500 (Classic) Noah's "Ark"ive

[Noah500]

Update: I went out for a short )10 minutes) drive this morning and all good: starting OK, running OK and at the end no visible fuel leaks and hot smell but no fuel smell. The only thing I did was a slight adjustment to the idle speed.

(also: "needle valve" in my previous post should be "float valve")

 

[Noah500]

Today I finished the install of a new exhaust. After the carb/fuel hose issue above was fixed, I went out for a drive and it started getting LOUD! Investigation revealed one pipe snapped off at the elbow flange, and the same pipe's joint with the silencer cracked, After weighing up whether to go for a sports exhaust, I decided on a standard replacement. Motobambino supplied the exhaust and two new brackets and it now seems to be running quietly again.

Of note:

• The snapped bracket had previously been welded, as had the unbroken one, so I suspect that there had been a problem in the past. Either way, I thought it better to get both new ones.
• The new ones were difficult to get onto the studs before I bolted them down... not sure why, but I eventually got them on and gradually tightened them up.
• I also fitted new deep brass nuts and split washers on the flange to elbow joints, though I did reuse the gaskets, putting on some exhaust gasket goo before tightening them up
• I followed the good advice from @fiat500 for the fitting/tightening sequence in order to minimise stress and strain:
  • "The exhaust should be placed in the bottom bracket which should first be secured to the crankcase.
  • The flanges should be tightened to the elbows which are loosely secured to the head.
  • The top straps are tightened over the silencer, and finally, the elbows are secured to the head."

(Full details in this thread)

 

[fiat500]

Today I finished the install of a new exhaust. After the carb/fuel hose issue above was fixed, I went out for a drive and it started getting LOUD! Investigation revealed one pipe snapped off at the elbow flange, and the same pipe's joint with the silencer cracked, After weighing up whether to go for a sports exhaust, I decided on a standard replacement. Motobambino supplied the exhaust and two new brackets and it now seems to be running quietly again.

Of note:

• The snapped bracket had previously been welded, as had the unbroken one, so I suspect that there had been a problem in the past. Either way, I thought it better to get both new ones.
• The new ones were difficult to get onto the studs before I bolted them down... not sure why, but I eventually got them on and gradually tightened them up.
• I also fitted new deep brass nuts and split washers on the flange to elbow joints, though I did reuse the gaskets, putting on some exhaust gasket goo before tightening them up
• I followed the good advice from @fiat500 for the fitting/tightening sequence in order to minimise stress and strain:
  • "The exhaust should be placed in the bottom bracket which should first be secured to the crankcase.
  • The flanges should be tightened to the elbows which are loosely secured to the head.
  • The top straps are tightened over the silencer, and finally, the elbows are secured to the head."

(Full details in this thread)

....different wording, but the advice is originally from the Haynes manual....from when those manuals were written by someone who had really tackled the job.

 

[Noah500]

Off-topic, but I've just completed a mini project to make a toolbox/case from a 20 litre jerry can. I got the 'well used' can from eBay, amazingly for £2.99 including delivery!

I was inspired by some similar items on Etsy, etc. but they seem to be expensive for what they are and they were all cut across the top meaning that a( they have very visible trimmed edges and b) are carrying all the weight on the hinges and catches.

My idea was different, e.g. to make it like a small suitcase, hinged along the long edge. After washing out the can with washing up liquid and warm water, I marked out the cutting line and cut with an angle grinder as much as I could, leaving a short section between two of the three handles to be cut with a hacksaw blade., finishing off by cleaning up the cut edges with a file, flap wheel, and wet and dry paper. I took the opportunity to rivet down the front flap of the middle handle, as cutting it had left a bit of handle unsupported. Then it was time to rub down the metalwork and paint on some anti-rust treatment.

Rather than using edge trim as per other examples I've seen, instead I made a lip to fit inside the bottom half of the 'suitcase' and riveted it in place to act as a guide when the top is folded down so it fits snugly. Then I fitted the hinges, rubbed it down, gave it a couple of coats each of rattle can primer and some Halfords green topcoat, and finally fitted the adjustable catches.

Not sure what I will use it for (airline cabin baggage, maybe? ) but it kept me out of trouble for a couple of days

 

[Noah500]

Today I replaced the windscreen washer pump (manual rubber bulb that you push). It's located to the right of the LHD steering wheel, with the bolts holding the metal bracket hidden behind the dashboard knee crash pad which I had to remove. There are 3 nuts accessible from inside the frunk; I left the furthest one from the pump, i.e. next to the passenger door, loose but attached so it was easier to refit the pad. The one at the other end was a bit difficult to get at so I had to temporarily detach the screen air vent tube. Now all back in place and the washers work again. The pump was from fiat500spares on eBay for about £8.

 

[Noah500]

I finally got round to doing something about the weedy headlight output without resorting to legally-questionable (in the UK, at least) LED conversions. The solution was to install a relay harness, which uses the feed from the switch as a trigger to the relays which take their power direct from the battery.

I got the harness from eBay ready made up for about £11-12 including P&P. The harness is made up of:

• 1 male H4-type connector - this is connected to one or other of the existing sockets where one of the bulbs would normally go
• 1 battery feed ring connector - attached directly to the positive battery terminal - with an inline fuse
• 2 relays
• 2 ceramic H4 sockets to plug into the bulbs
• 2 earth ring connectors
• Some convoluted tubing to hold the wires together

I connected the positive cable to the battery, and the earth on that end of the harness to a convenient point (one of the indicator mount bolts), connected the H4 plug to that side's existing feed socket, the other earth to the other indicator bolt and the two ceramic sockets to the headlamp bulbs. I put a bit of electrical tape over the unused original H4 socket.

I then tidied it up by clipping the cabling across the inside front edge of the frunk back under the existing clips with existing headlamp wiring. Finally, some pieces of double-sided adhesive foam tape stuck the relays to the inside of the front panel and a couple of cable ties to neaten things up and Bob was my uncle

The moment of truth: a definite improvement in brightness! I forgot to say that, after the car had been standing for a month or more the existing H4 socket was giving about 9.5V (engine not running), with 12.5-13V at the battery positive terminal, so now all that lovely voltage is going direct to the lights.

Pics include: dipped beam before, dipped with 1 original connector and 1 with the new harness, and both with the new harness. Still to be tested in the dark but it's got to be better than before...