Fiat 500 Part 7.2 - Erratic idle and rusted sump - My daughters first car - VSG Ep 72

[@stormtrooperste]

I worked in a fastfit exhaust garage years back and snapping studs felt like your soul being ripped out 😡. I take my hat off to you for your patience and determination. I am becoming a avid watcher of your work 👍

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Thankyou for your kind comments. The exhaust stud situation was certainly a low point. I was contemplating a head off job if I couldn't get them out in situ.

[@philipplume6605]

It's impossible not to smile when the last stud comes out 😁 great work

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Yes agreed. There was a moment when I though either the head was coming off or engine out.

[@Andrewausfa]

That was a nightmare, well done for persevering and not taking a hammer to the car :)

[@vintagesteelgarage]

There has been some choice words said to the car off camera.

[@Paul-ue8tn]

Ive done plenty of other work on my 500 1.2. Now on 120k miles and still going strong. I changed Cambelt on mine, was changed at 80k even though service book said it was done; it wasn't. Keep up the oil changes every 6k and lots of life left in the engine. Other things that go are alternator bearings, clutch at 80k, tailgate loom and rear drum self adjusters. Recommend you change the gearbox oil too given how easy it is. Also mine had the door handle break and the boot had water ingress due to a small water sealant gap under the roof gutter strip. You will notice the rear window steam up. Keep up the good work

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Sounds like you had all the common faults sorted. Good work.

[@chrisonthetubes]

Incredible perseverance in getting those studs out, well done!

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Thanks. At one point I really thought it was having a new head or complete engine.

[@TheDervMan]

The relief when that last stud came out :-) Looking forward to seeing the belt change now.

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Yes I was very relieved once all the studs where replaced.

[@TheDervMan]

@@vintagesteelgarage Thanks to your great video I've gone down a rabbit hole of OBD2 code readers!! The Autel AutoLink AL319 is looking like the best for me at the mo!

[@vintagesteelgarage]

The fox Pro has been good for me with ability to download software to cover other cars.

[@TheDervMan]

@@vintagesteelgarage which model do you have?

[@vintagesteelgarage]

@@TheDervMan I have the Fox Pro Nt510 www.foxwelltool.co.uk/wholesale/nt510-multi-system-scanner-with-one-fre-car-brand-software-and-obd.html

[@weirbrook]

Hi again, after all your work and patience the little 500 should be good for another 90k. Can't wait for the cam belt change ( I'm thinking of doing mine later in the year ).

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Yes I certainly hope so. Cambelt change was quite simple. Best to buy cambelt tool off amazon for £20 to ensure its aligned correctly. Video coming end of the week.

[@weirbrook]

@@vintagesteelgarage thanks will do, I've been getting along with mine, striped the brakes, cleaned the rear drums and fitted new brembo front pads ( really pleased with the quality of the brembe pads ) plus oil and filter, and fitted elta dip beam bulbs for better night driving. Good luck with the cam belt change 👍.

[@allthegearnoidea6752]

Well done that looks like a total pain. I wonder if an impact gun would have got them off any easier. Wow you need some good luck after all your hard work

[@vintagesteelgarage]

It's easy to take apart 2nd time. It's certainly testing me this car.

[@mbak7801]

With access to a lathe take some M8 bolts, drill a hole exactly down the centre of the bolt all the way through, say M6. If you have some threads before the top of the stud wind on the bolt with the hole in. If the broken stud is proud of the surface and you have some threads on it use a nut as an adapter for your bolt. This will now act as a guide for the drill to make a concentric hole for an extractor to be wound in, etc.

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Never tried this but great tip. I'll try this next time.

[@SoddingaboutSi]

I hope you get a bloody nice Fathers day prezzie! Great work. Get Chris around to help. Lots of copper grease on the studs I hope?

[@vintagesteelgarage]

I got a nice birthday present. Every elbow grease product made.

[@anterometso276]

Thank you for a great video. I am looking for part numbers for the exhaust studs and for the radiator pipe you replaced.

