Technical 65 500F - newbie reassembly

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Technical 65 500F - newbie reassembly

vascrats

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Hey everyone...I've been around the forum for a little bit now but my Fiat 500F project had stalled. I recently gathered the money together to have the car painted so I can start trying to piece it back together. I am awesome at taking things apart and fair at getting them back together ; ). I will need a ton of advice and help as I really pulled it apart...even all of the wiring out. I am not a mechanic or panel banger ...just an 'average joe' who knows what a wrench is.

The blue is the color she was when I got her though it looks like she was originally white. ...and the other picture is the antique ivory being done now. Have not seen it in person, that was a pic the guy painting her sent.

I bought a new motor from Mr. Fiat and will be putting it back in in place of the old motor that came out. I've figured the old motor was a 126 motor as well as the gearbox. I put new oil boots and seals in the gearbox so hopefully it will drip less oil.

My first questions in the process of getting the motor back in would be these...

1) Is it best to join the gearbox and motor out of the car and put them both in together, or put the gearbox back (as it was last to come out) and then the motor? Would the exhaust go back on before putting the motor in the car?

2) I noticed the flywheel on the new motor looks different (as seen in the photos). Will I need to put the old flywheel on the new motor? I have attached a picture of my starter..which does have the pull cord lever.

I will keep posting my questions in this thread as they come up and any and all help will make this doable for me...I hope ; )
 

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If a 126 motor came out and a 126 motor is going back on then it should be simple......

Do you have any sort of manual?

I am confused about the pull lever on the starter. I thought that the 126's had a solenoid rather than a cable. The FOAK should be able to clarify this for me in due course.

Make sure you have all your cables wires and leads etc installed and properly clamped first and tuck them out of the way where they come through the firewall.

Photo of the motors side by side shows the new motor does not have the clutch pressure plate or the clutch driven plate so this looks like the difference you are talking about.

If these two parts are OK on your old motor I think they can just be moved across. (FOAK????) Were you planning on putting in a new driven plate? You have to centre the driven plate as part of the install otherwise the gearbox will not align properly. (If you don't have a manual then pop back and we will provide simple instructions.)

Mate the engine and gearbox and put them in the car as one unit. Unless you are related to a cross between an Orangutan and an Octopus (lots of lonnnnng arms) put the starter motor on before as well. It can be done after but it is just easier before.

You can put the exhaust on afterwards as it gives you a bit more wriggle room to get the motor / gearbox in. Do a trial fit of the exhaust first to make sure all is good.

Be safe and go slowly. New paint and heavy lump of metal being moved into place need respect and care.

Let us know if this makes sense or if you need anything else. I for one need more photo's to get my fix.

Regards

Joe R
 
The early 126s had the old style cable start which converted to an electrically actuated solenoid - when I don't know, sorry. The bell housings were the same throughout the 126 production run and different to the 500 bell housings so a 500 starter will not fit a 126, though any 126 starter (cable or solenoid) will fit a 126 bell housing.

Joe is right - assemble all that you can out of the car and just slide it in :)

As to the clutch, I'd fit a new pressure plate at least.

If you don't have a manual, Haynes produce good ones for both the 500 & 126.

Off to Noosa for a week,
Happy New Year to all,
Chris (aka foak - don't like capital letters, too pretentious)
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm responding from my phone so it will be short for now ; ). The differences in the flywheels I was talking about was the width of the teeth. The old flywheel has the teeth mire the full width of the flywheel where the new flywheel the teeth do not go the full width. See if the new motor pic shows this. Ill look into a new pressure plate..not sure what a driven plate is yet..lol.
I do have a haynes paper manual so ill look into what a driven plate is. ; )
 
Morning Vascrats;
The driven plate is also known as the centre-plate---it goes between the flywheel and the pressure plate. It is the centre-plate that needs to be aligned when fitting the engine and gearbox together as it slides on the splines of the gearbox input shaft. The difference regarding the thickness of the teeth on the flywheel may be because the supplier has fitted a '500' flywheel (which is about 2kg lighter) rather than a '126' flywheel. I have done this on my engine, it allows slightly better engine pick-up as not as much mass needs to be moved.
 
These are the bits I mean - pressure plate and driven plate (clutch disc). You usually replace the clutch disc but it is worth doing both simultaneously.

Check the flywheel face for imperfections and if need be get it skimmed while the engine is apart otherwise you may have a bit of a judder. A new throw-out bearing is also a good idea.

The alignment tool is also worth having but you can easily substitute a broom handle, piece of dowel or whatever will fit.

As far as I know the clutches on the 500F/L/R/126s were the same. The early model 500N/Ds were different. If I'm wrong someone will chime in.

Happy New Year,
Chris
 

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Thanks as always Chris.

I have another question about the gearbox. I'm hoping to cut down on the amount of oil that was dripping from the oil boots. While I had the gearbox out did put the new o-ring looking seals on each side as well as new boots. I did notice some slight pitting on the smooth surface of the axels themselves that run where they exit the boot. My question is, do think that slight pitting will cause oil leakage or is that what does the majority of the oil retention? Sorry if this is a silly question. I'd just hate to get the gearbox in and still have a leaky mess.

While replying...what is the correct oil for the gearbox (in the US) and quantity. I may fill it back up and let it sit and see if it leaks...or is that a bad idea?
Thanks!
 
I picked out a napa auto straight 90w GL-1 gear oil. PLEASE tell me if I chose poorly! :eek: .

Just a bump and an update... Took these pics at the shop when I went to look at the paint first hand. She looks really pretty now! I gave the mechanic the new wheel cylinders, master cylinder, hopefully correct rubber hoses, and brake fluid reservoir and told him he could get the brakes in order. That will save me that fiddly task of bleeding them by myself at least ; ).
 

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Wow...has it really been a year since I posted here..and no progress on my 500?! :yuck:

I was wondering if anyone has part source/info or US available equivalent for the studs that are used between the motor and gearbox. I have passed motor and gearbox installation over to a mechanic friend and he is in need of those. I do have them on my old motor but they don't look in great shape and not sure if they will come out easily. I do have the 126 motor and 126 gearbox (as seen in previous posts pictures).

Unfortunately I had pulled my poor fiat apart before a divorce so finding some of the old bolts I removed in dis-assembly may be difficult if not impossible as I had to move the vehicle and just grab what I could while I had access. ..so bolt size and info may be a theme with me :( Not sure if there is a manual or such that has this info easy at hand.
 
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