Suspension / Engine changes for a MK1 Uno?


Basically we have the old trusty MK1 uno at home (which is currently my mothers daily runabout to my brothers school) - but as the car is minty mint with no rust and general perfect everything...

It needs turning into a proper little sleeper! :slayer:

So what engines can we fit into these?

And what suspension upgrades are there to make this little bog standard machine less boat like

Cheers, Paul.

Drop a turbo engine in there, any sporty suspension wakes Uno's up real well, the biggest thing is dropping the height to counter the tall skinny body.
Just make the back end as hard as you can so the front end is controlling everything, seem to help them turn better.

OK, so how do I make the rear end hard as I can. I have just put KYB gas shockies on the rear. Still have to do the front, but when I have what else can I do to make the rear hard. And, should I try to find a turbo sway bar for the front and fit that on.

happypaul said:

Suspension / Engine changes for a MK1 Uno?


Basically we have the old trusty MK1 uno at home (which is currently my mothers daily runabout to my brothers school) - but as the car is minty mint with no rust and general perfect everything...

It needs turning into a proper little sleeper! :slayer:

So what engines can we fit into these?

And what suspension upgrades are there to make this little bog standard machine less boat like

Cheers, Paul.

Click to expand...

It all depends on which engine you wish to upgrade to and which model you're starting out with. If you're starting with a 903 ohv or diesel Uno then you're going to have to find the mounts and gearbox from a FIRE or Lampredi model. You may also need the engine loom as the ancilleries are in different places.

ENGINE UPGRADES:

If you have a 999cc FIRE Uno you can upgrade to the following: 1108cc and 1242cc 8v's, 1242 and 1400 16v's.

The 16v's really require the MPi system as well to get the best out of them, which isn't that difficult (check out Panda Sport's 1242 16v thread in the classic Panda section), though this means extra work and a complete upgrade of the fuel system. The SPi 8v 1108 and 1242's will run with the 999cc FIRE Weber 32 TLF carburettor, but not the 1242 MPi though as the inlet is different. With the exception of the 1108, the bigger FIRE's will also need a spacer in the exhaust downpipe as the engine blocks are taller.

If you have a 1116/ 1299/ 1301cc Lampredi Uno, you can upgrade to the 1500 X19/ Strada/ Regatta/ Lancia Delta engine, or the 1600 Tipo/ Tempra or early mk1 Punto engine. Again, this will swap straight in with little work other than maybe a spacer for the exhaust downpipe. The 1600 engines may require some rewiring as the distributor was moved from the crackcase to the end of the camshaft. Also, unless an early Tipo the 1600's were primarily SPi so you may need to upgrade to this or try and find a 1500 carburettor and inlet manifold system.

For ultimate power there is of course the Uno Turbo engine. Find a scrapper with good running gear and transplant the lot over - engine/ transmission/ suspension/ wiring etc. etc. This will all fit straight into your existing shell. A few simple mods will get you 150bhp, spend a lot more money and you can be looking at 200bhp. With conversion parts you can also fit the Delta HF turbo 1600 engine, and I *think* the 2000 turbo engine though you'd really need to look at transmission and drivetrain upgrades to cope with the large increase in torque.

It all depends on your budget and what you intend to use the car for. A bigger FIRE engined Uno has the advantage of lighter weight compared with the other engines and would have very nimble handling with suspension upgrades. This would reap benefits if being used on a twisty race track. The power to weight ratio of a 16v 1242 FIRE Uno would be about the same as a standard mk1 Uno Turbo, though you wouldn't have anywhere near the same amount of torque as the turbo lump. The turbo engine is far easier to tune for greater power though.

The 1500/ 1600 Lampredi engines give a nice upgrade in torque, and especially in the case of the 1500 engine there are loads of aftermarket tuning parts available. As standard you get a nice power and torque boost though suspension upgrades are a must as they're relatively heavy engines.

The ultimate is always going to be the Uno turbo engine because no other engine can give you the same amount of power per £. It's tried and tested and has proven itself many times. If you really do want even more power and have the money then look at investing in a 1600/ 2000 Lancia turbo conversion kit. But I have a feeling the kit alone costs about the same as a scruffy but running Uno turbo, and you'd still have to source the engine and additional parts on top of this.

SUSPENSION UPGRADES:

Plenty around. Standard Uno turbo suspension is a good upgrade for non turbo models, and there's huge amounts of aftermarket suspension kits available too. Don't go too low if you plan on driving on British roads most of the time. A 60mm drop will rattle your fillings out and shake your shell to bits! A 30mm drop is a good compromise, but it's also essential that you upgrade your shocks/ dampers to suit. The front anti-roll bar from a turbo is a must as it dramatically reduces body roll. A front strut brace looks good but doesn't really have much effect outside of a race track. The OMP rear strut brace in my opinion is a waste of time as it braces the tops of the rubber mounted rear shocks nutter and not the shell itself. This completely defeats the point of fitting one though there are those out there who are convinced it makes a difference. The Emperor's New Clothes springs to mind

So plenty of options to choose from. Assess your budget, choose your upgrades and make that Uno Sleeper :devil:

rawill said:

OK, so how do I make the rear end hard as I can. I have just put KYB gas shockies on the rear. Still have to do the front, but when I have what else can I do to make the rear hard. And, should I try to find a turbo sway bar for the front and fit that on.

