Video...and questions

[OaklandSpider]

Hello All...
here's a short video I took of my 1977 Fiat 124 Spider.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYpkYXzADo
I have some questions for the peanut gallery:
1. notice the smoke coming off the engine. It seems to be coming from the 2nd and 4th bolts going into the manifold. Is this a common problem? Is there a good fix for this (besides tightening the bolts, which I have tried)?
2. notice the smoke coming ojut of the exhaust. yes, it was cool when the engine was started, and it had been 5-7days since starting it up, and the smoke goes away after the car is warm...any comments?
3. notice anything else? besides the missing timing belt cover and worn hoses...
any and all comments are welcome
Peter
(still trying to pass SMOG before I can get her registered and on the road...FRUSTRATING!!!!!!!!!!)

[ventura ace]

The 2nd and 4th manifold bolts are tapped straight through to oil filled areas. Tightening the bolts will not help. It would be better for these to be studs, and seal the studs with a high temperature rated sealer. I use high temperature teflon paste. Either way, you should remove the fasteners, clean the threads as much as possible (both external and internal threads), apply sealer to the threads, then reinstall.

Studs are better for 2 reasons:
1) It does not need to be removed to remove the manifold (only the nut needs to be removed)
2) The stud should be threaded on both ends, but with no threads in the center. The shoulder of the non threaded part should be threaded up tightly to the cylinder head, which helps to make the seal.

A

[Tappy]

i like that : Tele-diagnostics

great idea and other can learn from it 2 !!

[rlux4]

You're video shows the exhaust after the car has been running a couple of minutes. During this cool, wet weather it is common for condensation to form inside the exhaust. This will be white "smoke" and go away as the inside of the pipe dries up. Does it blow any water droplets out when you first start it?
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

that isn't smoke from the exhaust pipe, it's steam. Normal for cool damp days. Water is a byproduct of combustion, as the exhaust heats up it vaporizes before it gets to the end of the pipe.
Sounds like you have an exhaust leak, maybe around the cat?
The loose wire attempting to get caught in the timing belt goes to the oil pressure sending unit
The metal plate on top of your carb should be on top of the rubber isolator in the air cleaner housing, not below it

[OaklandSpider]

Ron: Yes...a bit of water being blown out when it first starts
Mark: Yes...a crack in the cat...is it a problem to simply weld this? I have no idea of the age of the cat, but I would like the cheap fix for the time being, so I can get her smogged. Also, thanks for the tip on the placement of the metal plate...The free wire has been connected to the oil pressure sending unit...haven't taken her out yet to test it though...very observant!

Alvon: Thanks...i'll try the studs. Do you happen to know the size I'll need? Where did you get them? Where did you get the high temp. teflon paste?

[rlux4]

Then the white "smoke" is only water vapor, and one thing you can scratch off your list of things to worry about. Condensation: the source of much consternation.
Ron

[ventura ace]

Alvon: Thanks...i'll try the studs. Do you happen to know the size I'll need? Where did you get them? Where did you get the high temp. teflon paste?

The studs are 8mm x 1.25mm pitch, I don't have one out of the car to look at, but the threads that go into the head are about 3/8" to 1/2" , and the threads for mounting the manifold are probably about 1" long. Make sure they are hardened, high-strength grade. A good source in your area, and a great Fiat mechanic is Kelly Dicker at Wine Country Motors (kd@wcmotors.com).

The Paste I use is Harvey's TFE paste, pipe thread compound, part number 023015, in the Positano Yellow tube. Probably got it at a hardware store about 15 years ago. The Auto Parts stores may be able to recomend something else if you don't find this stuff.

A

[So Cal Mark]

teflon paste would ensure that the studs can be removed, but I don't see how that would seal the threads. If the studs are tight, they won't leak. I'd suggest thread locker to keep the studs from loosening

[ventura ace]

The teflon paste is a thread sealer. That is it's primary function. I don't trust the metal on metal seal of the stud on the clinder head, since any little blemish on either surface is a leak path. This sealer is one that has worked well for me. It was a tip I got from someone else on the Forum many years ago, which was a blessing at the time, since I was having trouble getting a seal.

A

[So Cal Mark]

hmm, teflon and seal don't go together in my mind since teflon is a slippery lubricant. Does it harden?

[ventura ace]

Wm H Harvey TFE Teflon Paste
Product Description
* Thread lubricant and sealant * Pure white * Non-hardening * Withstands up to 10,000 PSI and temperatures from -100 degrees F to above 600 degrees F * Apply to clean male pipe threads on metals, PVC, CPVC, polypropylene and nylon * Size: 1 fl. oz. tube

Model 023015, Stock Num: 20-726851 (Ace hardware stock number -- no connection with me!)

It's made for plumbing. It's a thick goey white paste, gets firm, but doesn't harden.

[pope]

Permatex also sells it in little tubes called High Temperature Thread Sealant.