Ideas of taking my motor to the next level

[Zmatt]

You can get adapters, but you have to watch the offset.

[ClarkTheShark]

so i got the motor cranked for the first time... had an ENORMOUS SCARE! when i first cranked it, oil shot out of breather hose like a fire hydrant. after a mild heart attack and a full hour of cursing Italian engineering, i took apart the breather apparatus only to realize I put the wrong gasket on the breather... it was too large and was completely blocking the draining of oil back down in the crankcase. it must have been a volkswagen gasket i had laying around that got mixed up. although it looks like its tailor made for the fiat.

anyways... its running very, very strong. does anyone have any tips for proper break in techniques? (how to drive it?, when to change the oil/filter, etc)

[ClarkTheShark]

and here she is. show off time. Lampredi would smile.

[Zmatt]

nice, any plans for dyno?

[manoa matt]

A couple issues you might want to look into: What type of exhaust manifold/header are you running? Header wrap is going to dramatically shorten the life of tubular steel headers. Your intake is going to suck in a bunch of hot air located right above the exhaust. Move it to the front or make a heat shield. The kink in the top coolant hose is probably not good. Where is the mass air flow meter? The gasket you put in the breather is for the oil fill cap.

[ClarkTheShark]

yea i realize that now about the seal lol. done alot of research on the header wrap situation. people sway both ways on whether or not it shortens life. but most agree failure occurs when moisture is trapped in the wraps causing rust. i painted mine with the silicone sealer spray. and plus... i really dont care if i destroy these headers...im putting a turbo on as soon as i get all my parts. but the point of the wraps is to reduce underhood temperatures. and IT WORKS. i get intake air temps of about 110 to 115. and thats pretty good for 100 degree alabama summers. the kink is no issue... it flows fine. as for the mass flow meter, im running megasquirt... it uses a map sensor.

[manoa matt]

It's not the flow, its the premature/unexpected failure of the hose.

[wmausbach]

Jay,
You've done a good job and the installation really looks neat. One suggestion is nobody uses wraps as the ceramic coating is both more efficient and better looking without the rust issue. I would estimate your setup is producing about 115hp and it would be interesting to get a base line with actual dyno runs.
ciao
Wayne in Houston

[ClarkTheShark]

was hoping for higher than 115... but without forced induction, cams or pistons. i may have done all i can. ive done extensive headwork (1800 head, bigger valves, port/polish), manifold porting, exhaust, flywheel, spec clutch, megasquirt, lightened rods and crank, decked block... this thing is ready to be a fire breather once i get my turbo situation figured out.

[Zmatt]

was hoping for higher than 115... but without forced induction, cams or pistons. i may have done all i can. ive done extensive headwork (1800 head, bigger valves, port/polish), manifold porting, exhaust, flywheel, spec clutch, megasquirt, lightened rods and crank, decked block... this thing is ready to be a fire breather once i get my turbo situation figured out.

Just a thought, I'm guessing you don't want/need a large turbo for this since it's a small engine. Audis have tiny, and I mean Tiny stock turbos in the 1.8 and 2.0 engines. You may want to try and find a junked Audi or an owner who upgraded his stock setup and try that. Boost should come on really fast.

[ClarkTheShark]

yup yup apparently saab 900's had a good turbo on them. im going to the junkyard this weekend in hopes to find one.

[Zmatt]

awesome, let us know how it goes.

[wmausbach]

Jay,
115 hp is realistic as you have improved the breathing which is pretty good anywayon the stock 124. You will need more compression and a bit more cam to unleash the potential. As an engineer myself , I've always wanted actual data. Over the years I've colected various dyno runs from 124 owners with various modifications. I'm putting together my '81 with the same modifications you've done except I stuck with the standard L-electronic for the present. At these low levels the stock system is more than adequate. Fiat did have this combination except with a higher lift cam. The F.I. motor was rated at 122 hp in europe but it also had a bit more cam and compression.
Of course that's why I asked about a dyno run to qualify my estimate. I do plan to dyno mine as I progress with the other modifications I have planned ( I have a Volumex) as I feel forced induction is the ideal setup up for the street. I'm going to FFO next week where I hope to gather more data.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Ciao
Wayne

[ClarkTheShark]

for sure man... i cant wait to see everyone at the freakout.

[wmausbach]

Jay ,
Come look me up. I'm driving Jeff Scheferman's red spider as he is bring his awesome coupe. This is the one that pulls 180hp ( Dyno verified on two dyno's). He also is bring his sedan,which is my favorite as it is what Fiat is about.
Ciao
Wayne from Houston