1500 Engine swap question

Joe S.

Daily Driver
I came across a 1500 from an X-1/9 for my 128. I've read some conflicting info on the web (go figure). Do I just swap over the oil pan and pickup from my 1300 or do I have to source units from a Strada/Ritmo?
 
I came across a 1500 from an X-1/9 for my 128. I've read some conflicting info on the web (go figure). Do I just swap over the oil pan and pickup from my 1300 or do I have to source units from a Strada/Ritmo?

Is the 1500 carb'd or FI? If carbed, the intake manifold (and therefore the carburetor) do not sit at the same angle as a FWD Fiat, so that will cause problems with float levels and so on.

If you plan to swap your existing manifold over to the 1500, that's not a problem of course.

Pete
 
Yes on the oil pan and oil pump pickup. I also believe you'll need some sort of spacer between the exhaust manifold and downpipe as the 1500 block is slightly taller. I'm in process of this swap in my 128, but haven't gotten to fitting the engine in place yet.
 
I'll back up the advice to swap pan & pickup. It does fit with the X parts but the pan hangs down pretty far and the bottom is not level.

I suggest you use the 1500 long block and swap as many 128 ancillaries over as you can. The manifilds, dogbone engine mount & bracket, cooling system pipes and thermostat are a must. Flywheel and starter too. Other things like valve cover and distributor will work but the 128 bits are better suited. I haven't noticed exhaust clearance issues but all the 128s with 1500s I've dealt with had headers.
 
My 128 with a 1500 block anda Yugo 1100 head has a '74 exhaust manifold and downpipe.
 
X 1/9 trnasmissions don't work well in 128s, the shift rod exits the transmission case on the wrong side (in front of the transmission).
 
I understand that the Yugo 5 speed from a GVX works in a 128, but I think one must also use a different sway bar (from a Wagon?).
 
When I installed a Yugo GVX 5-speed in my 128 sedan it fit but the extended cover for 5th gear would get smacked by the swaybar over bumps. It was about half the swaybar diameter of overlap. I picked up a Yugo GVX swaybar to try (it has a bit of a hump built in to clear the trans) but discovered the bar arms are about 1" longer than the 128 swaybar and would screw up the caster in the front end. It could probably be made to work with some fabricated adapters but that was beyond my capabilites then (20 years ago!). Maybe I should try again ;) Oh wait, swaybar is long gone. Another thought was to replace the swaybar with radius rods from a 128 SL coupe or X1/9 and make up for the reduction in roll rate with more front spring or rear bar.
 
A dusty neuron fired just now...didn't Burrito fab up some kind of lowering block to drop the swaybar down a tad and clear the gearbox extension?
 
Burrito modified his sway bar mounts to shift the Yugo bar forward to make up for the extra length.

I used spacers on my sway bar mounts to lower the front of the bar and I've never heard any knock. I am running an Uno Turbo box though if that makes a difference.
 
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