New 1500 build + new 5 speed install

[Dr.Jeff]

Also check the angle/position of the oil pick up on the oil pump. I believe some applications with a different engine mounting angle had a different oil pump/pick up to go along with the different oil pan.

 

[DanielForest]

Late x19's had the Lancia script on the blocks.

 

[carl]

When I put 1500 motors in a 128 I changed the oil pan and oil pump assembly.

 

[Agnelli]

You going with the aluminum oil pan or staying with the sheet metal one? What angle was this motor mounted at in it's previous life?

Pretty sure it was an NOS Strada bock - never installed. I will know when I complete the disassembly. Head is off, bores look great. Moved blanking plates (fuel pump and EGR) from Strada block to new build. Uninstalled console and four speed shifter and shift rod. Correctly oriented 5 speed rod. Readying to elevate the new build in place.

 

[Agnelli]

Mounted flywheel and clutch disk and pressure plate. Torqued crank pulley, aux shaft pulley, and cam pulley.

Tapped intake manifold water jacket supplies on cylinder head with M8 x 1.25 tap. Installed M8 x 6mm grub screws (eBay MonsterBolts.com) with correct Loctite 592 w/ Teflon sealer (eBay).

 

[Agnelli]

Progress report: lifted console, swapped 4 speed shifter and rod for 5 speed. Installed NOS Valeo throw out bearing. It has a pointed captive tab on the lower ear, requiring removal of the shift fork bolt, allowing sliding thee T/O bearing into position, capturing the bearing. This allows deleting the little spring clips. Mated freshly built SteveH 5 speed transaxle to engine block.

Next adventure, lifting the powertrain in to place, solo without an engine hoist. First lifted passenger side with a 1/2 ton manual chain hoist hung from a Spectra rope loop over a four foot 6"x6" beam perched on top of two 8 1/2" short chunks of 6x6 sitting on each strut tower. Iterative process with blocks of wood from below, lines from the top of the block run aft to the bumper to hold the block relatively level, and HF floor jack. Raised the transaxle side clearing A arm, finally able to pin the snail mount in place, then dogbone. Next step will be to make the transaxle clearance reliefs in the frame rail and A arm, then mount the crossmember.

 

[Agnelli]

Crossmember cleaned and bolted to transaxle with refreshed flywheel cover and new lower engine mount. Scavenged the reverse switch from the former 4 speed, cleaned then verified function with ohmeter. Installed it, sealed with Hylomar.

Next, will lift and position the drivetrain for the clearance relief, then complete bolting in crossmember.

 

[Agnelli]

One forward crossmember M8 bolt captive frame fastening point was stripped, requiring correct Helicoil application, drilled with correct 21/64" bit then tapped. Red threadlocker applied (though not required), fresh fasteners arrived by FedEx from MWB along with new correct 145mm dogbone which will complete all new powertrain mounts. Also completely degreased the A-arms with Simple Green + wire brush. Silicone tie rod boots also arrived from MWB, so the plan is to resolve the mount fittings then re-fit suspension. Remaining then will be axles, exhaust, intake, alternator, fluids. Might remount Michelin Defenders to these Campagnolo Ragnos dredged up from the across our northern border shipment forthcoming. They are original, date stamped 1977 from Cosentino, only ever had a single set of R1s ever mounted.

 

[Tom Ginefra]

Where did you get the new lower mount from? And is it for a 5 speed?

 

[Agnelli]

Where did you get the new lower mount from? And is it for a 5 speed?

Not sure the original source, I had more than one and installed the best looking unit. I think but don't know the lower mounts are the same, 4, 5 speed or 128.

Progress yesterday - completed the powertrain mounts/crossmember. Then addressed the shifter mechanism. First, in reading earlier posts learned replacing the 4 speed shifter with 5 speed in an early car requires bending a metal loop in the left side of the shifter tunnel down to prevent interference with the shift level / shift rod linkage. Sure enough, I had to do that with a brass drift and small sledge. Once reinstalled and checking for clearance discovered the bolt / nyloc combination had to be re-installed at 180 degrees with the bolt head on the right side. The longer threaded end was interfering with wiring etc on the right side of the tunnel. All good - now I have clearance in the tunnel.