[@vintagesteelgarage]

I don't have the part numbers sorry. The exhaust flex was off ebay

[@mattavalon]

Great episode. Very frustrating those studs. Well done on getting it all done. Hope my daughters 1.2 Lounge ‘searching’ isn’t the same thing. It’s on 78k and similar age. What’s the best way to find why it’s searching? Cheers

[@paulwisdom5383]

If you still have a odd idle that goes from 900 down to 650ish then judder a bit and goes back up, check your MAP sensor. Just replaced mine and my god the difference is immense!

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Thanks for the tip. I might try that. I did clean but not replace.

[@paulwisdom5383]

@@vintagesteelgarage I did the same and it is noticeably better with the replacement. I do however suffer from a lot of oil in my intake which does get to the sensor. I'm going to look at running a catch can and see if it stops the oil getting in

[@mrt9031]

I've got this very job go do. Don't fancy having similar issues. Would you recommend splitting the nuts/cutting with a dremel. Helpful video

[@vintagesteelgarage]

The problem is the studs have gone brittle with the heat cycles. So if you get them off with dremel. (good idea) although limited access with manifold in place it's likely the studs will snap when you torque the new bolts. Maybe try soaking in penetrating oil or diesel for a few days before hand. I'd recommend if they don't snap to remove and fit all new studs. Very cheap off ebay.

[@mrt9031]

@@vintagesteelgarage unfortunately one was already broken and another broke on removal. I've got one out but the other is going to need drilled. What size of helicoil did you use? 9mm?

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Stud is m8. So helicoil kit for m8 studs. I got the studs off ebay 41mm long. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M8-Exhaust-Manifold-Studs-M8-Exhaust-Studs-Stud-All-Size-Makes-8MM-Bolts-/132703511763?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0 Good look. Its a nightmare of a job.

[@mrt9031]

@@vintagesteelgarage thanks and appreciate your replies 👍👍

[@vintagesteelgarage]

No problem. Buy new drill bits if you haven't already. First one really important to get nicely centered. Best to use a centre pinch to stop drill bit skipping and going off centre

[@marksheehan2897]

Did the stud replacement solve the idle issue. Ive got my nieces to look at for a rough idle. Its been to a few garages etc but its landed on my lap now.

[@vintagesteelgarage]

@@marksheehan2897 yes it did. It was a blowing exhaust gasket. Blowing because studs snapped and couldn't hold gasket in place.

[@marksheehan2897]

​@@vintagesteelgaragecheers. Ill check them out 👍

[@superelectic45]

I would have been tempted to remove the head and drill the studs out on a pedalstal drill and retap the head to 10mm. Either way it's a PITA. Maybe heating the nuts up nice and hot before removing is the way to go as I think it was the heat from your welder did the trick - I always have to do this on the ancient VW's I've worked on. Two other ways I've heard to replace the sump is to slice the exhaust pipe and fit a sleeve afterwards(!) or remove the suspension leg on the drivers side hmmm. All could have been avoided if Fiat has spun the engine the other way around lol

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Yes snapped exhaust studs are always fun. I suspect I'll have the same to do on my 911 when the time comes to replace the manifold.

[@kapitandoopa5021]

I also have broken exhaust manifold stud at cylinder number 4 and exhaust manifold is covered in engine oil there. Valve cover gasket has been replaced recently but oil is still showing up there. Can it be leaking from underneath the manifold?

[@vintagesteelgarage]

@@kapitandoopa5021 oil shouldnt be coming out of the exhaust port. If it is you have other problems and would be burning oil. Suspect it still leaking from cam cover

[@TheDervMan]

Quick question. Did you do any prep work on the exhaust manifold before refitting? Or simply clean the block and manifold and refit with a new gasket? I've been really lucky and managed to get all eight nuts and studs out without breaking any (phew)! Shame I can't upload pics here so you can see what I've done.

[@vintagesteelgarage]

Well done with no snapped studs. I just cleaned head and manifold and used a new gasket then evenly tighten the nuts.

[@TheDervMan]

@@vintagesteelgarage great stuff. I’ll do the same in that case. Thanks very much for coming back.