Popular Post azzurro Posted July 8, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 8, 2018 Borrowed the special tool spring compressor from Mr @EURON8 to jam the springs back in after popping everything back together with (some) new bushes. I left the other upper wishbone bushes in place as they were fine really, and replaced only the lower ball joints. The tire rod ends seemed pretty new too, so left them as is also cleaned up the front calipers, just a dissemble, clean and paint without removing the brake lines. I said up there i didnt want to go too low, but then i slapped myself upside the head and did as per the sedan 5.5 coils Also found a broken connector on the dizzy to HDI wire so re soldered and heat shrunk that, and then reset the timing a bit more advanced. Seems to run much better now for both reasons. Then a test utilization to a mates place to steal some gravel for a garden project. and to settle the suspension. Doggo loves ute Pretty happy with the stance and feel of the front suspension now, about 2" lower but still supple even with the lot shorter springs and new shocks. Rear is still very stiff but went well with a load on, and the rattly noise is still present. I think it may be a bearing in the gearbox or something. also stuck a 'period' sun visor sticker i got of TradeMe for $5, i did a fucken terrible job of it in the windy dark it looks like its been there for years. 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted July 23, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 23, 2018 one of the pioneer box speakers blew , possibly because of the aliexpress head deck, so swapped the woofers with the 4" sonys that where hanging out the door cards when i got the truck. they were not exactly one of pioneers best efforts so nothing of value really lost, the mid range 'speaker' is just a plastic moulding. New JVC mechless head unit delivered for <$90, sounds pretty good now, i reckon at least 3x better than the $30 aliexpress special. This is what success looks like. Yes, that bed is coming into my house, not going to the dump. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted August 6, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 6, 2018 this has been going pretty good lately so it got itself a couple of photos and a clean Utilizing it as a parks hack, picking up new scoot, and scoping the joint for spots to hard park and make potato art 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 Still poking away at this, tinted the rear window, actually made a surprisingly big difference to how stuffy it gets in there. Because its cheap stuff it will fade to purple. Not even mad. Also replaced the rear shocks, KYB Gas-Adjusts, the old ones were knackered. I got these with the fronts months ago from Lada Power, 2102/2104 Wagon rears, perfect match Old SAE (!) threaded bolts put a fight. Replaced with metric like the rest of the ute/world Hacked a bit off the brake proportioning valve mount, its pretty tight to get the grinder in there and with all the brake lines ive left it rough. I also relocated the valve up a bit to account for the lowering blocks. Ill tidy this up a bit more when i drop the diff and rear brakes/valve, which is pretty much the only area i havnt replaced everything on yet. For now, just the shocks. The interference fit on the last setup didnt self clearance after however long! I feel i may have finally found and fixed the stupid knocking noise, but ive started pulling the accelerator pedal and linkages off so i havnt test hooned it yet. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted September 28, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 28, 2018 The throttle linkage is very shit, i think its from the (131?) donor car the twin cam came from and has been hacked in, rubs on the hood latch and rattles a lot. So very shit. Had to cut it to get it out. I was happy to make it inoperable. $18 Pile of likely looking bits from pickapart, mostly from a Toyota AE82 hatch Firewall cable mount just tucked in behind the loom hole, worked out perfect Had to bend the pedal a bit to suit the curve of the tyre well/firewall, and still could do with a bit of tweaking to get it sitting just right but stoked. Carb end worked out well too but will probably need to remake the cable mount a bit stiffer sooner rather than later but it got dark/no photos. Test drive tomorrow, 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 Took it for a good drive yesterday, wow, what a difference! Cant feel the engine bumping around though the pedal now, and the pedal modulation is way nicer. However some further mods needed. Pulled the pedal out for a bit more bending to put it in just the right place. should be a bit more comfortable. Added a throttle stop and not just to keep @cletus happy, its a good mod ,makes it feel more OEM. The stop is the two big nuts, one tacked to the fire wall, the other a lock nut, and the two upper two bolts secure the pedal mount. You can also see a big bent oval hole in the firewall from the old linkage, through an even bigger factory triangle hole in the arch above the steering box though to the firewall and steering column gasket etc which is all right behind the front wheel... Made an 'inner arch' from some thick plastic sheet to block the big and smaller hole both off from water and grit from the wheel. Should