Note: These are some awesome DIY postings found on an Italian website with literal translations from Google so please bare with the imperfect English.

The Original posting is here to give credit where credit is due.
http://www.cinquino.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2706

Disassembling the engine and gearbox from the 500

Materials:

- car jack,
- 2 jack stands,
- ratchet or wrenches # 7-8-10-13-17,
- Phillips screwdriver,
- large flat head screwdriver and a small on,
- pliers,

Raise up the back of the 500 and place it on the 2 jack stands high enough so you can get under it to work.
Disconnect the negative battery cable and unscrew the fuel cap to relieve the pressure.

1 - Open the hood, disconnect the wire of the license plate light, and the cable that holds the hood. Close the lid and unscrew the nut with a #10 wrench, and then remove it.
2 - Disconnect the wires from the spark plugs and remove the distributor cap, as well as the small ground wire that connects to the body with a #8 wrench shown below p.11

3 - Remove the belt guard heat shields where you see marked with 2 yellow dots....... [More]

Note: These are some awesome DIY postings found on an Italian website with literal translations from Google so please bare with the imperfect English.

The Original posting is here to give credit where credit is due.
http://www.cinquino.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2706

 Lower your Fiat 500 by modifying your leaf springs 

 Finally I will explain how to flip around your crossbow leaf spring to give your car a  lower profile without it being lowered way too much. With this job you will have a happy medium.
This was a technique used many years ago before they came out with those aftermarket lowering springs, for many it was too low. 

With this job you will have a middle way. 
I will Start by saying that if the crossbow is to be thrown away, the job will come out bad! So if thats the case buy a new one first.
So here is how  the crossbow  appears in my  Nuova original Fiat, slightly oxidized

Here we must first remove the clamps that hold the outer leaves of the crossbow, To do this all you need is.... [More]

 Ratio chart

Version	I	II	III	IV	REVERSE	Final reduction
New 500	36/11	31/15	26/20	21/24	24/11x36/19	8/41
500 sport	36/11	31/15	26/20	21/24	24/11x36/19	8/39
500 D. 500 F. 500 L. 500 Giardiniera 500 Autobianchi	37/10	31/15	26/20	21/24	24/11x36/19	8/41
500 R	37/10	31/15	26/20	21/24	24/11x36/19	8/39

Note: These are some awesome DIY postings found on an Italian website with literal translations from Google so please bare with the imperfect English.

The Original posting is here to give credit where credit is due.
http://www.cinquino.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1516

Cleaning the oil flinger.  

Tools needed
- pipe wrench  #10
- container to drain oil

Inside the motor of 500 oil is filtered through two components:

1 - The retina at the start of the oil suction tube,

2 - The centrifugal filter.

The 500 does not have a cartridge filter, but a centrifugal Slinger that  causes the oil and heavy impurities to get stuck to the wall + the Slinger.
Then the flow continues into the crankshaft via the camshaft axis reaches the cylinder banks and the oil sensor and then  continues ... ... continues to fall in the cup from the valve cover.

PROCEDURE - With a key #10 removed the 6 nuts that hold the lid of the centrifuge (see photo), put a container under the lid to catch the oil trapped in the Slinger, under this cover you will find the real Slinger. Dis-assembly of the centrifugal device involves the extraction of the locking nut, the nut is tightened with a high torque and therefore not easy to remove.

- Check  the walls of the slinger and the walls of the lid that there is no residual sludge (see photo) if there is scrape the layer of loose dirt with a screwdriver and clean with a rag soaked in oil. Be careful not to leave any strands of cloth in the slinger, it could block the  flow of oil causing engine damage.
- Once cleaned reassemble the cap of the slinger putting a new gasket.
The correct mounting position of the cap is manditory because  it carries on its surface a references to the ignition timing (TDC)  (see photo).  [More]

Fiat 500 Chassis Numbers

Here is a chart to help you find out the year your Fiat 500 was built by reading the chassis number.

