Poor performance? clean, check and lube the distributor advance system. Eurospec. cars are timed at 13 degrees btdc with the same curve as our smoggers. (1)

Late Beta inline electronic distributors can be adapted to the scorp intake cam tower. Mine has 50k mi on it with no leaks or problems, call me for details. (1)

If your Ansa or other exhaust system does not have a heat shield, make one. Without it the right inside cv joint fries. You do not need much and it can be welded to the header pipe as long as there is an air gap between the shield and the header. (1)

Check the condition of the large insulation filled heat shield in the engine bay. It collects water and causes the underneath surface to rust. Remove it if you don't have the cataylic. With the cataylic leave it alone. Do not try to seal it as it might catch on fire. (1)

To recalibrate the oil and fuel sending units, use a radio shack 10k potentiometer from the sending unit wire to ground. Adjust for zero psi oil pressure with the ignition on and the engine not running. Remove and measure the pot and install a 1 watt fixed resistor of the measured value-approx 2k ohm-in the same position. Fuel units require that you know the tank level and full seems to be the best place to start. If both gages read low check the ground connection; it's double nuted at the rear right AC. assy. mount. (1)

Easy installation of an oil temp sending unit is in the pan drain plug. Use one of the magnetic ones that have a male hex, remove the magnet and drill and tap for 1/8" pipe. Most gages have sending units that fit 1/8" pipe. (1)

Oil pressure low and dropping too much when warm? the diaphram on the sending unit cracks and allows oil to get behind it. Get several from a junk yard as all FIATs except 850's use the same sender. Some do not have a wire pig tail. (1)

In a pinch Ford oil filters will fit. (Fram ph-8, ph-16, ph3600), Fram ph-7's are the original. All Fram's are missing the check valve. (you only need to be concerned with the check valve if you still have your filter mounted horizontally or with the inlet/outlet on the bottom, otherwise the oil won't drain back to sump on shut down.)

Oil Filter Housing Bulk. Use an Aluminum oil filter housing. The original cast iron oil filter housing includes the mount for the A.C. compressor. With the A.C. removed, a much lighter (13 lbs difference) and smaller aluminum oil filter housing may be used. It allows the alternator to be mounted in a lower position to allow room for bulky intake devices such as twin carbs. The smaller housing allows better access to the engine, particularly the timing belt and starter. Note that the fan belt will now be very close to the timing belt tensioning bolt so take adequate precautions. The oil filter will point in a different direction but there is enough room in the installation between the housing and oil filter for a sandwich plate for an oil cooler. (2)

Beta two liter oil pump gaskets fit 1.8L scorp's. 1.8L FIAT gaskets do not. (1)

"Oberg" micropore reusable oil filters seem to work quite well and can be installed at the rear of the block. You can clean it and see what kind of chips your engine is making without removing the belly pan. Use the one for V-8's for less pressure drop. Ford remote filter adapters fit the block for remote filters and/or coolers. (1)

When replacing the stock fuel pump with an American unit use a pressure regulator set to 2-3 psi. Webers like lower pressure than the 6 psi usually set for U.S. cars. (1)

When the engine is apart, remove the fuel pump cam from the aux shaft (lathe or hacksaw and grinder) tap and plug the oil hole. No more timing the aux shaft or #2 rod interference. Be sure the plug does not block the oil hole for the rear bushing. Peen over the plug hole. This cam is an artifact from the mechanical pump days. (1)

For those of you who have installed fuel injection, Road and Track tech tips says that there are two basic types of ox sensors,1 & 3 wire. They state that Ford units work and are only$20-$30ea. Not the $90 FIAT wants. Bosch and Nippondenso are the only manufactures. (1)

Some Webers-36dcd's-have the fuel supply line pressed in and it can vibrate loose. Check it and press in further with a "c" clamp but not far enough to restrict fuel flow. (1)

Some late brava fuel tank filler hoses can be trimmed to fit. (1)

If the stock carb. Off throttle solenoid has opened, no idle, remove it and take out the pin valve assy then reinstall, it looks stock. (1)

One of FIAT's tricks used for for smog compliance is the relationship between the teeth on the cam gears and the alignment holes. For aftermarket gears and go daddy cams be sure to check with your supplier as to what is correct if you do not degree the cams. If you have to jockey the gears to get the teeth to mate with all the slack on the tensioner side it's probably wrong. Most cams are aligned at about 15 deg before and after the drive pin-exhaust/intake. Doesn't our gummint love to help us?(1)

When redoing the cam end plates be sure to check that you have enough end play. The wrong gasket will bind the cam and strip the belt with the usual valve damage. I drilled a hole in an old end plate so I could use a depth mike and be sure. End play can be adjusted by using different gasket thicknesses. Bernie & I found out the hard way. Welding an extension on a stock fiat intake end plate and machining flush works better than the stamped steel plates for blocking the intake tower air pump oil seal drain hole. (1)