Click to expand...

The rear of a Uno is very light, so if you make it rock hard it will bounce all over the place rather than damp the bumps. This will make the handling and road holding worse! By all means fit lowering springs and GOOD quality dampers, but don't go too hard.

As for the front anti-roll/ sway bar, it's a very good upgrade and dramatically reduces roll. I fitted one to my 45S (it will fit all other non-turbo models as well) and even with the standard suspension the improvement was very significant

Here's my guide to fitting one to non anti-roll bar equipped Unos:

https://www.fiatforum.com/uno-guides/45105-fitting-turbo-anti-roll-bar-45s.html

Good quality, I guess you mean Koni or Spax adjustables.

To stiffen up the rear you just weld a plate of steel (min about 3mm) onto the bottom of the rear beam. You dont need to weld a very big piece (mine is about 30cm long and welded on using 4 beads of weld of about 2cm on each side).

One problem is that the welds have a tendancy to break. I am planning on solving this by welding some square tubing across the inside of the beams as a way of suplimenting the welded on plate.

You dont want the rear to be too stiff. On a race track the stiffer the better (use a 60cm plate). But on the road the stiffness in the rear can lead to sudden exciting moments, which if you aren't expecting them can lead to close encounters with nature. A guy in our car club (who is a very good driver) damaged his Uno race car while driving along a normal road at a normal speed, he was just driving along and the back stepped out.

hi guys
i hate to just jump in on your conversation,but this is the first time i'm doing this and i'm having a little trouble finding my way around the site and came across your thread and just thought maybe one you can help..
the title of the thread seemed closest to what i'm i needing help with.

Uno mia 1.1 '01, lame i know,but it was a hand me down and i'm not just gonna pass on a free car, so thought i'd try spice it a bit. Im in love with it though.had it for like 3yrs now,totally stock standard,but she's mint.

Long story short i want to ask sort of the same question as happypaul; pretty much, what can i do to it? not in terms of fitting a new emgine,but like on a basic diy level.
i dunno things like, can i go buy one of those turbo kits and fit it myself?or an induction kit?stick a freeflow on it? what can the mia take in terms of perfomance parts and upgrades? how similar is to all the other uno's (turbo's) that i see people talking about on this forum? do i have to drop it if i want to put in performance dampers?or can i just replace with new ones as is?

sorry to bother..but some help would be awesome..even if you can direct me to a thread that can help.
thanks

Did you read the advice given to me on my question on the same topic. alexgs and the big answer on this thread give heaps of pointers that are great reading with lots of answers.

1986Uno45S said:

I
ENGINE UPGRADES:

If you have a 999cc FIRE Uno you can upgrade to the following: 1108cc and 1242cc 8v's, 1242 and 1400 16v's.

The 16v's really require the MPi system as well to get the best out of them, which isn't that difficult (check out Panda Sport's 1242 16v thread in the classic Panda section), though this means extra work and a complete upgrade of the fuel system. The SPi 8v 1108 and 1242's will run with the 999cc FIRE Weber 32 TLF carburettor, but not the 1242 MPi though as the inlet is different. With the exception of the 1108, the bigger FIRE's will also need a spacer in the exhaust downpipe as the engine blocks are taller.

If you have a 1116/ 1299/ 1301cc Lampredi Uno, you can upgrade to the 1500 X19/ Strada/ Regatta/ Lancia Delta engine, or the 1600 Tipo/ Tempra or early mk1 Punto engine. Again, this will swap straight in with little work other than maybe a spacer for the exhaust downpipe. The 1600 engines may require some rewiring as the distributor was moved from the crackcase to the end of the camshaft. Also, unless an early Tipo the 1600's were primarily SPi so you may need to upgrade to this or try and find a 1500 carburettor and inlet manifold system.

Click to expand...

Why is it a problem fitting a 1489ccm to an Uno FIRE? I have only done this to a Uno 55 (1116ccm). With engine mounts and gearbox from the 1489, what's the challenge?

Unclechuchu said:

Why is it a problem fitting a 1489ccm to an Uno FIRE? I have only done this to a Uno 55 (1116ccm). With engine mounts and gearbox from the 1489, what's the challenge?

Click to expand...

