The FIAT gods must me angry at me

[htchevyii]

So, I had really big plans for the Spider today, but things really went to s*%#. I woke up to a knock on the door and looked outside to see a police car, that can't be good. Apparently some crack head decided to break into my truck & my neighbors car. They got six burned cd's and the charger for my Tom Tom, seems like a big risk for almost nothing. They got an Ipod adapter from my neighbors car, whoopee. So three hours later I finally got all the glass cleaned out of EVERYWHERE! Nowhere to buy a window today, so I took the truck to work and locked it inside the shop. Looks like I'm without wheels until I get a new window Tuesday. So, at least I'm finally done with the truck and can get to work on the FIAT!

Another long story , but I've been planing on installing the engine two weekends in a row. Last Saturday I went out to the garage and started getting it ready. I was planning on installing the head with the engine in the car, so I pulled it off the block and when I did I couldn't believe my eyes! Right where the wire rings seal there was three deep grooves on my freshly decked block! I had assembled the litle 1438, except for bolting on the head several months ago. Well, I got side tracked rebuilding the suspension and painting the engine compartment, so the engine has been on the stand a while. A while back I painted my garage floor, so I rolled the engine down the street to my friend's garage. Well, I forgot there was only one head bolt holding the head on, (the engine was all wrapped up) and it seems that the head moved enough that some of the open valves were resting on the block and put some nice scores on my block right where the wire rings seal. Great! So last week I tore the engine back down, ordered new gaskets and took it back to the machine shop to be decked AGAIN!

So today I was ready to get back to business. I dropped in the crank and started to torque down the main caps and the first two caps I torque down each have one bolt that feels stange. One tightens normally and the other seems like it isn't getting tighter for a long time. They finally torque down, but I removed them to inspect. The threads in the block are fine but I think the bolts are stretching. My book shows 59 ft/lbs for the 1438/1608 main bolts, they are 10mm. So I spent the next hour looking for the old bolts from the 1608, nope can't find them, but I found every other bolt and stud from it. I've got a junk/rusty 1756 so I go pull the pan, doh! 12mm bolts. At this point I gave up and took a nap. So anybody have any good 10mm main cap bolts? I'd really like to buy new ones, but after the trouble I had getting rod bolts I'm not holding my breath. Oh well, there's always next weekend!

[Tappy]

I think those fiat gods pick out someone every weekend , but hang in there soon it will be someone else that will be picked ! It only can get better , you must think

[Kevin1]

The Fiat gods aren't angry with you. They choose someone now and then that they think is worthy of a challenge and proceed to test you. Think of it like Yoda with a wrench. It's a learning experience. A character building, you'll be a better man when this is done kind of event.

The good thing is once your test is over they tend to leave you alone for a while and go find someone else to pick on!

[racydave]

That does it! Im puttin fresh bulbs of Garlic in my Spider, a new Rabbits foot, and threw I some salt over my left shoulder. I do have my own little things thou. I incorperate bits and pieces of past cars into my Fiat for good Karma!

[pope]

I think the Italians love fresh garlic, but the others might work.

[spiderrey]

contact arp for some better then stock bolts/ just a thought/

[htchevyii]

So, I got a main stud set from ARP. P/n 203-5403, sold for a Toyota Corolla 4agfe. But, I removed the trans input seal to install a new one and the new one is wrong! From what I've seen 68-75 input seals should be the same, but the gasket & seal set I just got from Vick's and the seal I had left over from the '82's are both too big. The seal I removed is 28x47x8 and the ones I have are 28x48.6x8. The od is too big. Nobody in town has the correct seal or can have one this weekend, so I guess that's three weekends in a row with no motor! Has anyone else ran into this or am I that lucky?

[pope]

Trey,
I rebuilt my trans over the winter and got my gasket set from Bruces. In it, I have all the seals and installed them. There was one seal left over and that one is the 28x48.6x8. This makes me believe the correct seal was not included in your kit, and that Bruce includes all seals just in case. MIne is a 1980 trans.
Like you said, your '82 had that one left over also, making me think that the correct size was installed on the trans.