FI brava gears give euro timimg. (1) as do Beta inj. cam wheels

Do not over torque the cam covers. You can break the tower bridge with expensive results plus the gasket will extrude and leak. If a stud thread is stripped, there is more metal available for re-tapping deeper in the bridge. Red loctite or jam-nut in place. (1)

Fuel injected Beta intake cam covers fit and do not have the egr valve mounting boss. (1)

Any late FIAT remote thermostat will work. Be sure it's installed correctly. It will fit backward so check it out. Very slow warm up then overheating is a sign that it's in backward. I have been told that there are two types. Install with the heat sensor in the rear facing water pump output hose not in the head tee hose. (1)

A X-1/9 radiator fill tank can be adapted; it is smaller, use the metal one. (1)

X-1/9 radiators can be used. (3)

All coolant hoses are hiding in hoses for other cars. Match up at a parts house. (1)

Install an internal 74 degree Centigrade coolant thermostat.
Early twincams had them installed but were changed to the external version after installation of emission controls. This was to help prevent thermal shock which can cause blown head gaskets but with the emission control devices removed or copper head gaskets installed, this modification eliminates extra hoses and clamps. Dave cut the "T" off the original thermostat housing and welded on a 90 degree pipe fitting pointing towards the front of the car. By using steel braided hoses, a screw on type hose fitting and not bothering to install the timing belt cover, The belts can easily be inspected or the waterpump changed. Dave tapped a small pipe fitting into the thermostat housing right above the thermostat for the hose to the overflow tank. By using steel braided hose, he was able to route the hose to the water pump behind the strut tower for easier engine access. (2)

Ray Mcnairy has had excellent luck with head gaskets by torqueing the head bolts to 65 ft-lb. In three steps 35-50-65 ft-lb with a new gasket. Do each bolt in sequence then repeat to the next value. Warm the engine to temp-rad.Fans on-and turn off. Wait 8 hours min. Then retorque. He dois one bolt at a time, in sequence, and completely release the torque then go to the 65 ft-lb spec. A 24 hour wait is better. Retorque a cold head at 5-7000 mi intervals; cheap insurance but check the cam belt as it could loosen and retard the cams. (1)

G.E. hi temp silastic works great as a gasket sealer for seal holders, cam tower covers, pan, and water gaskets. Use a thin coat on both sides of the gasket and do not over tighten the thick pan and cam cover gaskets as they will extrude. (1)

Cutting off the bottom 6" of the timing belt cover makes replacing the timing belt easier. Do not do it unless you have the belly pan which you need anyway for proper air flow. (1)

Aux. Shaft bearings that do not require line boring are available. Most shops say their hot tank will not hurt the aux. Bearings but all do some damage and the shaft will knock at idle due to excessive clearance. (1)

The Lancia tech manual mis-printed the rod bolt torque spec; should be 47 nm-35fp-not 74(1)

Anti seize compound on the spark plugs and caliper wedges help. Don't use much! (1)

124 and 131 starters will work if the middle mounting bolt hole is drilled to fit the scorp. Bell housing alignment bushing. Solenoids and brushes also fit. (1)

If you have to remove the crank pulley while the engine is in the car, cut a 1" hole in the inner right fender well so a socket and impact wrench can be used. (1)

When installing a 2l Beta block, the upper front engine mount boss has to be cut 7/8". .823, On mine, needed to be removed from the top mount boss and the boss redrilled. The iron web between the two lower mounting stud boss's must be ground flush with the block or the scorp. front engine mount plate will not fit. Most late FIAT blocks will work as is but check the position of holes(studs) for the front mount plate. (1)

Ed/caribou says that the original scorp. Valves were larger than the normal twin cam ones but all current fiat replacements are the smaller ones. (1)

Sloppy accell pedal? have your machinist replace the nylon sleeve with a bronze bushing. Works great and might work on the clutch & brake pivot also. (1)

Enginuity. Dave Shindles term for referring to ingenuity and engines. The stock Scorpion came with a meager 81 horsepower which leaves lots of room to improve. Common modifications include a 2000 cc block conversion, fuel injection or twin carbs, turbocharging, Volumex superchargers, high compression pistons, performance cams and cylinder heads, Ansa or Primaflow exhaust systems, electronic ignition, adjustable cam wheels, lightened flywheels, removing the extensive emission control devices, adding oil coolers and so on. Guy Croft and Phil Ward each have written detailed books on Fiat and Lancia twincams which can be considered tuning Bibles. Dave's engine features twin 45 DCOE Webers with velocity stacks mounted to a Guy Croft intake manifold. (2)