-classic/341467-valve-clearances-2.html?p=4542128

I was shocked at just how much the valves can tighten up in a fairly short space of time

I was a bit nervous too but it was all ok in the end as long as you’re careful you can’t really break anything so I would just have a go!

thanks a lot for your help

So I gave in and got the good folk at Proietti ( who are luckily nearby )to check her out and do all the bits and pieces I didn't feel confident to do and apparently it was the points that needed adjusting. - the gap was wrong and causing the starting (& running ) problems. Valve clearances needed some adjustment but the timing was basically ok. I changed the carb to another I had , filters, plugs etc myself and the starting and running is good now.
The cold starting procedure I thought was a bit of a myth and I know each car is different but in the cold weather my 1971L with 650 126 engine has to be done like this, full choke leaver and then pull ignition... DO NOT TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR... start reducing "choke" almost straight away,
Anyway though it might be good to share how the problem was solved...
Next time I'll have the guts to try and check points gap timing and valve clearances myself.
Does anyone have a clearance measurement for the points gap in my engine?