Rusted Out 1970 850 Spider Fix-Up

Look what showed up today after months of mystery! Even though the car is running ok right now on the old carb, I am going to try this out.
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Well, two months of working on my daughter's AMC Pacer are finally done, and off she has gone in the fishbowl. The Fiat sat on the driveway getting dirtier and dirtier. Finally got it washed and waxed today.
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It is interesting...my home brew paint job has faded, and is thin in spots. It looks like an old paint job with patina. Inadvertent success!

Time to fix the wiper switch (again), make sure the wipers go back and forth, and drive it. All the car shows and cruise ins are closed, so I guess it will just be zipping around time. Also need to finish up the dash board.
 
So, here is the deal with the carb. I tried the DGS carb, and the car was running way too rich. Perhaps it was for one of the larger displacement Citroen engines. So I decided to give the DIC carb another chance. Still no idle. Checked valve clearance, ignition...nothing that would cause this. So, carb dissection again. The idle jets had clogged since the last time I cleaned them. What? Even with a clean tank, new pump and two filters? That got it idling as well as it can with that vacuum leak around the shaft, which is good enough. Took it for a drive, ran like a top, but was stalling at idle when I got home. Yup, another clogged idle jet. Guess I just keep the tools handy until it is finally finished with whatever junk is in there. Just keep cleaning them and the hole they fit in.

Much to my bumnation, the car is running too hot. The radiator keeps percolating. Thermostat is ok, so I guess I need to get the rad rodded out. Does the engine sheet metal help keep it cooler?
 
Daniel Gibson said:
Much to my bumnation, the car is running too hot. The radiator keeps percolating. Thermostat is ok, so I guess I need to get the rad rodded out.
Click to expand...

Before doing that, try simply replacing the radiator cap with a new one. One of the first indicators of a failed (or failing) cap is coolant percolating in the radiator, followed by coolant spewing out of the overflow tank cap after a hot engine is shut off. A failed cap seal will let air into the cooling system, not allowing the system to pressurize & thus allowing the coolant to boil. I've had this happen on many 850's (my own & friends' cars), a new radiator cap cured it 95% of the time (other times it was a pinhole leak in the radiator). The correct 850 cap should be available from most of our FPV's.

Daniel Gibson said:
Does the engine sheet metal help keep it cooler?
Click to expand...

YES. It prevents the hot air that is exiting through the radiator from being sucked back up into the engine bay & then blown through the radiator again (& again) by the fan. Also keeps road dust/debris from doing the same.
 
Jeff Stich said:
Before doing that, try simply replacing the radiator cap with a new one. One of the first indicators of a failed (or failing) cap is coolant percolating in the radiator, followed by coolant spewing out of the overflow tank cap after a hot engine is shut off. A failed cap seal will let air into the cooling system, not allowing the system to pressurize & thus allowing the coolant to boil. I've had this happen on many 850's (my own & friends' cars), a new radiator cap cured it 95% of the time (other times it was a pinhole leak in the radiator). The correct 850 cap should be available from most of our FPV's.



YES. It prevents the hot air that is exiting through the radiator from being sucked back up into the engine bay & then blown through the radiator again (& again) by the fan. Also keeps road dust/debris from doing the same.
Click to expand...
New radiator cap time then! Thanks!
 
I filled it up with water and took it on its longest drive yet today. 2 miles! The interior turn signal indicator decided to start working AND the temp gauge came to life! Before I was just measuring it by extreme engine temp when I let it idle too long. I also made another gasket for the radiator cap just to keep the gurgling under control until get the new one in.
So, how hot does yalls cars run? Putting around, my gauge read a little over 190. On my impala, that is nothing. This car....??

good news is it drives very well. Brakes are still a little soft, but the handling,steering, shifting and acceleration all seem great for a junkyard escapee. I am pretty tickled.
 
That longer drive must have felt awesome - congratulations on it running so well this far! And fingers-crossed your teething pains with it on the road are minimal!
 
For the first time in 35 years, the car finally went somewhere! From point A to point B and back under its own power. Temp finally dropped below 100 long enough for me to take it for a spin. Naturally, I had to clean the idle jets first. Still wants to stall when coming down off of high rpms...need to look into that.
i know this is no big deal for you guys who take yours everywhere, but I still have a ways to go to build up that level of trust. Too doggone hot anyway! Temps in the sixties next week!
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Congrats!

You are driving your 850 more than I am driving mine, mine hasn’t been out of the garage since last fall. (Well it has been in and out of the garage a few times, mainly just pushed)

Way to go!
 
I bit the bullet today pulled the radiator. It shows pretty extensive signs of leakage and perhaps rot along the bottom. I bet it is plugged solid. Found a local shop I will take it to Monday. I want this car to run!
 
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