keep the engine bay cleaner and dryer, and made a big difference on my sedan to road noise too. Made a stiffer engine side cable mount set up, using the old 'custom' linkage mount as a base and some random channel from the 'that will come in handy one day' pile Super happy with how this all worked out, usually i have to make this stuff 2 or 3 times, but it all just fell into place. The cable mount has a spare slot that tidys up the the brake vacuum hose too, and there is a cable clip on the other cam box. Minty. The toyota throttle wheel just got tacked onto the old universal linkage. Toyota AE82 parts for the win! ---- Found these NOS indicators pretty cheap on ebay and they turned up the other day, so then I swapped out the mismatched and cracked old ones. had to change the connections that had already been hacked up, so also tidied the wiring a bit. Now the flasher goes way faster. One toyota part in, one toyota part out. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Drove this around a bit int he last few weeks, and its going better for it. Ebay treasures Driving it showed there is still a few things to sort out and, the flippin left turning noise is back. General running, engine is a bit tappy. Checked the valve clearances, its about -0.15 tight all round so i reckon the cam box gaskets have been compressed over time. Except a couple of exhaust valves which were a bit tighter which could be recession, but probably not. Anyway, I set those 2 back to -0.15 out all round. engine runs a bit smoother and quieter. Horn stopped working, and both of these (polish made, high and low tone) tested dead on the bench replaced with a random toyota low tone from under the house untill i go to PaP again and raid another euro (they have the best horns) This 132 front brake kit showed up on trademe for cheap, slightly bigger diameter discs and calipers (with new pads) and carriers, these bolt on to 125 hubs so will suit the ute or sedan. Not decided yet. 20mm larger diameter and a bit thicker with aftermarket vented discs available There is a pretty serious oil leak from the bottom of the bell housing, and i dont want to be 'that guy' at drag day. i suspect the main seal.and the clutch is getting pretty low on adjustment and feels is a bit gummed up and grabby but slippy at the same time. I also think that the turning noise may be gearbox/clutch related even though i cant fell it in the stick and the box changes well. Specifically the spigot bearing, or the main shaft roller ball bearing in the front of the case. Ive been chasing rainbows on this one for a while and seem some shit man, so im not ruling anything out. Changing the clutch means dropping the box, so ill be able to check and fix a lot of stuff out in this area. Ive ordered a clutch kit and bearings and have most of the seals and gaskets 'in stock' So in preperation for it being a gearbox issue, I dragged this from storage and gave it a waterblast, its a low km FSO 5 speed box from a Polonez car someone stripped when it turned up at PaP. This is a copy of the 'late type' Fiat boxes and is the same as the one in my truck at the moment. Looks pretty clean on the outside now, and apart from the dirty oil, the inside looked ok too. If i do have to swap boxes the bell housing needs to swap to the fiat one in the truck already, to put the starter on the other side of the engine. This particular bell housing will be kept around as it will let me bolt one of these Colotti 5 speeds to the 2300 engine if the column change every goes bad (please dont go bad!). 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted October 20, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 20, 2018 these Weber DCOE 40 - 151's popped up at a good price I <3 DOORTSso i jumped on them straight away and picked them up from @dspec_tt131 the next night Ive already pulled them apart and checked the jetting, they are in pretty good nick and the jetting is even pretty close. (They were on a pretty hot mini http://www.themotorhood.com/themotorhood/2015/9/3/mini-mod-1976-leyland-mini ) Ive ordered a few jets that should put them in the ball park along with the missing fuel banjos and throttle levers and spacers. Got the Holley Regulator and the Innovate AFR Guage with them too, so it will be great to actually test the tune directly. I also got a couple of these low pressure fuel pumps and the K&N filers in a Rock Auto close out sale a while ago. Obviously they will need a manifold. CHECK (already in stock!) I also collected my 'big valve' head i got off trade me a couple years ago for $30 to bolt it all to i suspect something went though the inlet based on the dents in the dome and a new exhaust valve and seat in cylinder 1. It also came with reground cams that look like they've never been run, dunno if they are performanace grind or not but everything is clean and new looking so im sendin it. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 A bit of head prep while its on the bench, much easier to set the shims and everything with the head off! Also made these restrictors for the oil feeds to the cam boxes. These are M8 grub screws with a 3.5mm hole drilled in them. they will help to - increase the effective oil pressure at the main bearings - reduce the tendency for the cam boxes to fill up with oil under sustained high rpm Drilled and tapped into the feeds in the head, the cam boxes go on top (valve is to the left) Also yanked the engine and box This is the bay after a good waterblast! I will probably give it a waft of paint while i can, and wrap the messy wiring room, and move a couple of things around, battery in the rear maybe. Sorry for the shitty pic, my hands were pretty greasy, but not as greasy as the area around the flogged out crank seal which is the actual reason to yank this all out. Nothing like a wee bit of scope creep. 