Block ID

V

vafiatx19

Low Mileage
Need help with block I.D. Not sure which block this is 1500 or 1300 or even what year?? I know the head for sure is a 1300. Anyway ihave had the head ported for fuel injection and need to order parts.:wall:

Picture001.jpg

Picture002.jpg
 
That's interesting. I have a 1300 block out of a LIDO and it is 138.1 on the casting but the stamped number is 128.... My block measures the same height as a 1300??? The LIDO was just at the transition to 1500.
 
Hmmm not sure...

I thought all blocks that had the 138 cast into them were 1500's and all blocks that had 128 cast into them were 1300's.

When you say "stamped", are you talking about a place where the car serial number is stamped on the block? If so then it will be 128 for all X1/9s. The 128 in the car serial number (VIN) refers to the chassis, not the engine.

Pete
 
On the first picture 128 is stamped onto the block. Just checked a 1500 I have spare in the garage and it is stamped 138 it may not be an X1/9 engine and is likely to be a Strada so I don't know??
 
That ties in with my LIDO, 138.1 p/n 4390368 and 1290cc.
The other is 138.2 p/n 4489772 and 1498cc
 
The number stamped on the flywheel end of the block is the important one....

That is the designation for the engine, and sometimes the chassis that it was originally installed in.

Typically for North America, a stamped number of:
128 designates a 1300 cc
138 designates a 1500 cc

The one that Vinnie shows is a 1300 cc (128), 75-78 engine (A1), in 49 state emissions trim (040).
A California emissions model would be 031

It is all outlined on the Identification Data pages in the Fiat Shop Manual right in the front.

And let me get on my soapbox for a moment - there is some misinformation in this thread that can be unwittingly disseminated. The bottom line, the ultimate source, the bible for Fiat information is the Fiat Shop Manual. Not Haynes, nor any of the others who copy (and interpret) out of the factory shop manual - i.e. secondhand.

Casting numbers are historically and notoriously imprecise when it comes to identifying the equipment. I have seen it happen on blocks, heads, manifolds, camshafts, etc. The casting numbers only identify a raw casting, not a finished part. Fiat is notorious for building up whatever they have available as far as raw material to meet a finshed spec. Unfortunately, not even the Fiat Shop Manual is adequate for wiring harnesses. But, for the legally mandated aspect of identifying the equipment on a given auto, the Shop Manual is pretty darn accurate.

My point is to attempt at least to use and quote attributable sources for specifications on things whenever possible, because with the way things are on the web, misinformation will never go away.

Rant over

So, here we have what is probably one of the later US spec 1300 motors, when Fiat was in the process of changing over the castings to do the 1500 motors.

Ciao,
 
Yep, Graeme, I think you are right.....!

My '78 1300 X is a UK-Eurospec 'Serie Speciale' which, according to intial owner records that came with the car, was produced in March 1978, then shipped to a UK dealer some time in April-May 1978 (to attract joint UK-NZ duty/sales tax concessions), and then on-shipped to New Zealand and first registered AS NEW here in January 1979.
The engine definitely has the 138.1 casting no. on the exhaust side of the block!

cheers, Ian - NZ
 
Thanks

I am almost sure now it is the stamp on the flywheel side of block that is the important one. I knew I would get the answer here I needed.:grouphug:
 
ianlawson said:
Yep, Graeme, I think you are right.....!

My '78 1300 X is a UK-Eurospec 'Serie Speciale' which, according to intial owner records that came with the car, was produced in March 1978, then shipped to a UK dealer some time in April-May 1978 (to attract joint UK-NZ duty/sales tax concessions), and then on-shipped to New Zealand and first registered AS NEW here in January 1979.
The engine definitely has the 138.1 casting no. on the exhaust side of the block!

cheers, Ian - NZ
Click to expand...

Sorry to bring up an dusty and cobweb filled thread. I too just made the connection on my engine block with the casted marking as a 138.1 block but everything about the vehicle says 1300cc. The only exception to that is the fact that the vehicle is titled as a 1979MY. I believe that I have a 1300 by all accounts, but won't bet my life on that assessment until I take measurements tonight to make sure.

This pic was taken minutes before painting the back to something close to the original gray.

Engine Block Paint Prep1.jpg
 
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