Hello!

[gionetz]

Hello all, while lurking about the internet, I came across this forum and saw some good stuff. Thanks for "letting me in". I am having an issue with my 1975 124 Spider thats really bugging me. This car was aquired for my Moms birthday back in 1985 with 62,000 miles on it, some body work was done, and we put a starter in...other than that, we don't know the real history before that. "After" that, it sat in the garage for YEARS and YEARS. My Mom gave it to me around 2006(ish) and I started putting some work into it (FIAT is alien to me so, it's been fun/interesting/challenging) I am also only a "back-yard" mechanic in my early 40's with limited knowladge and skills but, I seem to get by lol. And now to the "today" part, a leak at he cambox on the exhaust side was pretty bad when we started it a few weeks back (just got the car back from my sister...it sat for a good year and a half....again). Anyway, we decided to change out the cambox gasket. First problem noticed was the tensioner did not exist, I found a box with the broken parts that came with the car 25+ years ago. The "hold" bolt with the groove was broken in the block and someone tightened the bearing down. I found a bolt, and got that all back together. We put in a new gasket, timed the upper cams, left was about 1 oclock and the right about 11 oclock. We got it at TDC from cylyinder one (with rotor pointing to #4), timed the AUX shaft to the MAINSPRING holder on tensioner (about 1 oclock). We DID NOT turn the engine all the way over by hand, for one, I don't have proper tools, and I had to leave ONE plug in because it was stripped when we got it and I havent fixed it yet. So, we started it up and sounded SO BAD, very scary...like a connecting rod or something. I am going to try and put a link up of the first start-up. We did a quick check, everything looked "timed" and started it up again. It did quiet down a bit but, I don't get it. I put my ear up to a pipe and it seems pretty load on the lower end, the noise on top is faster and not so loud. We checked everything again and it's all at the right marks, camtowers, aux, TDC, rotor... We were so exited about getting this done, but, it never sounded THAT bad on a first start, it WAS low on oil, even know we threw a little "safety" oil in when we gently started it a few weeks back, it coming out pretty quick from the leaking gasket. Thanks for your time and any help/ideas you may have!!! FIRST START --> http://youtu.be/etIzaqxVGIo |HERE IS THE NEXT DAY ,it's better but, still there --> http://youtu.be/5T0qVVxhdHY

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! You will find plenty of knowledgeable and friendly people here.

Here is a thread on how to post pictures to the forum:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21014

Pete

[gionetz]

UPDATE! - I guess my stupidity may help answer a question I ran across, the AUX shaft timing does make a HUGE difference. When I set all the cams I used a mark on the AUX pulley that was incorrect. There was a "perfect" notch that I used, there was also a notch inline with the mark on the CRANK pulley so...like an ass, I assumed it went for the AUX. Today I pulled up pics of AUX pulleys on the interwebz and they all have a clear mark. I went back and checked the whole pulley...again. There "was/is" a hole and it was FILLED with crap disguising itself. It was at about 10oclock...NOT 1 oclock. We ligned it up and BAM!!! (or NO BAM!!!) - Purrs like a kitten, not sure how I lucked out withour further damage but, I did! ALWAYS TIME YOUR AUX PULLEY. Thanks all!!!!!

[4uall]

[4uall]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWn50AFe5g

[gionetz]

I did look at the International video, and knew where I supposed to put it but, I was looking at something on the pulley that wasn't the real mark (I had the wrong mark in the right place) here she is after re-timing the aux - Thanks everyone! - I think I'm going to like it here lol !! http://youtu.be/FCb7Z-b6MyI

[gionetz]

Thanks 4uall, couldn't of said it better myself!!

[gionetz]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisgionet/1315548558/

[gionetz]

Here she is...