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 This little guy right here, And probably the gearbox seal for good measure New box needed a few bits swapped over including the bell housing, and just need to order a rear seal (28-47-8) to reassemble. Old gearbox oil pan complete with metallic sparkle flakes Then moved onto the engine and I: drained the oil took off the back plate and water basted the coolant galleries (eeeewww) I then took off the old head, old gasket was pretty compressed (sished into dome) but no blow outs Scraped the block took off the sump and straightened the dents in the base and painted it removed oil pump and cleaned it - probably need a new one the teeth are scored and the interior of the block suggests a history of lack of oil changes and probably the reason for the bearings checked the front and rear main bearings all look pretty new and good (remember to re-torque!) end float was also in spec (it had been suggested as a source for the noise + the thrust washers are right by the leaky crankseal ) Checked a big end bearing (looks new) and dropped a cylinder - the rings look newish/aftermarket in the original FIAT pistons, Cylinders look ok, no vertical scoring or lips anyway, i think they've been ball honed. Anyway, i think its had a ring and bearing job not too many kms ago so thats just fanbloodytastic by me. Painted the block Plonked the new head on it Greasy hands so no pics of all that but this is the new head on the old block. I need a few manifold bolts and some Hylomar Blue and RTV to fit new gaskets and stuff so the engine is stalled for now and its time for a beer. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted October 22, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 22, 2018 Painting day Not too much in the way of prep, mostly lots of Wax and grease remover and a stripper wheel for the worst/easiest accessible bits Half a roll of masking tape later... Much better, like 1000x better, should be real easy to spot oil leaks now! Just dont look too closely... in addition to the poor prep multiplied by painting outside to the power of the 'pretty hard to do a really good job' nature of an engine bay, i also had a bit of equipment failure/operator error and dribbled runs everywhere. Oh well, most of them will be covered by engine bay things soon enough and its way tidier looking than before 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 Waiting on parts and so there is a lot of things half done. Put the face back on, and swapped the big round FSO badge out for a black an old Fiat one, matty b over the pitted chromed plastic to murder it. Tidied up a lot of the wiring, all sorts of hacks and redundant add ons removed! Drivers side wiring wrapped in self amalgamating tape, much better looking than the factory packing tape stuff. Passenger side cant wrap it yet, but - moved the coil position and wiring tidied, - window washer pump relocated and old one it was cable tied to removed - fuel pump wiring and fuel plumbing still to do, but waiting on barbs and bits This was the old exhaust manifold on the secondaries side So i went and got the exhaust manifold from my old 1608 engine from the blue car that i spent a few power file belts on This is the port to the same gasket as above This is the head side gasket to ports took a few mm here and there on the inlet side of the head just to avoid any steps, but otherwise this 'big valve' head already matches up to the gaskets and inlet manifold really well. Should go much better. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 Ive been waiting for a few bits, specifically a clutch kit (may as well, 'while im in there') which seems to be unobtainium in NZ now. I guess ill be tripping over the engine and box for a bit longer until i get a clutch kit, or just decide to send it. However i did get a gearbox input shaft seal the other day so at least i could swap the bell housings over and button up the 'new' gearbox with a couple of new gaskets as well, so this is now ready to poke back in. All the other bits are standing by, the clutch release bearing is the original FSO stamped one, and is ok but getting a bit grumbly. All my spares are much worse. Pressure plate and clutch disc actually look pretty good but they were very very greasy when they came out, but they will probably be ok to use. I only really need a release bearing, and i didnt think the old one was too bad before. Will see how my fiat parts man goes chasing down a clutch, as im also waiting on some sideys parts. If the sidey bits turn up ill probably just chuck it back in as it is, just so i can hear the doorts. Flywheel and stuff are all clean and ready to go too. I had to cut the 'old' gearstick to get it out cause it wouldnt 'just pull firmly to remove', as this and the bushes that go in it are near new (ladapower). This was purchased to replace the OEM black one on the bottom that slipped off the gear box and AND and has no threads for a standard knob either. The short chrome one on the top is the only one i could find in my spares, probably from a 124 coupe that also have the box extension in a different spot Ill have to see if the shorty one feels OK, else ill be cutting and shutting the black ones together to make one good one Neighbours new car is rowdy. