You can forget more than you knew

carl

carl

True Classic
I have played with Fiats since 1967 when I bought a new 850 coupe, my first car. Except for a brief hiatus of about 25 years when I veered over to motorcycles, I have been at the deep end in Fiats and even though I knew everything and learned more everyday I thought I had the knowledge thing down pretty good. Now, maybe not so much.

I know my five speed shifts great but for the last month or so fifth and reverse have started distancing themselves from me. I worked hard at making sure the shift rod was not hitting anywhere in the tunnel but the problem persisted and today the gearbox was starting to feel like a can of marbles. I went to get gas after lunch to prep for my Fiata club drive and pretty much gave up on reverse and fifth. But as I was driving home it hit me that there is another critical adjustment, where the lollipop bolts to the shift shaft on the trans. A little bit of looseness there can result in a LOT of slack at the shifter. Checked when I got home and sure enough there was lateral movement of the lolliop in regard to the shifter input. I usually tighten that bolt till there is barely rotational movement but no movement of the lollipop in regard to the shift input.

I should have known you make sure both issues need to be checked, I used to know this. Shouldn't be an Aha moment. I joked to my wife that I have to start making diagnostic flow charts for my Fiat...maybe not so much a joke. Climbing into your 70s sucks. You are still able to do things to your Fiat but your brain starts slipping gears.
 
I have always joked that I had to be retrained after a long weekend.
I have owned my 1970 FJ40 land cruiser for 45 years and since 1975 have owned at least one Fiat.
Among them was a 128 sedan for 35 years and the X for 21 years.
I am not a purest so when it comes to repairs I will fabricate a part or do a redesign.
Many times have I been doing upkeep or repairs that entails removing a mod and sometimes I will think, that was a clever idea, but more often, what the hell was I thinking!
On the later I usually have to try and remember how I did it.

On the Fiats if shifting doesn't feel right the lolly is my first go to.

The problem with owning and working on a car for so long is you can't put the blame on anyone else.
 
It's OK Carl, we'll still respect you in the morning.
Your post reminds me of a little poem we had in high school:

"The more we study, the more we learn,
The more we learn, the more we know,
The more we know, the more we forget,
The more we forget, the less we know,
The less we know, the less we forget,
The less we forget, the more we know.
So why study?"
 
Thanks Dave. I think I'm hitting that sweet spot where I'm learning at the same rate I'm forgetting!
 
You are not alone.

I periodically run across old posts of my own without looking at the name/icon and am like, gee I wish I could write something like that and then find that I actually had...

My memory for some things is just not what it used to be, I write more stuff down now of days I once would have just kept in my wee little mind.
 
In addition to forgetting what to check / investigate first, I'm finding keeping track of all the parts / supplies ordered for a project can be a challenge. I have found on several occasions that either I had the parts already stashed, but hadn't kept track of where I put them. I have quite a few extra seals, and misc parts. Fortunately, I haven't done that with expensive components...yet.

I'm going to have to review my most recent thread - it's been about 3 weeks since I was able to work on it, I don't remember where I was at....
 
I'd be pissed if I bought a set of DCNFs/manifold or a header only to later find ones in my stash!
 
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