Next, moved on to the transaxle end. Discovered the lollipop connection between transaxle shift rod and tunnel shift rod was too long to fit. Fortunately, I had in stock the single year S shaped linkage. Full credit due to the late MikeMo, who provisioned the whole 5 speed conversion 'kit': core transaxle, shifter, shift rod, linkage, tin, and uprights. Had I not had the hard S shaped linkage, I would have had to revert to the 4 speed shifter and modify it to allow for the fifth gear. All good now, seems to shift in to all gears from the cabin, this is a fresh SteveH built transaxle and the first test to see if it survived its trip across the continent, which appears so.

 

[Agnelli]

Loaded a new tool - mini grease gun - for the first time in an effort to inject grease into the torn tie rod end boots on the toe links. The repair then calls for covering the original bots with new specialty silicone covers sourced from MWB. They fit well.

 

[Agnelli]

Carved the relief into the left A arm to clearance the end of the transaxle. With Dremel.

 

[Agnelli]

Axle refurb: inspected axles supplied with the 5spd "kit". Though it would have been possible to mount as is (CV boots were okay) upon further inspection opted to dive in, since two of the three CV joints were stiff, one in particular quite recalcitrant. Procured fresh MB grease, removed circlips and CV joints. First wiped off as much grease from the joints then submerged in mineral spirits in peanut cans, three cycles of soaking and blasting with compressed air. Now clean, one joint still really stiff, so ordered a new OE joint from MWB. New boots as well. So far I've got the long right side axle done, and it will be quick to complete the left. Though I did get new OE short boot retainers and longer aftermarket straps, re-used the used OE as they are in great shape. Used care to not overload the CV joints (spec calls for 3.2oz, but not sure if that is by volume or weight). Basically packed the joints with a small spatula but not protruding from the bearing cages. With a new transaxle and engine, I didn't want marginal axles.

Hub mount: the left upright did not yet have a hub installed, procured it, but needed a method to mount hopefully without uninstalling the hub again (plus, I do not yet own a hydraulic press). A three jaw puller would not fit around the upright flanges. Picked up a Grade 8 9/16" x 5" bolt, nut and hardened washers. Succeeded in pressing in the hub with the bolt and ratchets, protecting the wheel bearing with support from the back side with the large washers.

Brakes: Calipers had been hung from the struts, time to reinstall. No matter which method used I could not succeed in compressing the brake cylinders back to allow clearing the pads. I looked at the Facom tool recommended by Bernice which provides pressure while turning the cylinder, not available easily (though there is a whole kit with multiple drivers available in Europe over $300). It would have been simplest to reinstall my original calipers, since that wasn't going to happen this provided an opportunity to mount fresh 38mm larger brake cylinders I had waiting for another day. Success, they're mounted. Learned the trick of taking the e-brake cables on and off (11mm socket wedge technique, and found small hose pliers really useful). The existing Porterfield pads have life in them, so they are back in there. New crush washers used with the existing flexible brake lines, which were judged to be serviceable based on observing flow while bleeding the calipers before removal.

Next steps will be axle mounting, sheet metal shields, exhaust, intake, fluids.

 

[kmead]

Great progress. Thanks for the update. Funny how long it takes to get seemingly simple jobs done when you can’t just go down to the parts store and grab what you need. OK not funny.

 

[Agnelli]

Great progress. Thanks for the update. Funny how long it takes to get seemingly simple jobs done when you can’t just go down to the parts store and grab what you need. OK not funny.

You are correct sir. I needed to get the brakes on before the axles so as to have functional e brake securing the stub axle from rotating to enable torquing the axle flange bolts.

Also, during the caliper adventure, deoxidized the brake slider blocks and caliper mounts, lightly moly greased and re-installed.

 

[Agnelli]

Welcome to A,A.S, Agnelli's Axle Service. Today tackled the fourth CV joint. For this one, screwed up the courage to fully disassemble (vs. just compressed air blowout). It's fiddly but interesting, and this method assures a spotless cleaning. I did not attempt the grinding mod, perhaps others here can weigh in on the exact areas to perform that, and the benefits.

