Technical New Engine for my seat marbella any ideas ?

[eduseatmarbella]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 1988 seat marbella 903cc FWD that my grandfather bought from new, its engine is gone kaput and i am seeking advise as to what engine i should replace it with?

to my knowledge the early seat marbellas got the same engines as the mk1 pandas (the 100serise engines) these engines are quite hard to find so i thought it might be quicker and cheaper to put a newer engine in with more power (either the 1.2 or 1.4 FIRE engine from a newer punto or the likes) i understand these engines do fit in the car and "all" i would need to do is bring across the ecu and gearbox and engine from the donor car and figure out engine mounts. then source some cv's from a mark 2 panda and these would fit right onto the new gearbox and the stock hubs.

Does anyone know if this would work?

and if so does anyone know the part number for the cv's and would i be able to find something on ebay ?

I would appreciate any advise at all.

Thanks, Edu

 

[eduseatmarbella]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 1988 seat marbella 903cc FWD that my grandfather bought from new, its engine is gone kaput and i am seeking advise as to what engine i should replace it with?

to my knowledge the early seat marbellas got the same engines as the mk1 pandas (the 100serise engines) these engines are quite hard to find so i thought it might be quicker and cheaper to put a newer engine in with more power (either the 1.2 or 1.4 FIRE engine from a newer punto or the likes) i understand these engines do fit in the car and "all" i would need to do is bring across the ecu and gearbox and engine from the donor car and figure out engine mounts. then source some cv's from a mark 2 panda and these would fit right onto the new gearbox and the stock hubs.

Does anyone know if this would work?

and if so does anyone know the part number for the cv's and would i be able to find something on ebay ?

I would appreciate any advise at all.

Thanks, Edu

Or if anyone has any other suggestions that would be easier or cheaper that would be great !

 

[porta]

Theoretically you can stick any Fiat engine in that will physically fit.
The easiest way would be a direct swap but, as you say, difficult to find so…you’re right about your next step would being later engine and box, (and mountings) with matching driveshafts. If you go cinq/sei/punto then you’ve got to consider carb or electrical route (for ecu and all associated components)
There are several threads on here on how to accomplish both…with one being a full 4x4 conversion

 

[eduseatmarbella]

Theoretically you can stick any Fiat engine in that will physically fit.
The easiest way would be a direct swap but, as you say, difficult to find so…you’re right about your next step would being later engine and box, (and mountings) with matching driveshafts. If you go cinq/sei/punto then you’ve got to consider carb or electrical route (for ecu and all associated components)
There are several threads on here on how to accomplish both…with one being a full 4x4 conversion

Cheers, thanks this was really useful.

 

[porta]

I didn’t think it was that useful…just confirming what you already knew…I did start to get everything together for a 1200 punto engine (but with a twin choke Webber) in one of my MK1 panda 4x4s, only to be beaten by a fatally (for the panda) back end shunt.
As well as the search function on here, there are some YouTube videos with early pandas with punto engines in…there’s even one knocking around with a 1500 X19 engine installed!

 

[eduseatmarbella]

I didn’t think it was that useful…just confirming what you already knew…I did start to get everything together for a 1200 punto engine (but with a twin choke Webber) in one of my MK1 panda 4x4s, only to be beaten by a fatally (for the panda) back end shunt.
As well as the search function on here, there are some YouTube videos with early pandas with punto engines in…there’s even one knocking around with a 1500 X19 engine installed!

the confirmation was definitely needed as i wasn't confident, would you go for the 1.2 punto engine over the 1.4 ? and how big of a job is sorting out the wiring do you know ?
very sad to hear your mk1 met its end before the swap

 

[porta]

Your going to need the loom for the swap, if you’re going down ecu route. Then it’s a process of elimination of the wires you do need, and those you don’t…so you’ll need wiring diagrams for your vehicle and the donor.
I’ve moved several times since the panda went to Valhalla, so I’ve ‘misplaced’ (read I haven’t a bloody clue) my crib sheet. The engine, box, wiring looms and fuse/relay arrays were sold to a bloke just outside Warrington who was fitting it into a cinq…Basically I’d blown up the wiring diagrams for both cars to A2, from Haynes manuals, and written a key to all compatible wires to what was already on front the panda (lights, horn, generally follow same colours for fiats of a certain age), then noted which wires were specific to ecu/donor engine/sensors/grounds (separate this loom out from the rest >stuff fitted to punto that weren’t fitted to the panda or had extra functions but are not going to be used, can’t remember what as there’s lots (wiper/windows etc) that feed in and out of looms, so separating them is much easier…it will look like a mess until you get everything out you need to keep…don’t cut or shorten anything…as you’re doing this, blank out/tipex/cover up on the wiring diagrams as you go…as I never got to the ‘install’ stage, I intended to make up the loom as I fit it, so covering with fabric insulation tape upto points where the loom needed to be split to go to various components…
I’m an ex auto sparky and now you know why I went carb!!!

 

[porta]

Oh yes…and don’t forget the immobilisation…ignition switch, pickup, keys…there are ways round this but not on a public site!

 

[eduseatmarbella]

Your going to need the loom for the swap, if you’re going down ecu route. Then it’s a process of elimination of the wires you do need, and those you don’t…so you’ll need wiring diagrams for your vehicle and the donor.
I’ve moved several times since the panda went to Valhalla, so I’ve ‘misplaced’ (read I haven’t a bloody clue) my crib sheet. The engine, box, wiring looms and fuse/relay arrays were sold to a bloke just outside Warrington who was fitting it into a cinq…Basically I’d blown up the wiring diagrams for both cars to A2, from Haynes manuals, and written a key to all compatible wires to what was already on front the panda (lights, horn, generally follow same colours for fiats of a certain age), then noted which wires were specific to ecu/donor engine/sensors/grounds (separate this loom out from the rest >stuff fitted to punto that weren’t fitted to the panda or had extra functions but are not going to be used, can’t remember what as there’s lots (wiper/windows etc) that feed in and out of looms, so separating them is much easier…it will look like a mess until you get everything out you need to keep…don’t cut or shorten anything…as you’re doing this, blank out/tipex/cover up on the wiring diagrams as you go…as I never got to the ‘install’ stage, I intended to make up the loom as I fit it, so covering with fabric insulation tape upto points where the loom needed to be split to go to various components…
I’m an ex auto sparky and now you know why I went carb!!!

did you have a plan for upgrading the cooling or where you just planning on using the original radiator ?

also to deal with the wiring issue would it be possible to just to have both wiring looms in at the same time just have a switch for the for the old system and then give it power through the battery. ? and only then connecting the engine temp sensors ext ?

 

[porta]

did you have a plan for upgrading the cooling or where you just planning on using the original radiator ?

also to deal with the wiring issue would it be possible to just to have both wiring looms in at the same time just have a switch for the for the old system and then give it power through the battery. ? and only then connecting the engine temp sensors ext ?

I reckon the MK1 later, 4x4 radiator was capable enough…but not sure Marbella one if it’s still the same as MK1 early
Engine/ecu wiring are separate except for those inputs you need for positive and negative feeds, starting, fuel pump and pressure etc…but it looks nicer if it’s all one loom, new to old