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General Murphio's Meanderings
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General Murphio's Meanderings
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I didn't think there was anything that could stop Murf's wheels going round, but there is now.
The trouble is that with weeks? of isolation ahead of us, I will have no excuse for him not being buffed-up and preened to be something other than the rusty-round-the-edges old jalope he normally presents as. Actually, I have so many things which need to be done that he'll not change all that much.
But a couple of weeks ago, one of the very nice people on this Forum, (who to protect his identity, we'll call Dave), sent me an unsolicited present of this pair of very unusual rare and valuable accessories; I hope they are fitted correctly. This is a treasured modification and one which I think will address the slightly weak pressure that Fiat 500 wipers apply to the windscreen in most weather conditions.
The trouble is that with weeks? of isolation ahead of us, I will have no excuse for him not being buffed-up and preened to be something other than the rusty-round-the-edges old jalope he normally presents as. Actually, I have so many things which need to be done that he'll not change all that much.
But a couple of weeks ago, one of the very nice people on this Forum, (who to protect his identity, we'll call Dave), sent me an unsolicited present of this pair of very unusual rare and valuable accessories; I hope they are fitted correctly. This is a treasured modification and one which I think will address the slightly weak pressure that Fiat 500 wipers apply to the windscreen in most weather conditions.
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Blimy Peter, you'll have no problems with any water splash now especially at the speeds you and your crew mate drive
slippery slope with these mods though Ian.
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That was a great mod but not one I can claim as my own idea,
Even Murf has had his wings clipped now that it seems socially unacceptable to do any sort of driving that involves pleasure. As all drives in Murf are pleasurable I have decided to get to the bottom of few issues which require time. (which I have a decent amount of just now), and which take him off the road for a few days.
First target was the gearbox. Although I rebuilt it only a bit more than a year ago, I cut corners and didn't replace first gear etc. It was very noisy in first gear but worked well until recently when it started jumping out of gear on a permanent basis.:bang: The only way out of this is to replace the whole set, which I'm not planning to do just now. I have given a spare box a quick once-over and will use that to get me going for now.
I'm quite surprised at the wear on the driveshaft splines, which have been distorted out of alignment. These were brand new, with matching couplings probably less than 6,000 miles ago...not a great reflection on the quaity of parts. Maybe it's time to have another look at the upgrade options on these?
Whilst the engine is out I was able to derust and paint the rusty side-panel I had spotted in the engine bay. I quickly discovered it has some serious corrosion in this harsh location where it has almost as hard a life as the exhaust silencer. When I restored the bodywork 11 years ago, this area was in good condition although the nearside had some necessary repairs; it shouldn't be too hard to fix.
For a long time the engine has had had an annoying oil leak...more of a dribble really. It's one that has been hard to locate but close inspection shows at least once source of the contamination. It's the top of the oil-pressure sender which is rotating and rocking a little inside the metal part....at least there's an straightforward fix there!
It's not easy keeping one of these things meandering on the road permanently!
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That was a great mod but not one I can claim as my own idea,
Even Murf has had his wings clipped now that it seems socially unacceptable to do any sort of driving that involves pleasure. As all drives in Murf are pleasurable I have decided to get to the bottom of few issues which require time. (which I have a decent amount of just now), and which take him off the road for a few days.
First target was the gearbox. Although I rebuilt it only a bit more than a year ago, I cut corners and didn't replace first gear etc. It was very noisy in first gear but worked well until recently when it started jumping out of gear on a permanent basis.:bang: The only way out of this is to replace the whole set, which I'm not planning to do just now. I have given a spare box a quick once-over and will use that to get me going for now.
I'm quite surprised at the wear on the driveshaft splines, which have been distorted out of alignment. These were brand new, with matching couplings probably less than 6,000 miles ago...not a great reflection on the quaity of parts. Maybe it's time to have another look at the upgrade options on these?
Whilst the engine is out I was able to derust and paint the rusty side-panel I had spotted in the engine bay. I quickly discovered it has some serious corrosion in this harsh location where it has almost as hard a life as the exhaust silencer. When I restored the bodywork 11 years ago, this area was in good condition although the nearside had some necessary repairs; it shouldn't be too hard to fix.