Next - reassembled and re-greased with fresh moly. Note the use of the small silicone spatula, a great tool to apply the grease and push it into the bearings and races. This one gets a new circlip, and boot. Reused the belville washer that reside between the axle seat and CV joint.

Nice to see it's an original equipment Fiat CV joint. This one had been sitting under the house, super crusty dried out grease and dirty. Three overnight soakings in mineral spirits solved that issue.

And the final product, left side short axle. Now both axles are ready to go back in the car. Plan is to use red loctite, OE hex cap screws, and keep surfaces as clean as possible given the adjacent moly. I do like the OE CV boot straps; well seated with the big screwdriver hold down whilst yanking and folding with pliers. Outdoor assembly in the bright light and now (thankfully) clear air is pleasant.

 

[Agnelli]

Before installing the refreshed axles, it was necessary to bleed the new rear 38mm brake cylinders. Why? Need the handbrake to torque the CV's. Per the service manual, re-setting the internal hand brake mechanism requires pumping the foot pedal, and you are supposed to do that before attempting to engage the hand brake. So I had to bleed the rear brakes.

Observation: prior to taking the car apart, the hand brake was consistently inconsistent. Pull the lever and it always had a funny variable feel. Might take a second release and pull to lock the brakes. I never did investigate the root cause. Serendipitous luck, the new calipers seemed to have solved that problem based on the feel of activating the hand brake. Without (yet) taking apart the old brake calipers, seems like the internal mechanism was the fault, as opposed to cables or pulleys.

With a working hand brake, installed the axles. On the passenger side, long axle, it was necessary to remove the lower strut mount to provide clearance to install the axle. Cleaned the OE hex cap screws well, employed a brand new made in USA Proto 6mm driver, torqued to 31 ft lbs. + with Loctite red. One tool that was helpful was a 6mm 'screwdriver' to seat the cap screws initially. Pleased with results, particularly since this is a four to five speed conversion and was not sure things would all fit up correctly in practice, though known in theory. Nothing stripped, broken or injuries.

 

[Agnelli]

Fished the header back up into the engine bay. Began to fit the 2x DCNF40s (30mm chokes) on a vintage Alquati manifold. Discovered interference at the lowest points of the manifold hitting the header flange. Out comes the Dremel with die grinding bit.

Next issue - shouldered washers from previous header / mani combo used again, had to grind those to fit. And need to fab two more for the inboard header/intake studs.

Next discovery. Looks like this one was a 128 manifold. Many here run them no issue, we'll see how it works out, can always make changes later. See the next image of the angle relative to engine bay horizon. Also - had to back out the dog bone bolt - it hits the left carb butterfly shaft. Which it would not if this was an X mani.

 

[Agnelli]

Routed 5/16" fuel line from old Facet cube pump on the firewall to clear Wix filter to the T fitting above on to the DCNFs. eBay source.

Fabbed the remaining shoulder washers for the manifolds, both now secured. Used an angle grinder, holding the thick flat manifold washer with a vise grip to a large I beam 'anvil', requisitioned that from a construction site. Really handy tool, highly recommended for fabrication.

Mounted chambered Magnaflow muffler and tailpipe to the header. Clamps employed also secure the system to generic hangars. Oriented muffler to ensure clearance, and resolved minor leaks noted during disassembly and removal of the old engine - used 'epoxy steel' in the dinky white plastic jar to seal and fill pinholes at the joints.

Flushed the clutch hydraulic fluid, fresh fluid added, bled. Discovered the flex line to the slave is marginal. It will be replaced.

Next step - alternator installation.

 

[kmead]

Does the T have a leg with a smaller orifice on one leg for the return line? Or are you dealing with the pressure/volume drop with a calibrated orifice in another way?

Looking good.

I have a chunk of railroad rail to hammer and beat on metal parts. A piece of I beam would be nice due to the sharp edge from the cutoff. I will have to look for a chunk, thanks for the tip.