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 The guy I got the seal from also had one of these Its a quality italian FAVA steering centre link that goes between the steering box and damper, and the steering tie rod ends (2x each side!) bolt onto it. So many ball joints! Meant i could now use the cheap Delphi tie rods i got from Rockauto a while back Old rubbish vs new hotness. The old tie rods were actually ok (the outers at least were replacements) , but the ball joints on the center link (that go into the steering box and damper) were stuck solid. Ive used the straight (and much much cheaper) Lada fitment inner tie rods on my 125 Sedan as well and it seems to make no difference, the 'bent' Fiat ones just have a bit more clearance from the centre link ball joints at full lock. While i was there I also test fitted the larger 132 front brakes, and figured out why my wheel bearing keeps going out of spec. The little lock tab had broken off so the washer was able to spin with the bearing and then act on the nut is there nothing a blob of weld and a flap disc cant fix? Bigger discs fitted too, turns out just the caliper carrier and disc are different from the standard 124/125 stuff, as the calipers are exactly the same. So I dont even need to bleed the brakes, post a brake upgrade, and the top hat thickness negates the need to use the factory 6mm spacers ------ The white Hammerite was chipping off the meshies, so while the fronts were off i sprayed them Actually sprayed a couple of them a few different colours until i settled on 'wheel paint : silver' in a can over a darker (previous coat of unloved bronze) base Added a bit of a mist of highlight to the inside of the mesh from the back 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 I also received a big box from the mother land (ladapower.com) mostly dress up parts for the interior and exterior New (black!) door handles with locks - im hoping these will fit The windscreen had a chip that has turned into a crack and will need replacing for the next WoF (doe day after Drag day) - i have a spare screen, and now i have a new rubber and a couple of panels if the corners are a bit crusty (lol, 'if'...) The ladapower stuff is cheap, but sometimes its laughably shit. For some reason i got 3 of these winders (they were US$2 each) , each of them have different QA related faults. I also got two interior door handles, both are slightly different and look they they were cleaned up with a spinning rock before being 'chromed'. So i probalby wont use most of the stuff on the inside, but I have jammed the first bit on, black plastic gutter trims (125 ones are stainless) to replace the nothing/old adhesive backing top i assume was from some stick on chrome strips And swapped out the FSO zinc coasted door striker plates for some italian 125 chromed ones and fiddled the door adjustments too. Im jonesing to put the engine and box back in but im waiting on the clutch scenario, and i may as well wait for the carb parts to show up as well. Other jobs i could do while im waiting but dont really want to include: - install the electric fuel pump in the suitable spot under the rear tray (will probalby jury rig it 'temporarily' in the engine bay) - swap out the old leaky heater core for the lada unit i have from my last ladapower order (will ignore for now) - refresh the rear diff/brakes (need to get some toyota ae1xx rear arms to make the linkage arms adjustable to fix up the whack diff pinion angle) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted November 6, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 6, 2018 Tonight Postie hand me small package from Czech Republic. Is good. Much Excite. Then Disaster. The spindle shafts want to share the same space and i need to get the throttle connection and slave arm in there too Its at least 10mm too close to avoid some form of trimming to the spindle shafts. Spindles touching its 50mm barrel to barrel on the carbs but on the manifold its only 40mm barrel to barrel I wondered if my manifold was a dud one, but nope, same set up with Dellortos on my 125. Pretty dang tight even tho the mounting holes look to have been welded and redrilled a couple mm over (not by me). Wont do anything too drastic untill the manifold studs turn up, and then i can figure the exact amount of clearance ive got with all the gubbins fitted and mount the throttle cable because mm are going to matter. Bloody thing. May end up getting it running again with the single carb first. I just want to make the noise 10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 my man mal@fiatparts.co.nz came up with an Exedy clutch plate and a clutch release bearing so i wanged them in (i gave this a wipe before install) So i could then join the box and block together for the first time in about three weeks I put the old single DMS and manifold on for now as sorting out the sideys manifold is gonna take a while and im sick of tripping over all this stuff