Later fiat coupe turbo engine into a X

Hello all, first post but long time stalker!

Im putting together a Prototipo from a part finished project I bought along with a 16v turbo coupe.

Ive found a couple of mentions of people doing this and even a video on youtube of one in action in Italy. But wondered if anyone on here has done it?

Main concerns are around the engine mounts, loom and driveshafts. I know that the forward engine bulkhead has to com e out and the boot floor bulkhead too (its already been done)!

But any other gotcha’s?

Ive been rallying a racing for prob 30 years on cars Ive built, but my experience on the X is limited.

I have the workshop, and some say the skills. Just not the experience on this later twincam.

Hi David sounds a great project cant wait to see the result have you spoken to Nick at P1X2000 he is very helpful to talk to contact details in the classified section

Thanks for that Richard, will give him a call.

Dave

Hi Richard,

I've contemplated using that engine over the years but stuck with the Uno turbo because I wanted to keep my X1/9 looking like a road car.
You will need to move your petrol tank to the front. The manifold/turbo is the opposite side to the original engine and you wouldn't want a hot turbo near your tank. You will more than likely need to cut out space that end for access.

You will need a cable set up for the linkage. A Toyota MR2 system works well with my top change turbo gear box.

The Coupe has the red key security/ignition system with the ECU. I would lose all that and have an aftermarket ECU like an Omex 600. That way you can make your own loom to suit at the right length. Failing that, Joe Knight from FCSS (Coupe specialist) should be able to help out.

There are plenty of companies out there that can make driveshafts for you. I would cut the originals in the center down to the currect size and weld them up to use as prototypes. Double check the lengths are correct by jacking up each side of the suspension. You don't want a shaft popping out under load from being too short.

You will need to decide if you are going to use an intercooler or charge cooler. Charge coolers can work in any space but require some engineering to fit with a pump, coolant pipes and a pre-rad. If you can get enough air in and out of an intercooler it will be more simple. Your intake temperatures will limit your performance (it's mid-engined). In my experience, charge cooling is the best option due to giving the lowest temps. My 1400 turbo engine pushes over 250bhp on the dyno and the intake stays below 30 degrees.

An exhaust and intercooler pipework need considering carefully in terms of layout.

There will be plenty of cutting and welding to get the engine in and fitted- easier for a track racer like yours, harder for a road car.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Hi Rob, thanks for the details.

Richard provided me details for Nick, who I spoke to yesterday. He gave me some sound advice, but did say he had done the V6 alfa engine as opposed to the 16vt.

The car is to be road ready, but mostly used for Rallying, as I run with the “Rallying with group B” and “Slowly sideways” at events.

So the stripped out approach affords me some more space and compromises in regards to comfort!!

Tbh, Ive spent half of the day taking the engine out of the doner No easy task as lets just say, its been stood a while and things are rusted and tight. Plus, Ive never lifted the bonnet on one of these until recently!! Still got plenty of it do before its out!

The car came from the factory with a cable gear change assembly and looking at, it should require only a little work to make it work in a mid engine layout, but likely will need longer cables. Im planning to take the gear lever linkage out with its surrounding metalwork (the coupe shell is scrap tbh).

The loom is complete and runs a uprated chip, no immobiliser and a uprated intercooler. With the prototipo kit, Im hoping I can make the larger side air intakes work with it. But if all else fails, a charge cooler will be my next option.

So that leave the engine mounts and driveshafts. The gearbox has a external viscous diff that runs on the intermediate shaft at the back of the box, A bit like the Monte carlos had but without the viscous diff) Now my hope is that I can either use 2 short 1500 driveshafts and CV joints, or at least get the coupe ones sorted.

Until its mocked up, I wont know but if I have to get custom ones made up, Ive found a place in the midlands that build them for WRC cars (£400 a pair though!)

Mount wise, well ive a motorbike jack I can sit the engine on and roll it under and jack up into the X’s bay. From there I can work it out, but I am thinking about using more commonly found, competition versions - something along the lines off a MGB (dont swear please) - they are strong and reasonably priced. Plus, having dropped a B series on my big toe, are more than capable of handling the weight!

Strangely, I had a measure up and compared to engine bays today, the x’s is actually slightly bigger (but Ive no boot bulkhead!), but it’ll still be snug

Anyway, all advice is greatly appreciated

Dave

Hi David, interested to hear how your project is progressing. Is the engine in yet??

Not yet, still gathering parts. Picked up a mk3 mr2 gearchange that looks like it will do the trick. Hopefully in the next few weeks, the lump will be in place and I can start on making the mounts

That is going to be a very interesting project. Good luck to you and enjoy the process as much as the results

Also did you see on the son of xweb forum there is a guy doing and documenting a stilo 16v engine into an x1/9 which is I think is a 1.8 non turbo version of the same engine that you are looking at. Might get some hints from the thread,

Hi, seen the thread. Very interesting. Did reach out to him a while back but no replies unfortunately

Alex Baker wrote: Also did you see on the son of xweb forum there is a guy doing and documenting a stilo 16v engine into an x1/9 which is I think is a 1.8 non turbo version of the same engine that you are looking at. Might get some hints from the thread,

I'm not sure which engine the Stilo 16v used but unfortunately the 1.8 litre 16v engine is completely different to the 2 litre 16v unit from the first Fiat Coupes which which used the final iteration of the Lampredi twin cam engine..
The 1.8 engine is a 4 cylinder version of the 5 pot 20 valve unit used in later Fiat Coupes among other stuff.