Indy - new owner's questions

[Cmcwilliam]

Hello,

I've recently bought a 1970 4.2 Indy and really enjoying it. The engine was recently rebuilt (c. 700km ago). I just had a few questions, if that's ok?

On the dash there are 4 controls: choke, heating, fresh air flap and a mystery one - I don't know what this one does - it terminates in a pivot fixed to the RHS of the engine bay. Does anybody know what this does? It hardly moves at all and I am loath to apply too much pressure without knowing what it's for.

There is some oil leaking from the cam box covers - some of it appears to come from around the studs that fix the covers. Should these have some kind of sealing washer under the acorn nuts - fibre, copper, dowty, etc? It may be that it's just that it needs tightening up after a few miles to get a good seal on the gasket.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Many thanks,
Craig (London, UK)

 

[allandwf]

Some italian cars of this era had a manual accelerator, possibly that?

 

[Cmcwilliam]

Hi - thanks for replying. By manual accelerator , do you mean an advance/retard control for the ignition? I don't think it's that - I only say this as there is no mention of this in the (italian) handbook. Craig


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[hilts uk]

The Maserati board of Ferrarichat is a another place to ask technical questions about pre 1980 cars if no one has an answer here.

 

[allandwf]

Hi - thanks for replying. By manual accelerator , do you mean an advance/retard control for the ignition? I don't think it's that - I only say this as there is no mention of this in the (italian) handbook. Craig


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.

No, I mean manual accelerator, acting directly on the webbers. I think it is to warm it up until it ticks over. At least two fiats I had , had this feature, one was a Dino.

 

[CatmanV2]

Our first Giulietta had a hand throttle. Very crude cruise control. Acted as Allan says, but in our case, Dellortos

C

 

[Cmcwilliam]

.

No, I mean manual accelerator, acting directly on the webbers. I think it is to warm it up until it ticks over. At least two fiats I had , had this feature, one was a Dino.

Ah, sorry - yes, it has this. This is what I meant by the choke (one of the three I have identified) but you're correct - it's an additional "starting carburettor".

However, the last fourth one is the mystery. The lever/pivot it's attached to is fixed to the side of the engine bay, just behind the washer bottle.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the leaks from the cam covers?

Thanks for the suggestion of Ferrarichat.

Many thanks,
Craig

 

[philw696]

Without out seeing the cam cover leaks it's hard to say especially with the engine so recently being rebuilt. Have they been checked for tightening with a torque wrench ?

 

[allandwf]

Could you post a picture of said item?

 

[Cmcwilliam]

Hi - thanks all for your replies. The oil leaks appear to be the result of failed dowty washers under the cambox acorn nuts, now replaced with copper crush washers.

The unknown control operates a flap that is part of the fresh air/ cooling set up. That's now free'd up but the push pull wire control is optimistic at best... I'm hoping I've attached a photo but it's actually very hard to see - a black lever against a black background...



Many thanks!
Craig

 

[allandwf]

Can see the lever and how it is supposed to work Are you sure it is original? Assume there is a cabin control that moves said lever left and right.

 

[Cmcwilliam]

Hi - have located a parts book, and it shows this lever and that there is a flap inside a cavity within the chassis that directs air one way or another (no real idea which way though). The wire is very stiff and connects to a drag control that either pushes or pulls. The pull works but the push option can't really overcome the friction in the lever...