and the ute not going. Lunked it in the hole and connected everything up and it started and ran nearly first pop, then it didnt RORRR ROOOOWWW Turns out there are THREE types of head gaskets, this engine (1592cc) being the special snowflake version with the early 80mm bore (shared with the 1438 and 1608cc) and the later bore spacing (this engine is an underbored 1756 (84mm), the 1995cc (84mm) also has a longer stroke ) This is a 1995cc (top) and a 1608cc head gasket(bottom - i used one of these) , seemed cylinder 1 had a massive coolant leak from the front passage due to the fire ring hanging into the cylinder, allowing coolant to pour into the cylinder and cylinder pressure to entre the cooling system. FLIPPING ACE I was so worried about the 1608cc gasket suiting the late model big valve head i never really checked the gasket on the block other than checking the bore diameter So yeah, another order in for a new 1592cc head gasket, and a waste of new oil and coolant. Its even worse that its my own silly fault not checking closely thinking i had it all sorted. GAHHH! 2 1 1 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzurro Posted November 19, 2018 Author Share Posted November 19, 2018 Nice. Proper 1592cc on top of a 1608cc gasket, cylinder 1 at left.$35 each so i ordered two 'just in case'. the fire rings on the front and rear cylinder were tapped by the pistons and the front coolant passage right above the water pump made the cylinder part of the cooling system Disconnected the things, lifted the head and swapped the gaskets, and soon enough back as per, but with lots of little things done tidier. Yeah looking good. No leaks no bubbles. Bit tappy but pretty sure its valve shims need doing and not rod knock based on my big screwdriver engine stethoscope Now the engine runs good (needs shims doing before going too far), lets check out the new clutch adjustment and feel the smooth action of that fresh low mileage gear box! Seriously, this thing. I dont even. All out AGAIN to swap the old gear box back on. Anyways, its all back together and back in the hole, (im getting pretty quick at this now!) but its gonna rain for the next few days (nearly out of tank water so thats good) so it can sit in the rain for a while, im pooped. 4 1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted December 1, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 1, 2018 Got this all buttoned up and took it for test run #1 up the culdesac, good news and bad news,, engine runs good and the turning 'noise' is now gone! wooot. Must have been those old inner tie rod ends and/or probably the stiff steering rod ends. But bad news is it made an all new suspension related clunky noise! Oh, that will be it then. Uhhhgghh. I guess the straight 124/Lada ones dont work on a 125p, To be fair, It did have plenty of clearance on the stands... So, back up on the stands to replace more parts I just replaced. Got some bent 125 ones from my new favourite shop, Euro-Italian on the shore, and much cheaper than i expected - should have got them to start with. test road test run #2, a week later demonstrates great success. So today i piled the engine crane, engine stand, spare 5 speed gearbox i installed and removed, the old head, and various other clutch bits and pieces, spares and other shit to to lock up a 30 km drive away and also to collect the xmas tree. Good way to bed in the clutch and as a bonus it dropped the ass nicely. Needs another wheel eyelignment, adjust the cluch cable a bit, and a few other little things that ill sort tomorrow, but otherwise im pretty confident it will make it to drag day under its own power and not only that but it feels like it should run better times than last year too. Mrs even noticed how much smoother and "less shit" it feels to drive around in now. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post azzurro Posted December 9, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2018 Wooo, drag day! Big thank you very much to all the people who organised and helped out on the day, and all the racers and spectators. Since last drag day ive done quite a lot of nothing much to this, but the main difference performance wise will be the new 'big valve' head. Otherwise everything else is the same, just fettled, maybe more than once Last years Average and Best runs vs this years (ET in seconds vs distance in feet) shows that this years average is better than last years best. Gained about half a second and 3mph, which doesnt seem like much but the HP calculators (ET and trapspeed) suggest this required a 10-18% increase in HP, from about 62ish to just over 70. Manual for a 1968 125 sedan says 90HP (DIN) Didn't break anything, no leaks or weird noises and didn't spill anything on the track (as far as i can tell!) Someone chatting to me later said they cleaned the track after one of my runs , but the engine/box and underside is still as clean and dry as when i installed it, so perhaps it was just water leaking from the rear tray I dunno? The WoF ran out today so will need to organise that, get a wheel alignment, set the tappet shims (so noisy!) and sort out the sideys, but will probably be in the new year EDIT: Farm Truck Drag and Rake Day shot thanks to @smokin'joe Totally crushed the Hilux 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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