The engine mounts, gearbox, exhaust, radiator and under bonnet wiring plus a few other parts are very different in the 1116/ 1301/ 1372 engined Unos compared with the FIRES. Finding the parts to do the swap is also the problem as after 1989 the only mk2 Unos with the Lampredi engine were the 70SX, the Turbo and the Selecta. All other models were FIREs or the 903cc ohv. Trying to find someone breaking one of 1372cc models (or 1116cc in the case of the Selecta) to get the parts needed is getting difficult. It's also getting hard to find the 1498cc engine as in the UK the last models to use this engine were the X19/ Strada/ Regatta/ and Lancia Delta, which were all discontinued 20 years ago.

Compare this with fitting a bigger FIRE engine to a 999/ 1108cc Uno where only the engine itself needs to be changed (it will hook up to the original FIRE mounts, gearbox, the exhaust with a spacer and also the basic wiring). This is why it's is MUCH easier to swap a bigger FIRE engine into a Uno already fitted with a FIRE than to convert to the different Lampredi ohc engine.

By the way, fitting a 1498 engine to your 1116cc Uno didn't require the changing of the engine mounts

1986Uno45S said:

The engine mounts, gearbox, exhaust, radiator and under bonnet wiring plus a few other parts are very different in the 1116/ 1301/ 1372 engined Unos compared with the FIRES. Finding the parts to do the swap is also the problem as after 1989 the only mk2 Unos with the Lampredi engine were the 70SX, the Turbo and the Selecta. All other models were FIREs or the 903cc ohv. Trying to find someone breaking one of 1372cc models (or 1116cc in the case of the Selecta) to get the parts needed is getting difficult. It's also getting hard to find the 1498cc engine as in the UK the last models to use this engine were the X19/ Regatta/ Delta, which were all discontinued 20 years ago.

Compare this with fitting a bigger FIRE engine to a 999/ 1108cc Uno where only the engine itself needs to be changed (it will hook up to the original FIRE mounts, gearbox, the exhaust with a spacer and also the basic wiring). This is why it's is MUCH easier to swap a bigger FIRE engine into a Uno already fitted with a FIRE than to convert to the different Lampredi ohc engine.

By the way, fitting a 1498 engine to your 1116cc Uno didn't require the changing of the engine mounts

Click to expand...

I'm well aware of the fact that converting from a 1116 to a 1498 doesn't need a change of engine mounts, as I didn't change them. Externally the engines are similar, so no need for that. I mentioned the engine mounts because I assume they need to be changed when converting to a FIRE engine.

I only ask because I have a mk1 Uno that I'm going to convertfrom a 999 FIRE to a 1489ccm. There are plenty of 1489's in Norway, so access to parts are quite good. Not from mk2 Unos, but mk1 Unos, Ritmos and Regatas.

Unclechuchu said:

I'm well aware of the fact that converting from a 1116 to a 1498 doesn't need a change of engine mounts, as I didn't change them.

Click to expand...

Ah, I thought from your post (see below) that you did change them to those from the 1498:

Unclechuchu said:

I have only done this to a Uno 55 (1116ccm). With engine mounts and gearbox from the 1489

Click to expand...

I misunderstood!

Unclechuchu said:

Externally the engines are similar, so no need for that. I mentioned the engine mounts because I assume they need to be changed when converting to a FIRE engine.

I only ask because I have a mk1 Uno that I'm going to convertfrom a 999 FIRE to a 1489ccm. There are plenty of 1489's in Norway, so access to parts are quite good. Not from mk2 Unos, but mk1 Unos, Ritmos and Regatas.

Click to expand...

You are lucky, because as I mentioned the 1498cc engine is getting hard to find over here in the UK. You can also fit the 1.6 Tipo and early Punto engine though there are additional changes that have to be made. Mk1 Unos in the UK are now very rare beasts indeed so finding a 1116/ 1301 model for parts is getting very difficult.

To convert from a FIRE to a Lampredi ohc you have to change a lot of parts to make it fit. That's why it's so much easier to upgrade to a bigger FIRE if your Uno came with a 999/ 1108 FIRE to begin with. On the flip side, if you start off with a Lampredi ohc engined Uno (1116/ 1299/ 1301/ 1372) then upgrading to the 1498 or 1600 engines is much easier then converting to a FIRE.

Dumb simple question!

What is the difference between the 1299 and 1301 engine.

rawill said:

Dumb simple question!

What is the difference between the 1299 and 1301 engine.

Click to expand...

2cc.

rawill said:

Dumb simple question!

What is the difference between the 1299 and 1301 engine.

Click to expand...

A trivial difference to the crankshaft stroke so as to create an engine less than, or greater than, 1300cc. In Italy, speed limits used to be related to engine size - yes really - cars over 1300cc were allowed to travel at 130km/h on the autostrada. Cars under 1300cc were limited to 110km/h. There were another couple of 'breaks' which I can't remember - I think 900cc (100km/h) and 600cc (90km/h) or something - but there was no break above 1300cc, so your 5-litre Testarossa would have the same 130km/h limit... at least, in theory.