For a long time the engine has had had an annoying oil leak...more of a dribble really. It's one that has been hard to locate but close inspection shows at least once source of the contamination. It's the top of the oil-pressure sender which is rotating and rocking a little inside the metal part....at least there's an straightforward fix there!
It's not easy keeping one of these things meandering on the road permanently!
My daughter’s school principal sent them a video message on Friday saying in these times of disruption we have to look for opportunities. Nice to see you can make these repairs now before they get worse.
Bigvtwin996
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It's not easy keeping one of these things meandering on the road permanently!
I think you need too look at the Duo 500 technique... Two 500s, that is drive one while fixing the other...
that will mean zero down time...
also you could be naughty and paint them both the same colour and fit the same plates... then no one would know...
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Currently we have the ancient Picasso, a modern 500 and a 20 year old campervan in addition to Murf. It's a classic spinning plates scenario where there's always something to fix on one of them. So an additional 500 might be a bridge too far!
The lockdown continues and the meltdown of Murf runs in parallel. Whilst the engine is out it makes sense to check everything, so I've adjusted the tappets (minor closing-up required, so valve recession not a problem
), repainted the rocker-cover and starter-motor (after inspecting the brushes) and re-glued one of the gearbox rubbers onto its backing. But the main job remaining is to repair the rusty panel in the engine-bay photographed previously. Once I opened it up and cleared way the worst of the rust I was surprised just how good the inner panels are. None of these have ever been replaced before and it's good to see what a tight and precise fit it all is...no sealant used at the factory or necessary. I've made new pieces to fit and re-primed the interior before welding. I also had to remake the removed section of the exhaust-shielding shelf and it's bracket; these had no integrity left once I had removed the paint and rust. You may notice that my new steel is pre-patinated....I had to dip it in my acid-tank to remove the rust from it lying about so long. I can't get any more at this time and the next thing is that I expect to run out of welding gas and wire.:bang:Without the Covid outbreak I would still have had to do this but would not have done it just yet or committed such detailed attention to it, so I'm looking on the bright side.
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Whilst the engine is out I have good access to tidy up the additional wiring I've been putting in recently and to put a good layer of wax over the underfloor between the suspension mountings.
I've also remade the solid fuel pipe which runs under this area. Some cars have had this replaced using flexible pipe. But the heat and the risk of contact with the engine made me decide to copy the original pipe on first restoration in 2013. The steel tubing has deteriorated to an unbelievable extent so I have used a surplus pice of 6mm copper fuel pipe from my campervan project. It's a few centimetres short but I'll use a longer piece of flexible pipe to reach the pump. I suspect that I was only a few months away from a leaking pipe.
One interesting problem turned up when I was cleaning out the rocker cover prior to a new coat of paint. There were tiny fragments of the brass gauze of the flame-trap which has been quietly deteriorating. I looks like the pieces were trapped inside the rim of the oil-fill and there was nothing on the top of the cylinder-head.
A few more little details to correct and I might get the engine and box back in the car in time for a short run on Easter Monday.
I've also remade the solid fuel pipe which runs under this area. Some cars have had this replaced using flexible pipe. But the heat and the risk of contact with the engine made me decide to copy the original pipe on first restoration in 2013. The steel tubing has deteriorated to an unbelievable extent so I have used a surplus pice of 6mm copper fuel pipe from my campervan project. It's a few centimetres short but I'll use a longer piece of flexible pipe to reach the pump. I suspect that I was only a few months away from a leaking pipe.
One interesting problem turned up when I was cleaning out the rocker cover prior to a new coat of paint. There were tiny fragments of the brass gauze of the flame-trap which has been quietly deteriorating. I looks like the pieces were trapped inside the rim of the oil-fill and there was nothing on the top of the cylinder-head.
A few more little details to correct and I might get the engine and box back in the car in time for a short run on Easter Monday.
