Building my engine

[BEEK]

not as of yet on the boring and ballancing. i do all my own head work and milling

[mdrburchette]

You guys need to get your rides ready and take a trip to the far North for Dixie Fiatfest. We've have Floridians come up in the past.

[TulsaSpider]

Nice thread. I am doing basically the same thing minus the headers and dual carbs. I had the flywheel lightened 4lbs and just took the rotating assembly to be balanced today, including the pressure plate. Aluminum pulley in the front saves 4 lbs too. 4.5 mm dome pistons. When all that is done I'll start on the head!

[wachuko]

My humble recommendation for you:

1. Disassemble and clean everything.
2. head: big valve, port and polish, replace springs, 42/ 82 billet cams
3. 9.8-1 pistons, 0 deck height the block, balance the rotating assy, aluminum flywheel, crank pulley and cam gears from Jason. Total seal rings.
4. (2) 40 idf Weber’s. My personal recommendation is Weber’s not empi
5. Marks header, a 2 ½ “exhaust out the rear with muffler of your choice.
6. Ignition of your choice, myself I use the stock marelli dist and an msd box, but that’s me.
7. And all of the normal rebuild parts, rod and main bearings, oil pump, water pump ect..

And the next time you see my spider that’s what will be under the hood of it for the most part. I’m using the ansa header, because I’m cheap, and have it, and a plex distributor and a hotter cam.

This is where I start to get confused... stock is easy, clean and replace with stock items. But with those recommendations I need to ask a few more questions.

1. Disassemble and clean - easy enough
2. a. Bigger valves - What specs? Where to buy them from? EDIT: I think I found them - These? - Valve Exhaust (37.5mm) Performance - (SKU 14-6636) - $19.10 * 4 = $76.40 ; Valve Intake (43mm) Performance - (SKU 14-6634) - $18.65 * 4 = $74.60
Do these valves use the same/standard guides and valve seals??
b. Port and Polish - Should be easy, just time consuming but this can be diy.
c. Replace Springs - What specs? Where to buy them from? EDIT: I think I found them - These? - Valve Springs ISKY - (SKU 14-8626) - $74.50 I guess I will also need the Valve Spring Cap ISKY - (SKU 14-8690) - $72.50 to go with these springs?
d. 42/ 82 billet cams - What? Oh man! I am so lost, lol... What specs? Where to buy them from? EDIT: I think I found them - These? Performance Cam 42-82/82-42 Set - (SKU 14-3610) - $334.00
3. a. 9.8-1 pistons - What specs? How do I order them, and from where? EDIT: I think I found them - These (unsure as they have 84.4, 84.6, 84.8, 85?? - High Compression DOHC Pistons 84.4mm - (SKU 56-0604) - $335.00 But those this means that I need connecting rods or I can reuse the existing ones? If that is the case, I need to get the shop to push out the piston pins to reuse the rods...
b. Zero deck height the block - Understood.
c. Balance the rotating assembly - Understood.
d. Aluminum flywheel, crank pulley and cam gears from Jason - Who and where is Jason?? EDIT: Found him - Miller's Mule Machine and Design - Aluminum Late Style Flywheel - $375; Adjustable Intake Pulley with Guard - $90.00; Adjustable Exhaust Pulley with Guard - $90.00. Vicks Autosport also has the Pulleys $249.50 for the set, but not the Alu flywheel.
e. Total Seal Rings - Gapless Top Ring Sets - Part Number M6159 ?? - $195.74
4. Mark can sell me the same setup with Webers instead of empi. A more expensive alternative is to get it from Vicks Autosport. They have a kit - Carb Conversion Kit Duel 40 IDF - (SKU 30-0333) - $1,788.50
5. Mark's header - Understood.
6. Ignition - Understood. I like the one Mark's sells simply for cleaning the engine bay. Not sure if it will work with this setup... need to ask.
7. All normal rebuild parts - Understood.

[BEEK]

ill pm you with my choice of parts and from what vendor i would source them from. i dont want to make anyone mad. again only my personal opinion as to whom i would use. pistons are pistons if the brand is the same, shop price! camshafts on the other hand are very different.

[So Cal Mark]

my ignition system will work very well with the setup you're contemplating.
My carb setup even with Webers is much cheaper than the setup you mentioned

[spiderrey]

Beek, I think your on the right track with thar set up. the only thing i see is that I believe the stock twin down pipe is better then the ansa header. Just my 2 cents.