I see these limits have been updated now, so that any car with an engine over 1100cc can do 130km/h... http://www.carhireholiday.co.uk/carhireitaly.html

Off-topic but note: "Out of town the car horn must be used when intending to pass. The horn is strictly prohibited in the towns and cities (don't follow the example of the locals)."

Have you ever noticed how, on the whole, FIATs have much better horns than Japanese cars... and usually the more up-market the model, the better the horns sound. E.g. the Uno 45 has an average horn, but the Uno 70 has a much better twin windtone setup to go nicely with the thicker steering wheel, better seating support, and all the other little upgrades that only FIAT would think of. Even my Punto, with no extra soundproofing or cruise control etc., gets a horn upgrade over the base model. Buy something like a Stilo Abarth or any Alfa Romeo and you're guaranteed a good-sounding horn

To get back on topic, there have been lots and LOTS of threads about engine changes... You just have to do an Advanced Search in the Uno forum, with the text "engine swap": https://www.fiatforum.com/search.php?searchid=3419641

Bear in mind that engine availability is "subject to regional variations"... for example, a 1242cc upgrade for a FIRE-engined Uno makes perfect sense in England, where there are loads of crashed Puntos waiting to provide that engine, but in NZ the engine would be worth several times the value of even the best Uno. On the other hand, in NZ you may happen across a cache of X1/9 engines/parts (offering an 85bhp 1498cc upgrade) which might be long since gone in England.

-Alex

Aha, yes I did realise the diff was 2cc, LOL, But couldn't figure the rationale. Now I realise, trust the Italians, yes I had noticed that with the horn. I think I might try to figure out which Tipo engine to try, but like the Uno there are so many models.

How would the 1600 75-86 hp 159A3000 engine go in the Uno 70S, and if it is a good change what is one worth.

rawill said:

How would the 1600 75-86 hp 159A3000 engine go in the Uno 70S, and if it is a good change what is one worth.

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Yep, good choice, and that's what 'jjhepburn' runs in his.

It's worth about the price of buying a Tipo off Trademe - that is, maybe $600 - look for a de-registered Tipo. Not much of the car will be useful (contrary to what some people would think, there's really nothing in common between the Tipo and the Uno trim- or body-wise) and you'll probably end up using lots of Uno parts (e.g. cam belt drive pulleys, cambox, distributor) as the pulleys, cooling and ignition systems of the Tipo 1.6 are totally different.

When I say different pulleys, I mean that the Tipo uses modern multigroove belts, so you'd have to fit the Tipo alternator, water pump, and belt idler. That in turn leads to some cooling system differences - the cylinder head has no heater output, so I think you would use the Tipo thermostat. The Tipo cambelt is an improved rounded-tooth design. Though the Tipo ignition is superior, you'd have to arrange a flywheel sensor to use the Tipo ignition, which raises questions over whether that Tipo flywheel works with an Uno gearbox (I don't think it does, so that might put the kybosh on that plan, unless you get a late Mk1 Turbo/Mk2 gearbox, which has the same clutch as the Tipo and therefore probably the same flywheel).

In James' case, the engine looks similar to a standard Uno unit now, with an old-style cambelt drive and Uno distributor, Uno cambox and cover, Uno cooling system, late Mk1-Turbo gearbox, driveshafts, and alternator bracket, but original Uno 70 brakes. There was no special fabrication required to make all this work - except for modifications to the alternator top bracket. At a casual glance, you'd never know the engine wasn't a standard Uno unit. Apparently the insurance company wasn't bothered either.

It's surprising just how much mix-and-match is possible, and you should expect to use some combination of Tipo and Uno parts to make it fit.

Of course, you could take on the challenge of fitting the Tipo motor/gearbox (different gearchange linkage) complete, but the Tipo carburettor is best forgotten anyway - it's not a nice unit, and tends to give a surging feeling while strangling the power to about 80bhp.

Basically, I'd say the Tipo engine is worthwhile as part of a package including an upgraded cam and twin carburettors (which will cost another $600 at least). That way you get probably close to 100bhp, but of course James hasn't bothered to dyno his car, so we'll never know Knowing how it keeps up with my Turbo, it must have more power than a standard Tipo.

Otherwise it would seem hardly worth the bother to do all the mix-and-matching for an extra 10bhp or so

Another candidate for a similar engine is the '94-ish Punto 90, but again, not much of the engine will be useful due to the ancilliaries such as power steering. It seems a bit of a waste, unless the rest of the Punto is written off by some horrible smash. In which case, the multipoint fuel-injected engine left in standard form would make a nice powerplant for an Uno. They are relatively economical too (much better than an Uno 70).

-Alex

Thanks alexgs, there is a 94 1600 Tipo in parts for sale on TM.