Thanks jonti,

I had a couple of hours this weekend so I dropped the front bumper again. Started with a hacksaw, then angle grinder, but ended up drilling out the spot welds and removed the entire centre section of the cross member. The bumper sits nicer and the rad is no longer squeezed against the turbo. Infact I had to pull the fan out entirely.
I'm going to pause any more fiddling for a bit as the virbration at idle has gone and the top hose is no longer kinked so cooling shouldn't be an issue. As you say though i'll drill out some more spot welds on the chassis legs and bash the rest into shape.

Here it is in the works carpark looking filthy!

Ok thanks for the update. Driling out spotwelds is one of those pleasureable tasks, the more welds the better. Great thread

Evidence of the carnage.

This is also what the inside of my mind looks like.

Does it drive OK with the front cross member removed?

widemouthfrog said:

Does it drive OK with the front cross member removed?

Click to expand...

Do you know what - I wanted it to feel different (just like I did when I lowered it, polybushed the ARB and put new shocks and mount on) but in all honesty it's not noticeable. I guess it's akin to buying a fancy pants strut brace and finding out it's done absolutely nothing.

Interesting to know.

The strut tops are very well located on the Multipla anyway, as they are so close to the bulkhead. Added to that, you can take comfort from the largest magnesium alloy casting ever to be used in a production car (at the time anyway, and to the best of my knowledge, it still is) that is buried in between the dash and the bulkhead

Great photos and diary thread in general, by the way

shedenvy said:

This is also what the inside of my mind looks like.

Click to expand...

A couple more power tools and you will have Total Clarity.

The writing's on the wall for this folks!

Sorry to say it but my 25K a year commute and my laissez-faire attitude to driving means that this old dog is limping on her last leg.

Picked up a scratch on the nearside rear door which now means I have a complete set of scatched, dented, laquer peel or rusty panels. The front cross member is still MIA and realistically i'm not going to get around to welding in a new one. The panel gaps at the front end are indicating that the offside chassis leg is a tinchy bit too far to the offside and after carrying a heafty trolley jack in the boot the internal plastics are a bit cracked.
Today the clutch has started juddering with a vengeance - well I say clutch but it could obviously be DMF. No noise just juddery. There's no way in hell i'm doing a clutch on this car again.
The tyres are still as awful and i'm still unsure as to whether my coupe wheels are bent after hitting a pothole.
The front brake discs look suspiciously like the pads are in need of changing.
The passenger window switch is needed and both lecktric sunroof motors have given up.
The bump I had on the A12 resulted in me removing the rad fan and the horn hasn't worked since either.
The Auxillary belt is still squeaking - I think it's the idler or tensioner, I have both but can't be arsed to fit.

So it may well be joining the graveyard at DAM Fiats, it's a shame, in some ways i've given it a second life but I think it's time to throw in the towel.

Dare I ask with what you'll replace it?

widemouthfrog said:

Dare I ask with what you'll replace it?

Click to expand...

Poss S-Max. So in some respects out of frying pan in to fire...

Fix Or Repair Daily.

Good look and thank you for the great posts you have shared with us.
All the best

Still sort of persisting with this hunk of junk. While I'm waiting for an S-Max to come up within 20 miles with the right spec, private sale and not with eleventy billion miles on I thought I'd fit a couple of things on the multi. Did the idler & tensioner today in the hope it'd fix the squeak/chirup from that area. No use unfortunately and on closer inspection there is rather a lot of oil in that area. I think it may be from the power steering pump. Will check level tomorrow.
Also checked my coupe wheels again and it seems the pot hole damage may just be a puncture rather than the buckled rim I feared. Will ask the tyre place to put a new tyre on tomorrow and check that the rim seals and the wheel balances ok.
Also got a rear wheel bearing coming in the post. Anyone know the torque spec for the nut?
Finally I need a bonnet retainer solution that isn't a mouldy old bungee chord. I'm thinking some ghetto bonnet pins may be the way forward.

Found dis,
View attachment RearWheelBearingSwapABS.pdf
here:
https://sites.google.com/site/fiatmultipla/Home/repairs
210 foot pounds
blimey

Chucked coupe wheels back on the front. Rear wheel bearing tonight then replace the back wheels with coupe ones.

Wheel off, caliper off, loosen caliper carrier bolts, remove one bolt and swing the caliper carrier to the side to remove the rear disc. knock off dust cap with a screwdriver and hammer.

Remove nut with a breaker bar. Remove flange/hub by hooking a crow bar behind the flange and wacking it from behind.

Cleaned off the shaft, added a little grease and tried to slide the new one on.
New & old side by side:

The outer race began to bind so rather than risk separating it all I put the fat washer back on and the nut and gently wound it on until the hub was fully home.

My torque wrench only went up to 210Nm but it needed 210ftlbs. So went back to breaker bar and added a calibrated amount of angle (guessed).

BIG GUNS
Finally added my spacers and a considerably nicer looking wheel - well I gotta to put the new bearing through it's paces!

Verdict tomorrow - it's been sounding like I have the Luftwaffe on my tail all week!

Well, the wheel bearing is silent - WIN!

Unfortunately I can now hear a rattle/knock from the back end. I'm thinking either one of my wheels has lost a weight or is egg shaped or possibly one or both of the rear shocks are loose or just completely duff (I did have an advisory for oil misting from the offside rear).

Fix It Again Tomorrow.

Otherwise the wheels and tyres are exactly 85.9% betterer in the wet. Yay!

First time on the Forum but just for information I am probably putting my loved Multipla up for sale. It is my 3rd one and is a blue metallic 2008 with 17" original wheels plus full set of original 16" wheels as well. Can sell the 17" wheels separately if necessary.
I have owned her for the last 7 years and have full history. Clutch was changed last year and I have replaced all the key 'fails' eg both engine mounts etc. and have all history. Needs a good home to a knowledgable owner as don't want to trade in as it would go to auction. Text me on 07786 421584 if interested or if I have put this info in the wrong place would appreciate someone putting me right!
MOT till December 2020.

Shedenvy:
Hiya mucka. Nice little job you done there. That twittering you can hear is possibly the alternator belt, mine was the same and my nephew (he own's a garage so I thought I'd ask him) said 'watch this' and sprinkled some water on the belt as it was ticking over (doing it's budgie thing) and it stopped immediately. He said 'the belt becomes polished and in one particular place they slip and start twittering to you, they only way to shut em up is either scour the drive wheel (which isn't very easy) or spray a light coating of spray adhesive on it whilst it's running - apparently it sticks to the drive wheel and takes some of the shinyness off it. Even this way does not last that long, it has something to do with the amount of carbon in the rubber of the belt.
Sorry for the long blog
George

So folks, i've gone and bought something else:

It's 15 years old & done 150K - just run in then!

Anyway, that raised the question on what to do with the Multiplop.

I haven't chased it up but i've had a scrap yard quote £188 for it. if someone wants it for £150 they are welcome to it - give me a PM.

The Bad:
tapping from the accessory drive. - Going to put the old Front pulley / tensioner back on and see if it cures it.
No front cross member or radiator fan.
Passenger electric window switch, sunroof motors needed.
Headunit & speakers removed - but I can put these back in for a small price.
Dents / scratches / laquer peel - yes lots.
Slight clutch judder
Tyres are slippier than a slippery thing.

The good:
New rear brakes
Clutch less than 25K old
Timing belt & water pump 12K ago
top mounts, drop links, front shocks, 30mm lowering springs 12K ago.
Non-sticky interior.
MOT until December. It still runs fine.