General Water Trap

[caz360]

 

[pearce_jj]

nice work there!

 

[Mollie]

Thanks Caz, you were a great help.

 

[caz360]

Thanks, they should only cost you a couple of quid!

 

[grimwau]

Much neater than my solution.

 

[Mollie]

Thanks to Caz, I bought a couple from an old Cinq. Job done.

 

[Mollie]

Much neater, wouldn't you agree?

 

[mandy2488]

Found these when topping up the wife's 500 with washer fluid. Local dealer reckons they are the worst he's seen. 58 plate car! Anyone know an email address so that I can share them with Fiat?

 

[306maxi]

Strange question, do you know if the strut top mounts have been changed on this car at all?

I know it looks unsightly and all, but it doesn't actually make any real difference in practical terms. Just the nature of the beast with where they're located. Older strut top mounts were under the bonnet and of course weren't in a place where they'd have water sitting in them.

 

[mandy2488]

We are the original owners - so they are original to the car. The thing that worries me is what will a prospective new owner think when inspecting the car when it comes time to sell. Looks like an owner who doesn't care to me if they aren't changed, parts are about £35 from Fiat including the new covers which are fitted to newer cars, so I might do them myself (I am a Mechanical engineer so they should prove no problem to change, just need to convince myself they can be done without altering the geometry of the front suspension?).

 

[306maxi]

No, the strut top mounts are underneath those, below the body, the rusty bits are just washers. They're a commonish mot failure item.

 

[grimwau]

We are the original owners - so they are original to the car. The thing that worries me is what will a prospective new owner think when inspecting the car when it comes time to sell. Looks like an owner who doesn't care to me if they aren't changed, parts are about £35 from Fiat including the new covers which are fitted to newer cars, so I might do them myself (I am a Mechanical engineer so they should prove no problem to change, just need to convince myself they can be done without altering the geometry of the front suspension?).

The covers you refer to do not really work. The first time I washed my 595 I found that the concave washers were still holding water. I have replaced the ones on my 595 with the Chevrolet Lacetti (cough) ones I removed from my previous 500 before selling it. There are also standard Fiat alternatives from other models that are larger and fully cover the area.

 

[306maxi]

The covers you refer to do not really work. The first time I washed my 595 I found that the concave washers were still holding water. I have replaced the ones on my 595 with the Chevrolet Lacetti (cough) ones I removed from my previous 500 before selling it. There are also standard Fiat alternatives from other models that are larger and fully cover the area.

*faints* Chevrolet parts on a Fiat! Surely not!

Trust Fiat to design a part to solve what is more or less a non-issue (my personal opinion) and still not be able to sort it

 

[mandy2488]

Picked up the parts this afternoon on the way home from work, £34.46 for two mounts (washers), two nyloc nuts and two covers which push fit onto the threaded part of the strut. I will change them soon and fill the concave part of the mount (washer) with a high temperature grease as the covers merely sit on top of the mount and do not appear to seal fully.

I disagree with this being a non issue - any potential MOT failure is an issue for me!

 

[306maxi]

Rust on a washer isn't an mot fail

 

[jrkitching]

I disagree with this being a non issue - any potential MOT failure is an issue for me!

It won't fail an MOT because the top bump stops & nuts are rusty.

But it will fail an MOT if the top mounts under the wing have worn out, and then you will have to undo these nuts in order to replace the mounts. If the nuts have corroded to the point of being unable to remove them, you might also have to replace the suspension struts, which will make the job considerably more expensive than it needs to be.

So I'd agree it isn't a non-issue, particularly since it is very easy for anyone to sort out for themselves.

Just put some grease on the threads & cover the bump stops with the cut off end from an empty squash bottle. Some folks were scathing of this solution at the time, but it has stood up well and my bump stops & nuts are still like new.

 

[grimwau]

So I'd agree it isn't a non-issue, particularly since it is very easy for anyone to sort out for themselves.

Just put some grease on the threads & cover the bump stops with the cut off end from an empty squash bottle. Some folks were scathing of this solution at the time, but it has stood up well and my bump stops & nuts are still like new.

When I started this thread back in 2008, Barry, the 500 mod at the time said it was a "trivial" point and in the grand scheme of things he was probably correct.

However, as JR points out, just a couple of minutes TLC and (potential) problem solved. There are lots of things you can do to a car that will make life easier down the road. Putting copper grease on specific areas of the brake pads for instance won't show up as an immediate benefit but can help prevent issues with squaking/binding brakes further down the line.

How many of us wouldn't for instance clean the muck off of the ledges under the front wings if we had our wheels off? There is no intrinsic benefit, it was out of sight but if we know it is there possibly causing a long term problem with corrosion who could ignore it? (and no, I am not going to start a poll, lol.)

 

[dannyfiatman]

They sell covers on ebay for it i bought some for my fiat 500.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-ABAR...CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2648f712#ht_925wt_1161

 

[jrkitching]

They sell covers on ebay for it i bought some for my fiat 500.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-ABARTH-500-500C-SHOCK-TOP-MOUNT-COVERS-GENUINE-FIAT-PARTS-/181030942482?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2648f712#ht_925wt_1161

Just to add that I've bought stuff from Research Fiat via ebay and their service is excellent

 

[Alanwebber]

View attachment 71030 Much neater, wouldn't you agree?

Where did you buy the caps ?