Panda (Classic) Charmanda(er) - mania continued......

[blu73]

So i thought i would change the rubber boot under the gear lever and finally do the bushings and stuff, figured this would all be easier to get at without the engine and box in... So got under the car and of course 3 of the 4 threads just snapped when i went to undo them, obviously Hey-ho, should be pretty easy to sort if by just drilling/dremeling them off the plate and using some bolts - could find any suitable though, garage is an utter mess!

So yeah, had little patience today, after that i shut the garage and left it lol.. hopefully i can find some suitable nuts and bolts to fix that without having to buy more. Once thats sorted I will bolt the engine back in

 

[blu73]

OK so couldn't find any bolts the were the right kinda width and length and that I had nuts that fit them... ffs.

So decided to put engine in now and sort that out later.

And....


Ta da!

Feels like progress but scares me how much more I have to do when I try think of everything. Think I might need to make a list lol.

 

[Didge3]

The thing with swapping 8v FIRE engines is to most people they can't really see all the work you've done because they all look the damn same!

 

[Eklipze3k]

Stealth modding at its best

 

[blu73]

yep, your average joe would never know this has had a swap. I think the only thing that would give it away as not factory will be the air filter. I was tempted to try get a P75 airbox to see if it would fit - but i cannot find one. Well, i have found 2 for sale that are new old stock but they are silly expensive, like more that the engine cost. And then I found a few people breaking P75s online but none of them will reply to my messages. So I think its gonna end up with some aftermarket induction of somekind atm.

I may also have a 4-2-1 manifold lined up too, although not 100% confirmed as of yet as i don't have the money to pay for it currently :'( lol

 

[Didge3]

I think the factory 1242 airbox has been attempted before on a Panda but it was just a bit too tall to fit. I may be thinking of the 16v one though...

 

[blu73]

well, i figured it would be really tight fit if it did fit so there is a plan in motion for non standard setup. I have since however come across a brand spanker genuine P75 airbox for a very reasonable price from germany - I have taken a punt on it. I am sure I can find someone who will buy it if it doesn't fit... Or i could space the engine down in the bay a tiny bit without much hassle if its really really close to fitting. We shall see, will keep you posted.

 

[Eklipze3k]

It'll be awesome if you can get a proper airbox on their, make it look like it rolled out of the factory like that.

 

[blu73]

yeah this is a proper P75 one too, they kinda look the same as the 55/60 airbox but it says 'multi point injection' on it rather than just 'fuel injection' - apart from that i think they are the same size and shape etc.
Just need to find the seal that goes between it and the TB now.. Oh and also a injector clip as I only have 3 of the 4 annoyingly

 

[blu73]

right ok, mildly annoying - just got an email from the guy selling the airbox saying he can't find it and has issued a refund... Oh well, back to custom jobby plan then.

In other news, got clips that hold injectors in teh fuel rail now so can stick fuel rail on and then in turn the throttle body.

Then need to build the fuel system and wire it up (he said like it will only take 5 mins lol).

 

[blu73]

Oh. Those who have been following FDNY21's thread will know I realised my tacho won't work with the new setup and am selling him it.

Well further on this line of thought I did a buy.....


Cinquecento sporting clocks. Now I need to get my hands on the 3 connectors for this thing and then splice the wiring into them. And hope this fits in the panda dash without too much hassle.

I should also be able to make the engine management light work which would have been lacking unless I wired in an led somewhere. This should make a really nice little install if I can make it all work properly

 

[kolza]

I should also be able to make the engine management light work which would have been lacking unless I wired in an led somewhere. This should make a really nice little install if I can make it all work properly

on panda pod there are two unused bulb holders ( intended for 4x4 and injector) them could be used in have to. Looking forward to see ccs pod fitted into panda.

 

[FDNY21]

Thanks again for sorting me out with the tacho. Nice to know I'll be able to see my revs soon Looking forward to seeing how you're going to make this Cinq clock fit as well!

 

[blu73]

should be a fun little project - looking at them they look about the same size so really hoping its really easy to fit in the gap and look like it should be there. time will tell.

I think getting the engine up and running takes precedence though.

 

[Crashtest33]

Hey blu!
You get all over this b***h! Mr Fiat Forum.
(Nowt relevant to post. Clock swap sounds good tho! Lol)

 

[blu73]

lol, been lurking for many years tbh i don't go in many sections, for years and years mostly the cento section only but given them a rest for a bit - waiting for the section to become more of enthusiast section, i'll be back in there one day i'm sure. You see me in mk1 punto section cause i am the section moderator I've had a few of them too though lol

As I am here, tiny update - and it is tiny! Got new clips that hold injectors in fuel rail, rail fitted and throttle body bolted on - literally zero room at back of throttle body, from memory all the pipes its block access to are just vacuum ones so i can just cap them off - may or may not be room to get a pipe on the coolant pipe at the rear, time will tell. Did you manage to get the coolant going through your throttle body dragonman, or you just running without?

Got a throttle body 'bob' from a 899 cinq to go on top, will have to buy some silicone pipes to make an induction kit of sorts once i decided exactly how and where i want the filter to sit, could go towards passenger side and above the gearbox or the other way and behind drivers side headlight, i'm not feeling particularly decisive about that atm. Oh and not got the rubber seal that goes between the bob and the throttle body, the old panda car to airbox one may well fit but i think it will be too small. Another thing to add to the need list.

Other thing i noticed is the fuel lines, they are not metal lines under the car as i expected, they are them rigid plastic type lines all the way back bar the short rubber bits in the engine bay - not sure if they are gonna be upto fuel injection pressures - do later injection pandas have the same lines or do they have metal lines??

So yeah, i did say it was a small update, i went out to mess today and twinged my back and just standing hurts like hell so bending over an engine bay or rolling about under a car is a bit of a no go for few days - bugger.

 

[Dragon Man]

i used a lot of the pipes from the p75 i got the engine from. the throttle body on mine does have the coolant running through it. its not vital though, i only did it as the throttle body still had the pipes connected to it! more of a lazy anything all i had to do was use 2x hose joiners and just spliced it into the original heater matrix piping.

 

[blu73]

it is tight back there, basically touching the sound deadening. Like i say though, the 2 that i can't use are just vac lines i think - not checked but i believe one is meant to go to MAP and the other the small pipe on oil breather. I will just blank them and use a different vac source on the manifold.

I remember the rear coolant goes into one of the heater pipes, one that goes into the inlet mani iirc?
The one on the front of the throttle body, where you go that going? I know on a cento it goes back to the expansion tank, not sure about on the actual punto - been so long since i looked in a punto bay.

 

[Dragon Man]

iirc they just branch off the 2 pipes that feed the heater matrix.. thats how they were on the punto.. ill have a look on fallout..

 

[blu73]

cheers john. I know its not gonna be like on a cento as the mk1 punto doesn't have a spereate expansion tank, its radiator is more like the panda one with the tank on the side.