Great thread - now I am on the look out for either a 1.6 or a 1242 Punto. Not for racing, just a fun project and making my uno more fun to drive.
Technical engine change
- Thread starter jason45
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Technical engine change
I have just taken my Uno off the road. I have a 1242 Punto 75 MPi engine sitting outside my house. I have the Punto wiring loom along with the fuel pump etc. I've done research and I have plans
:devil:Yes! Remove 999cc engine. Install Punto 60 1242 in its place. Bolt up Uno gearbox, connect the Uno ignition and fuel system and it's done. Jason 45 can elaborate a bit more as he's done it. I think you might even be able to use the Punto down pipe which removes the need to make a spacer for the exhaust.
Yes, but you use the Punto flywheel (and crankshaft, erm, of course!) Use a 1242 clutch, it will bolt straight up to the Uno gearbox. Basically use the entire Punto 60 engine and connect to the Uno engine mounts. You can also use the 999cc Uno radiator as it has virtually the same capacity as the Punto rad. The one thing you will need to do is swap over the distributor from the 999cc engine to the 1242 as the Punto used twin coils triggered by the ECU. That's only if you want to stick with the Uno wiring system, though if you want you can wire in the Punto under bonnet wiring and run the Punto ECU and ignition that way.
The 16v conversion isn't that much more difficult than a 1242 8v conversion. Just a bit more wiring to worry about as you have to run the 16v ECU and it's ignition and fueling system. Damon (Panda Sport) has done a 16v conversion on a classic Panda, which originally had a 999cc FIRE just like the Uno. Using the same principles you can fit the 16v into the Uno just like he did into the Panda. He's written a good guide as to what's involved:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-classic/119200-how-fit-16v-fire-engine-panda.html
If anything the 16v conversion in the Uno would be easier than the Panda as there's more room to play with.
I'd go 16v myself but I already had a Punto 75 which I scrapped. So I have all the parts needed for the conversion now with the exception of the mk2 Uno fuel tank (I need this to fit the Punto fuel pump as mk1 Unos had a different tank to the mk2s). Hopefully over the next few months I'll start cracking on a 1242 MPi conversion on my mk1 Uno and might even get it finished by the end of summer 2008! Fingers crossed...
Yeah it was prittey much straight foward i ended up needing a new clutch so i got the clutch for the 1242 punto it still fits in fine with the uno gearbox, as for the exhaust the punto manifold joins the down pipe different so i just put the uno manifold on the punto engine and it fitted fine with out the spacer the only thing is it hits on the rear heat sheld a bit but thats probably because i've made my exhaust up..
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wouldnt it be better having a 1.4 8v N/A engine? some unos did come with them, seems pointless to me doing a conversion when theres no need
A bigger FIRE engine is a straight swap (almost) into a 999cc Uno. A 1.4 engine would require different engine and gearbox mounts, exhaust and wiring loom/ ECU changes and a whole load of other different parts. It's not as simple as it sounds, plus the ohc 1.4 engine is considerably heavier and bigger than the 1242 FIRE. The 1.4 also needs the higher rated springs to keep the front suspension the same. If you were to fit the bigger non FIRE engine into a 999cc Uno then at least go for the 1600 from the Tipo
As a simple swap the 999 to 1242 conversion is a simple one to do and helps keep the weight at the front the same, thus preserving the balance and handling of the original car. The engines are also readily available from just about any scrap yard. You also get a nice boost in power and especially torque
Got a problem the Punto spi/carb has got different plugs on it than the Uno spi/carb (Punto 4 plugs / Uno 3 plugs) theres a 2 wire plug going to the injector inside the spi/carb does the Uno have this wiring hiding in the wireing loom or is it not going to work with the Punto spi?
Well its nearly September 2008 and the engine installation still is not complete. The engine builder has been seriously ill (and had his day job to contend with as well as my project) and we also had a cracked head and a cracked block to contend with. A new head had to be prepared and the engine block crack had to stitch welded. A new cam was required as well as the original race cam was not suitable to the new units characteristics. Not sure why.
The engine has been dynoed and is looking promising (for a robust, "budget" unit) at circa 130 Bhp, not sure of torque figures.
It should be ready to run on the track very soon (I have been saying that to myself for a while, though!).
I will update the story when the installation is complete, probably here first:
http://www.sfconline.org.uk/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=29
This link also has race reports for my exploits in a "stop gap" Alfa 33 and pictures of my Uno in its new, and very smart (!) resparayed guise.
Regards
Andy
April 2009 and the car is very nearly back with me and completed. The worlds longest engine build and insatallation! I am hoping to pick it up on saturday. I did race it a couple of weeks ago at Snetterton and it went quite well despite not really being run in properly. Subjectively It doesn't feel as revvy as the old 1372 race engine but seems to have more torque. The top change gearbox is a BIG improvement in change quality but the final drive isn't really short enough or the ratios close enough. I'll have to live with it, though.
The only real problem we had was with a severely cracked exhaust (so we didn't finish the race) as i think that the engine is now mounted slightly differently and the exhaust was "stiff". back to the workshop for it to be fixed and a flexible joint fitted.
We probably shouldn't have run the car really as it had not been on the rolling road and set up properly (that's today) but I was desperate to make the start of the season so took a chance!
The only real problem we had was with a severely cracked exhaust (so we didn't finish the race) as i think that the engine is now mounted slightly differently and the exhaust was "stiff". back to the workshop for it to be fixed and a flexible joint fitted.
We probably shouldn't have run the car really as it had not been on the rolling road and set up properly (that's today) but I was desperate to make the start of the season so took a chance!
Nice!
Let's see some pics I'll split this into a new thread.
I'm a believer in having a flexible joint in the exhaust, after having (and seeing) many cracking problems like you describe. However, just to prove me wrong, jjhepburn's Uno racer had a flexible joint from the outset and after fitting the Tipo engine, had recurrent problems with the gasket blowing out of the flange joint.
-Alex
Let's see some pics
I'll split this into a new thread.I'm a believer in having a flexible joint in the exhaust, after having (and seeing) many cracking problems like you describe. However, just to prove me wrong, jjhepburn's Uno racer had a flexible joint from the outset and after fitting the Tipo engine, had recurrent problems with the gasket blowing out of the flange joint.
-Alex
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