Isabella - The 6 Million Dollar possessed FIat

[texanbrit]

Decided to replace the passenger side mount too. Glad I did as it was done.

https://youtube.com/shorts/amhIIscqM2g?feature=share

Replaced with the ARI mount that I’ve had on the shelf for a while.

ARi mount

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Wasted some time trying to figure out the hanger for the supersprint downpipe but it’s on.now. And the front assembly is back together too.

Downpipe in

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Next put the battery in and try to make it run….

[MadFiat]

Yeah that SuperSprint hanger is ... needlessly complex. Why they reinvented that hanger instead of using something similar to the factory is beyond me.

[texanbrit]

So battery in, pulled the plugs and dropped some drops of oil in. Turned it over a bit to make sure everything moved. Plugs in, new IP coil packs in. Filled it up with premium gas.

Car started surprisingly quickly. A few 5 second runs with the accelerator pedal fully in (fuel cut off), and then a couple with letting the pedal go and it fired right up!

https://youtube.com/shorts/amhIIscqM2g?feature=share

Lots of steam which I'm hoping is just coolant that spilled out of the turbo when it was removed. Also I noticed that the downpipe looked odd, so went to readjust the v-band clamp. The shiny new gasket to the turbo was missing, which I swear was there when I put the clamp on. So I'll need to gussy up the downpipe and put another gasket in there, perhaps with glue, since the shiny one has vanished.

[texanbrit]

Removed and reattached the downpipe. The gasket was actually there, so I guess the v-band was slightly off. Reattached and everything is good again!

https://youtube.com/shorts/zrk2KVKSCuY?feature=share

[MadFiat]

Removed and reattached the downpipe. The gasket was actually there, so I guess the v-band was slightly off. Reattached and everything is good again!

https://youtube.com/shorts/zrk2KVKSCuY?feature=share

That's good to hear! Pulling everything together properly with the vband can indeed be tricky if it's not all lined up. I usually get it "almost tight" where it can just barely rotate with a little effort, then tighten up the bottom. Then I come back and tighten the top.

[texanbrit]

So realized that I must have part of the Supersprint hanger upside down. The skid plate won’t go back on as the threads are too low. Decided to skip that for now.

I also noticed that the driver’s side axle is slinging grease but also decided to deal with that next week.

Other than that assembly is complete. Windshield washers aren’t working but they’ve been a problem for a while and the horns sound off for some reason <shrug>. TPMS is not working, perhaps the sensors have died. Everything else seems to great. Went for a drive, turbo is turboing, nothing fell off, blew up or otherwise caught fire.

Needs a good wash…

https://youtu.be/_pnmAMnuC5s

[MadFiat]

My horn failed randomly several years ago. Apparently if they get wet they surrender. Was one of the few things Fiat ever did for me under warranty was to replace the horn.

[texanbrit]

So some feedback on the new engine mounts.

At idle there is a fair amount of vibration back through to the steering wheel, don't know whether the ARI mount or the DNA mount is causing more or less vibration (as there was no intermediate testing). The overall effect is totally fine, don't notice it when you're driving. Hard to say whether it makes much difference to driving as it's been so long since I was behind the wheel, I've been driving the 500L a lot and the Abarth is a bit of a shock to the system in comparison

We did swap out the leaking axle and that made a noticeable difference to the noise in the car, or perhaps I'm just getting used to it, so that tripod bearing must have been having a rough time. It was tough to get the driver's side axle out, and I'd been lazy and only slightly lifted the front wheel so it was tough to get tools in there. Lyle fashioned a slide hammer that did the trick perfectly.

Medieval Slide Hammer for the win

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[texanbrit]

Found that the cover trim under the steering wheel is broken and loose, a common issue as people knock them with their knees getting in and out. Was suggested that the lid from Elmer's glue can be used as a repair.

School glue

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Drilling a pilot hole made the install easier.

Pilot hole

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It's not perfect but at least it's not loose any more.

Pop that on there.

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[MadFiat]

Wow that's a great tip!