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OP
Can’t see any clamp at front end .... what is it I need? Would prefer to replace it!
General 500 under engine cover
- Thread starter Baglady1990
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General 500 under engine cover
Can’t see any clamp at front end .... what is it I need? Would prefer to replace it!
OP
OP
I will take a picture when i get home later no it's at the bottom of the engine where the gearbox and engine meet, I had to remove the gearbox bolt to fix a new one
OP
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That would be great thank you very much!
The main thing bag lady, the lower engine will be protected from any cr@p on the road
Yes, that's the one. Rasputin had one but when I changed the sump I had to remove the manifold, and that required the bracket to be removed, when it promptly fell apart.
It bolts to a triangular (from memory) bracket that is bolted through the two lower front bolts that hold the bell-housing on, so if you have nothing "bracket looking" hanging from the bell-housing, you'll need to rustle one up from somewhere.
Don't worry about heat build up with the under-tray. My old Stilo didn't have a tray when I bought it, and when I replaced it I didn't notice any difference whatsoever.
Any excess heat in the engine bay would transfer to the coolant, so you might get marginally more radiator fan action in the summer.. but if the car is moving, the bottom rear of the under-tray would act like a venturi anyway, so it will tend to suck air out.
If you have one of those cone filters a warmer engine bay might give you a bit less power... but if you have a cone filter you probably have a shield and a cold air feed too.. so no bother.
Where did you get your tray from? Is it a metal or a plastic one?
Ralf S.
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Well I’m still learning so John is going to take a pic later so I know exactly where to look for exactly where the bracket should be
Though like I said there’s no sign of any bracket up front except the joint one where they fit my new pipe together
I got the new cover on eBay powder coated steel ... tad expensive but it’s very well made and was easier to fit than the flimsy plastic one
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383089919753
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Ralf you're right, the triangle bracket is on the bottom of the engine where it meets the gearbox it was completely rusted away(the clamp round the exhaust) right beside the exhaust only about 6" forward of the join to the flexi, it's there so that the weight of the exhaust from the rear hanger all the way forward to the gearbox one is supported but when missing all the weight goes to the manifold on the engine. So at the very bottom of the engine where the gearbox meets right where the exhaust runs look for the triangle bracket, now realise the pipe clamp is not there, it's shown on Fiat diagram and even though it's a separate item it's not available separately from Fiat, hence I had fashion one from a pipe clamp and a bit of strip steel. Not the best pictures as it was dark
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Thanks so much for that John! I’ll have a look! But I have a feeling that what was there isn’t there now! I never noticed before my flexi & whole pipe was changed 8 weeks ago but the garage I use would have replaced it I’m sure! Unless you can’t get one and they didn’t say!
OP
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I wonder what I can do then .. there may be remnants of the original bracket but I did just have a gearbox refurb and obviously flexi and pipe replacement so I’m guessing it disappeared either then or pre my ownership
Obviously if you can’t buy this bracket and I’m limited in my skills how are you supposed to replace!?
I can dab around I suppose try and create a new bracket out of others lol
I have noticed the pipe does rattle a little when idle particularly at the front!
Obviously if you can’t buy this bracket and I’m limited in my skills how are you supposed to replace!?
I can dab around I suppose try and create a new bracket out of others lol
I have noticed the pipe does rattle a little when idle particularly at the front!
The bracket you can't buy is the part that goes round the exhaust(not the triangle one), any good garage would have replaced the triangle bracket whether or not it was being used?, in all honestly it probably won't matter unless you're keeping the car for its life like we are due to sheet lack of money in that case over time it may cause unexpected failure like cracked down pipe or cat joints?
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yeah ill be keeping my car! so ill have to get on it! at least your pics show me where I need to be looking and indeed fitting! im just going to order some brackets and do a little mash up! pretty pissed off that the garage didn't notice or say! all I can assume is the bracket was long gone by the time I got the car!!
ill have a good look tom ...ive only managed to find one tiny pic online with a glimpse of what the original looked like...kind of wavy looking thing!
The pipe clamp might not be there but the triangle one should unless it was thrown away when the gearbox was removed, it seems to be made from better steel then the unavailable clamp, you may be able to get it(triangle one) from Ebay from the Fiat specialist breaker?
OP
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Probably chucked away! I’ve messaged 500 italia to see if they can get one
The bottom bracket is probably there to add extra support to the end of the exhaust manifold, so it may be a good idea to have one. Longer term the manifold gasket will have an easier time of it... and it may relieve some weight on the flexi' joint.
The bracket should still be available; #5 in the picture looks like it 55194440 but it's around GBP18.. so if/when you get one, it's best to treasure it.
It's a bent bit of steel with a captive nut welded to it and a hole big enough for the bell-housing bolt (M10?) if you want to make yourself one. Otherwise the breakers must have them.
The exhaust support clamp is no. 51816520. It's shown fitted onto the manifold below, but with no part number attached to it. I found one on eBay for GBP14 but again, a Fiat dealer ought to be able to get hold of one too (albeit maybe a bit dearer). These rust and disntegrate because they're on the exhaust manifold and also get wet... so they corrode and get burnt at the same time. A spot of heatproof paint and the undertray ought to make it last a bit longer.
Ralf S.
The bracket should still be available; #5 in the picture looks like it 55194440 but it's around GBP18.. so if/when you get one, it's best to treasure it.
It's a bent bit of steel with a captive nut welded to it and a hole big enough for the bell-housing bolt (M10?) if you want to make yourself one. Otherwise the breakers must have them.
The exhaust support clamp is no. 51816520. It's shown fitted onto the manifold below, but with no part number attached to it. I found one on eBay for GBP14 but again, a Fiat dealer ought to be able to get hold of one too (albeit maybe a bit dearer). These rust and disntegrate because they're on the exhaust manifold and also get wet... so they corrode and get burnt at the same time. A spot of heatproof paint and the undertray ought to make it last a bit longer.
Ralf S.
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No the clamp on the down pipe is not available separately the dealer told me hence my clamp and straight piece set up
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Looks exactly like the drawing to me