For help where to locate your chassis number see : Identifying Your Fiat & Engine

Original Fiat 500 colors  1957 - 1977, divided into periods and models of production . For some models, these colors were only available on certain versions.

Learn to where and how to read your Fiat 500s color code by clicking here:  Identifying Your Fiat & Engine

Maintenance to be done every 6,000 Miles (10,000km) or 6 months if sooner:

Do all the more frequent tasks and in addition:

1. Engine oil change. Use a top quality multigrade oil suitable to temperature (see page) without any other additives. Drain the oil from the plug on the right of the sump when the car is hot (17 mm spann) into a pan that will have plenty of room, to prevent spillage. Allow the oil to drip for at least 10min. Clean the drain plug, and check its washer. Refit the drain plug, and refill the sump with 4 pints. check the level on the dipstick and add a little more if required. The oil should be changed at 3,000 miles if the car is used mostly for town work, particularly in winter, or in dusty conditions.
   If you have just bought an old car and the oil is very black flush out first with flushing oil. When draining this jack up the left of the car once most of the oil is out to make any dregs flow out better.
2. Air Cleaner. - Replace the cartridge. When dusty conditions prevail, replace cartridge more often.
3. Spark plugs. - fit clean plugs. With the gap set to .025 in (.6mm) plugs are Marelli CW 6N, Champion L87Y (or L7) or Bosch W225 T 1.  The porcelain plug insulators and the leads, must be kept clean to ensure easy starting.
4. Ignition distributor. Undo the clips and remove the cap. Pull off the rotor arm. Check that the points are not contaminated with oil or dirt. Check their gap. This should be .019 to .012in  (.47 - .53mm) This may be almost impossible to measure other than [More]

Maintenance to be done every 3,000 Miles (5,000km).

Do all the more frequent tasks and in addition:

1. Check the car underneath. look at the rubber dirt excluders on the steering ball joints. Check the flexible hydraulic pipes for the brakes ( one at each front wheel, one just inside each rear suspension forward pivot), for rubbing or leaks.
2. Check under the car for oil leaks (or new oil leaks if minor seepage already occurs).
3. Lubricate the grease nippled on the king pins. Jack up the car to get the weight off the front suspension. Clean the nipples ( one each side ). Pump in grease till it extrudes clean at the ends of the king pin. Wipe off excess grease ( a little left around helps keep out wet ).
4. Check the fan belt tension. It should be possible to press it down 1/2 inch ( 1cm ) using one finger and hard pressure. To tighten, undo the three nuts clamping the two parts of the dynamo pulley, and move a spacer from between the two halves to the outside. Do not over-tighten or the dynamo bearings will be overloaded. Excessive slackness wears the belt by slipping. New belts stretch, and require checking two or three times in their first few hundred miles.
5. Gearbox and differential.Check oil level which must reach the bottom face of the plug fitted on the right side of gearbox. If necessary, add FIAT W 90 (SAE 90 EP) oil.
6. Steering box.Check oil level which must reach the bottom face of the plug fitted on box left side. If necessary, add FIAT W 90
7. Air cleaner.Clean cartridge accurately by shaking off the dust and blowing with a low-pressure air blast. Replace cartridge, if clogged.
   When dusty conditions prevail, clean and replace cartridge more often.
8. Generator and fan drive belt.Check and, if necessary, adjust belt tension; correct sag under a pressure of 22 lbs (10 kg): about 3/8” (1 cm). (see page)
9. Ignition distributor.Check breaker point gap which must be .0185” to .0209” (0,47 to 0,53 mm).
10. Spark plugs.Clean spark plugs and check if electrode gap is .0 197” to .0236” (0,5 to 0,6 mm).
11. Brake fluid reservoir.Check level and, if required, top up to the strainer. Use exclusively the special FIAT blue brake fluid (or equivalent non-mineral HI) fluid).
12. Tires.To equalize tire wear, rotate tires in criss-cross fashion.
13. Battery.Check terminals and clamps for tightness and cleanliness,