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Is that fuel pipe the one that runs through the centre tunnel, then under the rear seats? So do you have copper pipe now all the way front of the tunnel right into the engine bay? So to approximately the opposite side of the panel you have repaired. Then rubber pipe to the pump?
Mine is copper pipe to where all the cables etc go through into the engine bay, then just before enters the engine bay it joins to the rubber pipe, which is still under the rear seats and exposed to the elements. Which way is correct? I don’t think mine is btw. I don’t know if you remember I ‘P’ clipped my pipe to the underside of the rear seats as I didn’t have a lot of faith in those little pinch clips that hold it in place.
It has made me think though, though as I mentioned previously. I do quiet often smell a waft of petrol when the car is sat in the garage and I have checked all the other joints and forgot about that one!
Mine is copper pipe to where all the cables etc go through into the engine bay, then just before enters the engine bay it joins to the rubber pipe, which is still under the rear seats and exposed to the elements. Which way is correct? I don’t think mine is btw.
I don’t know if you remember I ‘P’ clipped my pipe to the underside of the rear seats as I didn’t have a lot of faith in those little pinch clips that hold it in place.It has made me think though, though as I mentioned previously. I do quiet often smell a waft of petrol when the car is sat in the garage and I have checked all the other joints and forgot about that one!
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Yours sounds correcti-ish or maybe correct. The original arrangement has a very short stub of flexi leaving the tunnel and connecting with the solid pipe. This then zig-zags via three of those clips, which I originally replaced with tabs of sheet-steel. These have lasted better than the pipe but I will be using P-clips now since my return pipe shadows the route of this pipe and both pipes can share the same fixings. The pipe goes via a grommet through the splash-shield/bulkhead and ends just forward of the impeller housing.
VdL sold the steel pipe complete with flared ends and just the right length although needing the bends put in. The copper pipe was prodably just over metre long and I did the bends with my Lidl pipe-bender and the flares with a standard brake-pipe flaring tool.
I'm looking at Murf as being an 11 year old car now, because that's when I started welding etc. So I shouldn't be surprised to need to do relatively major repairs. Even my modern car, which is 11 years old has required some big replacements although serious corrosion issues are not in the same order of calamities!
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Just a brief update now that I've fixed on the new pipe, photographed just before I plonked the engine and box back in. The supply pipe we're talking about is on the right and the return which I fitted last year, deliberately following the same route where I could, is on the left.
If you're wondering, the waterproof plug is one I fitted to connect to the reversing light switch and the strange speedo connector is for the Brantz rally equipment.
If you're wondering, the waterproof plug is one I fitted to connect to the reversing light switch and the strange speedo connector is for the Brantz rally equipment.
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Although Murf hasn't exactly been static since my last post, our meanderings have obviously been seriously curtailed. No work for me has meant no need to travel. In any case, until quite recently it has been seriously frowned upon, even illegal, to travel more than a few miles from home.
I have tried to make even the most basic journeys Murf's responsibility. So we have done most of the shopping in the Fiat. There has been an increased amount of time for leisure, so we have driven a few miles to our regular walking places.
Early during lockdown I fitted a replacement gearbox because I lost first gear in the existing one. Recently I have been trying to patch up rust-spots with limited success. It now looks like I may have a fair amount of fettling to do on the bodywork during the winter.
I have a feeling that the impeller is coming loose again and I think that this time I need to fit the brand new one. Other than that, nothing is wrong with the engine, in fact it is working superbly, but I now have a rebuilt 594 which I am itching to try.
My employment restarts next week and I'm hoping that heralds a new chapter of exploration. I hope everyone has been able to get their cars even more ships-shape than before during this hiatus and that they have come through this in good health and spirit.
I have tried to make even the most basic journeys Murf's responsibility. So we have done most of the shopping in the Fiat. There has been an increased amount of time for leisure, so we have driven a few miles to our regular walking places.
Early during lockdown I fitted a replacement gearbox because I lost first gear in the existing one. Recently I have been trying to patch up rust-spots with limited success. It now looks like I may have a fair amount of fettling to do on the bodywork during the winter.
