What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Had 4 new tires installed. Went with the Achillies based of recommendation on this forum & price. My old tires still look new, but are over 10 years old. I hate to spend all the money for tires only to put a few thousand miles on them. Pulling into my driveway, I fell a drip on my left foot... Looks like I'll be replacing the Clutch master for the 3rd time in our relationship....
 
Had 4 new tires installed. Went with the Achillies based of recommendation on this forum & price. My old tires still look new, but are over 10 years old. I hate to spend all the money for tires only to put a few thousand miles on them. Pulling into my driveway, I fell a drip on my left foot... Looks like I'll be replacing the Clutch master for the 3rd time in our relationship....
I'm currently living in a harsh desert climate and I have vehicles that must be kept outside where there are exposed to the extreme UV/sunlight. Tires can dry out and completely rot to the point of splitting open within about a year or two. I've replaced some that had zero miles on them. I try to keep the wheels/tires covered but it really doesn't help that much. I remember my dad bought a extra set of tires for his RV and kept them in a enclosed storage shed, just so he would have them available to mount if he decided to take the RV on a trip. However when he pulled them out of the shed they had deteriorated. So the extreme dryness (zero humidity) combined with the high temp is also a major factor. :(
 
I have wheels/tyres stored in plastic garbage bags under the bed, in the room with the most stable temperature in the house when not being used for long periods. Especially for grippy track tyres.
 
Good day, finished installing the last hose and refilled the coolant with no hose leaks. Replaced shift linkage boot. Reattached some wires I found hanging loose. Drained fuel tank which took a surprising long time, 3 hours to drain about 3 gallons. Prepped engine bay for FI work. Need to pick up a battery this week. Almost forgot also bleed the clutch, the fluid I removed looked like a cup of Guinness.

When I was wrapping up I looked under the car and saw some coolant, it was leaking from the water pump. Now this engine was supposedly rebuilt professionally 10 years ago then eth car was in storages ever since. So the question is where is leaking, it looks like its coming from the seals but not sure.
 
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No hot water to the heater core, opened the hoses and black gunk pours out. More flushing today.
This is an example one of those things where it is important to exercise the heater circuit periodically even if you don’t need any heat. As well as changing the coolant out every five years or so (On my work list now that I finally have the car out of its cocoon).

Changing coolant is important as the anti corrosion additIves get used up over time. As our cooling systems contain multiple metals (aluminum, cast iron, steel, stainless steel, brass, copper) each one has a chemical tendency to be sacrificed or corroded by one of the other metals. This is what the anti corrosion additives work against and their depletion as it protects different parts of the system is why we change it.

Cars which have been dormant for long periods are especially prone to coolant failure as it sat for long periods without being circulated.

Hope it all comes out in the wash so to speak.
 
Good day, finished installing the last hose and refilled the coolant with no hose leaks. Replaced shift linkage boot. Reattached some wires I found hanging loose. Drained fuel tank which took a surprising long time, 3 hours to drain about 3 gallons. Prepped engine bay for FI work. Need to pick up a battery this week.

When I was wrapping up I looked under the car and saw some coolant, it was leaking from the water pump. Now this engine was supposedly rebuilt professionally 10 years ago then eth car was in storages ever since. So the question is where is leaking, it looks like its coming from the seals but not sure.

Flushing may have moved some built up material against the pump seal which had worn in. I would try driving it for a week or so and see if it seals up on its own. You won’t have a catastrophic leak so there isn’t much to be lost doing it this way. When the time comes to replace the pump you will appreciate the trunk removable panel.
 
Flushing may have moved some built up material against the pump seal which had worn in. I would try driving it for a week or so and see if it seals up on its own. You won’t have a catastrophic leak so there isn’t much to be lost doing it this way. When the time comes to replace the pump you will appreciate the trunk removable panel.
Agreed, was also thinking of retighten the bolts.
 
Drained fuel tank which took a surprising long time, 3 hours to drain about 3 gallons.
I assume this is a FI type tank, and you drained it through the fuel line connection at the bottom? If so then do yourself a favor and drop the tank so you can remove the destroyed "filter" screen that is inside. It is a fine mesh sock that fits over the fuel supply tube and the screen becomes clogged with gunk and/or otherwise rots. That restricts the fuel flow significantly, which is why it took three hours for three gallons to drain out. You may not get sufficient fuel flow for the engine to fun properly.

Here is what the "filter" sock looks like when new. This example is for a carb X, but it is the same sock...only located inside the bottom of the fuel tank on the pickup tube:
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Once the tank is out you will also be able to see a ton of thick gooey "tar" crap coating the lower portion of the tank. It does not come out with normal draining and needs some strong solvent or even acid to remove it. However it will eventually come out and contaminate the entire fuel system, destroying everything. More work now, but a lot less later.


EDIT: I just saw your other thread about draining and cleaning the fuel system. Sorry, I had not come across that thread earlier so some of my comments above do not apply.
 