[BEEK]

my ansa header is modded with stepped pipe diameters and lengthened secondary runners, and much better y intersections, so i guess its not realy a ansa header, mostly just thier manifold flange and the first few inches of pipe

[wachuko]

Thank you all! I just finished the list of parts needed. Figured out where to get them from to minimize the cost. So the final list is with parts from Vick Autosport, International Auto Parts, Allison's Automotive, Miller's Mule Machine and Design

I will share machine shop costs once I know them.

Now I know why I don't like to add up the expenses for any project... yikes! Anyway, for the benefit of others thinking about doing the same. Here is the list:

1 Main Bearing Set (1)
2 Rod Bearing Set (1)
3 Rod Bolts (8)
4 Rod Nuts (8)
5 Freeze Plug Kit, includes 5 plugs (1)
6 Valve Guides (8)
7 Stem Seals Valve (8)
8 Valve Exhaust (37.5mm) Performance (4)
9 Valve Intake (43mm) Performance (4)
10 Valve Springs - Performance Set (1)
11 Performance Cam 42-82/82-42 Set (1)
12 High Compression DOHC Pistons 84.4mm - 8.9:1 compression. These are Mahle flat top. These include rings, pins, etc. But still going with Total Seal rings (4)
13 Adjustable Exhaust and Intake Pulley with Guard Set (1)
14 Total Seal Piston Rings Set (1)
15 Adjustable Exhaust Pulley with Guard (Miller's Mule Machine and Design) (1)
16 Adjustable Intake Pulley with Guard (Miller's Mule Machine and Design) (1)
17 Aluminum Late Style Flywheel (Miller's Mule Machine and Design) (1)
18 Exhaust System (1)
19 Dual Carburetor Setup (1)
20 Distributorless Ignition (1)
21 Gasket Set Complete (1)
22 Water Pump (1)
23 Timing Belt (1)
24 Tensioner Bearing (1)
25 Clutch Kit (1)
26 Heater Water Pipe, Long (1)
Total of parts - US$5,618.00 + shipping costs

High ticket items are the carburetor setup, exhaust, and Ignition -> US$ 3,250.00
Rest of parts, you can do the math, but for the lazy ones -> US$ 2,368.00

Still need to add rags, degreaser, cleaners, paint, gloves, install fluids (coffee and beer), oil, filters, etc... You know that line as shop supplies

[courtenay]

I have to ask what the cost would be to simply rebuild the stock engine? I know that my 2000 Fi delivers all the power and performance I need to enjoy a casual top down drive on a sunny Sunday afternoon. While I would never criticize those who want to shave weight here and there and install high performance pistons etc to gain a few extra horses, I'd be interested in the cost of a stock rebuild when the time comes.

[wachuko]

I have to ask what the cost would be to simply rebuild the stock engine? I know that my 2000 Fi delivers all the power and performance I need to enjoy a casual top down drive on a sunny Sunday afternoon. While I would never criticize those who want to shave weight here and there and install high performance pistons etc to gain a few extra horses, I'd be interested in the cost of a stock rebuild when the time comes.

I did that exercise... just stock parts without labor (machine shop work and mechanic) and fluids (oil, coolant, etc.). Reusing your pistons and valves. You are looking at around US$ 700.00:

1 Main Bearing Set
2 Rod Bearing Set
3 Rod Bolt
4 Rod Nut
5 Freeze Plug Kit
6 Valve Guide
7 Stem Seals Valve
8 Clutch Kit
9 Rings Set
10 Gasket Set
11 Water Pump
12 Timing Belt
13 Tensioner Bearing
14 Spark Plugs

Big ticket items: around 150.00 for the Clutch kit; 180.00 for rod bolts and nuts

[BEEK]

again in my opinion, i have built over 500 fiat motors, some of them full race motors, have used stock rods and aftermarket rods. i have turned stock rod fiats to over 8000 rpm, and have never had a rod bolt failure using stock old used rod bolts! can it happen ...yes, but i have never had a rod bolt failure ever, oiling failures yes! and one other thing for the stock rebuild, if you have to bore the motor due to cylinder wear, you might as well get a set of higher compression pistons, it just can not hurt! again this is my opion others may very!

[courtenay]

Jamie and Beek - thanks. I expect that if/when the time comes, I would go with the higher compression pistions as well.

[maytag]

and one other thing for the stock rebuild, if you have to bore the motor due to cylinder wear, you might as well get a set of higher compression pistons, it just can not hurt! again this is my opion others may very!

ditto. This is what pushed me. I was going to do a simple re-ring, until I got the head off the donor motor and found damage to one cylinder. at the point where I MUST bore, there is no sense in NOT doing a performance build.

[2ndwind]

Jaime,
Good to see you back. I missed all the questions and progress photos.