I have a feeling that the impeller is coming loose again and I think that this time I need to fit the brand new one. Other than that, nothing is wrong with the engine, in fact it is working superbly, but I now have a rebuilt 594 which I am itching to try.
My employment restarts next week and I'm hoping that heralds a new chapter of exploration. I hope everyone has been able to get their cars even more ships-shape than before during this hiatus and that they have come through this in good health and spirit.
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About time we had a Murf update.
Joe R
Joe R
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....another update; a modification to allow Grace and Olivia (6 and 3 years old) to drive the car safely. (Not really; it just happened to be a good place to park the seats whilst I cleaned grand-child-generated debris out of the other car).
In other news, the engine is out of the car in preparation for a trial of the rebuilt 594 engine.....theoretically a downgrade.
Obviously a full report will need to be made...Murf's third engine going onto his third gearbox.Attachments
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The engine swap has been done, as posted elsewhere. I didn't bother with my "clever" little engine cradle and just used wooden blocks and the trolley-jack. Whilst it was accessible I had a look at the release bearing assembly of the clutch. Whilst doing this I took the opportunity to fit the original bearing which matches the pressure plate I put onto this engine; it's the assembly that comes out of my original 499 engine which was brand new in 2012 and did only 16,000 miles. Recently there has been an irritating noise on tickover which was definitely related to the previous release bearing. So I also had the whole assembly out and degreased the nylon bushes for the pivot, lightly sanded the outside and made sure they won't swivel in their housing by using epoxy adhesive. With a feint dab of copper-grease on the release forks and a whisper of graphite grease on the gearbox input-shaft the result is a very smooth clutch movement to match the sweet engine.
After all my efforts to have a fuel-return pipe, this engine has a carburettor which has previously been capped-off in a very professional way, so the return pipe of the car has been temporarily plugged.
The rocker cover and the air-filter cover missed being repainted and the rest of the cowlings got a pretty shabby job when the aerosol primer reacted with the aerosol black paint.:bang:
The Marelli alternator, which for a change I didn't even strip for a quick examination, works well with no funny noises. It's running on an excellent points distributor which I have used previously.
The car drives nicely with this engine and I'm looking forward to taking it on increasingly long journeys as the world starts to wake up.
After all my efforts to have a fuel-return pipe, this engine has a carburettor which has previously been capped-off in a very professional way, so the return pipe of the car has been temporarily plugged.
The rocker cover and the air-filter cover missed being repainted and the rest of the cowlings got a pretty shabby job when the aerosol primer reacted with the aerosol black paint.:bang:
The Marelli alternator, which for a change I didn't even strip for a quick examination, works well with no funny noises. It's running on an excellent points distributor which I have used previously.
The car drives nicely with this engine and I'm looking forward to taking it on increasingly long journeys as the world starts to wake up.
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Thank you for that. I never thought of that simple solution with the carb.... I'm onto it. [emoji106][emoji16]As expected you did a good job with that engine
If you wanted to reinstate the fuel return pipe you could just fit a different carb top cover for the moment, might help wit fuel cooling.
As expected you did a good job with that engine
If you wanted to reinstate the fuel return pipe you could just fit a different carb top cover for the moment, might help wit fuel cooling.
As I'm chasing some of the same fuel heating issues, I'm curious of a couple things:
1) Does the 28 IMB cover fit on a 26 IMB carb?
2) If so... anyone have a spare 28 cover they'd part with? or can they recommend the best source for a 28 carb? I see ones ranging from $90 to $400 - what's the quality spread like on these "new" ones?
Top covers are not interchangeable, you need the whole carb and to be effective you need a return pipe to the fuel tank installing. I have a few spare carbs and parts of.
The cheap repro carbs, some made in Spain and some in China have received very mixed reviews with one retailer saying they wished they had never stocked them because of the problems they caused however there have been some reports that they did the trick. In some adverts the quality of the casting looks poor in the pictures and they do not have the integral fuel filter held in place by big brass nut. My preference would be for new old stock if you could find one, rebuilt carb or just good used.