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I assume this is a FI type tank, and you drained it through the fuel line connection at the bottom? If so then do yourself a favor and drop the tank so you can remove the destroyed "filter" screen that is inside. It is a fine mesh sock that fits over the fuel supply tube and the screen becomes clogged with gunk and/or otherwise rots. That restricts the fuel flow significantly, which is why it took three hours for three gallons to drain out. You may not get sufficient fuel flow for the engine to fun properly.

Here is what the "filter" sock looks like when new. This example is for a carb X, but it is the same sock...only located inside the bottom of the fuel tank on the pickup tube:
View attachment 61984

Once the tank is out you will also be able to see a ton of thick gooey "tar" crap coating the lower portion of the tank. It does not come out with normal draining and needs some strong solvent or even acid to remove it. However it will eventually come out and contaminate the entire fuel system, destroying everything. More work now, but a lot less later.


EDIT: I just saw your other thread about draining and cleaning the fuel system. Sorry, I had not come across that thread earlier so some of my comments above do not apply.
Not sure about your edit Jeff, what you said make prefect sense. Was hoping to avoid cleaning out the tank but looks like I may not have that option.
 
I originally thought my tank was clean enough to not remove it. It ran fine initially but after a fresh tank of gas had a chance to start dissolving all the crud for a week, the next start up clogged the pre and post pump filters immediately.
 
One more flush and fill today, trimming and tucking carpet for the seat rails. Re-installed seat belts. I never did figure out where the collar on the seat belt bolts go. I left them off, they still fit well.

Checked manifold vacuum while twiddling idle, it's a bit over spec but better than under. Idles really well at 800-850 now that the air leaks are fixed.

Fixed a pinhole in coolant reservoir with JB weld, it seems solid. Painted reservoir.

Found out my radiator fan is not coming on. Next on the list
 
One more flush and fill today, trimming and tucking carpet for the seat rails. Re-installed seat belts. I never did figure out where the collar on the seat belt bolts go. I left them off, they still fit well.

Checked manifold vacuum while twiddling idle, it's a bit over spec but better than under. Idles really well at 800-850 now that the air leaks are fixed.

Fixed a pinhole in coolant reservoir with JB weld, it seems solid. Painted reservoir.

Found out my radiator fan is not coming on. Next on the list
Those collars go between the metal triangle piece that holds the set belt and the chassis where it bolts in to give space for the carpeting. They give the seat belt the ability to pivot with out binding with the carpet.
 
Visited the biggest classic car meet in western Sweden. Very nice arrangement with 1300 cars and thousands of visitors. I managed to get a place in the Fiat Classic Club Swedens lot which was much nicer than standing together with other cars on the mixed area.
Sadly only two X1/9 attending the exhibition; my 1984 Restomod and a 100% original 1981 in excellent condition so obviously the X1/9 is rare here.
I didn't have much time to walk around to look at other cars as I was busy answering questions about my own car. I've never seen such big interest for "Berta" before and I enjoyed every minute of the day.
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I replaced the fuel level sender in the hope it would fix the gas gauge always reading empty. Nope! So the instrument panel comes out next. I also found out why my horns don't work. They're both shot. I pulled the lead and checked voltage - good. I pulled the horn and jumpered it directly to the battery. Nothing. Reads open on my multimeter, too. I ordered replacements.
 
I replaced the fuel level sender in the hope it would fix the gas gauge always reading empty. Nope! So the instrument panel comes out next. I also found out why my horns don't work. They're both shot. I pulled the lead and checked voltage - good. I pulled the horn and jumpered it directly to the battery. Nothing. Reads open on my multimeter, too. I ordered replacements.
You may have already done this but did you ground out the line that goes on the sending unit and see if the gauge moves? I have had cases where the tank wasn't grounded properly and even after replacing the sending unit it still did not work. Just trying to eliminate the simple easy things first!
 
You may have already done this but did you ground out the line that goes on the sending unit and see if the gauge moves? I have had cases where the tank wasn't grounded properly and even after replacing the sending unit it still did not work. Just trying to eliminate the simple easy things first!
I didn't, but I will now. Thanks for the tip!
 
Great idea on the tool mod. I'm have both of these tasks coming up. Is it easier to do them at the same time in any way? And did it matter which one you did first?
I did the valves sims first and then the timing belt and idler bearing. I don't think it makes differance as long as there is a timing belt installed when you do the sims. Good luck.
 
Reworked dash back in.
Back out again because I forgot to put the plastic front vent connector thingy in.
Reworked dash back in again.
Back out again because I forgot to put the glovebox latch in (from behind) the front of the dash.
Reworked dash back in...again.

About right for me.
Third times the charm as they say.
 
Reworked dash back in.
Back out again because I forgot to put the plastic front vent connector thingy in.
Reworked dash back in again.
Back out again because I forgot to put the glovebox latch in (from behind) the front of the dash.
Reworked dash back in...again.

About right for me.
There is a lot of little things involved in getting these dashes in.
 
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