Hi everyone !
mmmmmmmm so I have just got my little Fulvia 1.3S back on the road and she goes very well and all the brakes ( Dunlop ) are working well and all the electrics are working ( cross fingers ) and she looks fantastic and many crack their necks to take a look , and yes many ask what type of car is this ?
My next thing I would like to do is see how I can improve her performance with out going to far away from original . I have had the Solex carbs fully rebuilt including butterflies and spindles they have come up very well .
I just wish she would go alot better up hills even small ones seem to slow her down quite quickly . I do admit she needs to have her carbs fully balanced .
Anyone here have any suggestions as to how I might be able to spruce up the perfornance ? A cam perhaps ?
Would love to hear form anyone who has gone down this path or who has any bright ideas .
All the best to you fellow Fulvia Nuts ,
ANT .
How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Hello ANT.
The 1300 Fulvia is rated at 90HP which is a specific output of 69.3 BHP/litre a high specific output - especially for the time.
With such an output it is obvious that it is not easy to extract more torque (and horsepower) from the engine.
Of course this does not mean that it cannot be done! However, it is not cheap. Obviously before you start you must ensure that all is well mechanically - in particular check the centre main bearing and the adjacent big-end bearings. Smoke from the exhaust usually means valve guide trouble, common on Fulvias owing to the "wiping" effect caused by the rockers on the ends of the valves.
Since your engine (1.3S) will already be 818 303 specification, its camshafts will be the same timing as those fitted both to the 1.3HF and to the 1.6HF. Camshafts are the last thing you need to change. As an example if you look at my Fulvia special (no 30 in the Fulvia Register on this site) you will see that the engine makes 145HP and this is with standard Series 2 camshafts (28/66/66/28 timing). Here at Evolution Engineering, we offer an ex-works profile camshaft which is very effective, but read on first!
The route to improved performance from Fulvias lies with work on the cylinder head - especially on the exhaust side.
The 1.3HF developed 101 BHP and about 12lb/ft more torque than the 1.3S. This was achieved by hand finishing of the the cylinder head and compression set at 10.5/1 instead of 9.5/1 as used in the 1.3S. Manifolding was the same as the 1.3S.
Should you decide that the time is right to have the valve guides replaced, this would be the time to work on the head. Gas flowing a Fulvia head is hard work owing to the long ports and the very hard aluminium alloy from which the head is cast. However, a considerable improvement can be achieved by work in the valve throats although the full job is worthwhile; the 1.3HF and Series 1 1.6 engines were beautifully finished inside the ports and inlet manifold. Raising the compression ratio is easily done by skimming. Depending on the budget available you could consider larger valves - and you should have the valve seats replaced as they are not suitable for unleaded fuel (1.6s have harder seats that are fine - my spare head is on the bench here as I write this and I can definitely confirm this!)
If you have the head and inlet manifold worked on, the next step would be to modify the air box as breathing is limited by the standard arrangement as a moment's study will show. This would require that the carburettors be re-jetted. After this you could consider camshafts and perhaps a special exhaust manifold and system.
I hope that this helps
Paul Leclercq
The 1300 Fulvia is rated at 90HP which is a specific output of 69.3 BHP/litre a high specific output - especially for the time.
With such an output it is obvious that it is not easy to extract more torque (and horsepower) from the engine.
Of course this does not mean that it cannot be done! However, it is not cheap. Obviously before you start you must ensure that all is well mechanically - in particular check the centre main bearing and the adjacent big-end bearings. Smoke from the exhaust usually means valve guide trouble, common on Fulvias owing to the "wiping" effect caused by the rockers on the ends of the valves.
Since your engine (1.3S) will already be 818 303 specification, its camshafts will be the same timing as those fitted both to the 1.3HF and to the 1.6HF. Camshafts are the last thing you need to change. As an example if you look at my Fulvia special (no 30 in the Fulvia Register on this site) you will see that the engine makes 145HP and this is with standard Series 2 camshafts (28/66/66/28 timing). Here at Evolution Engineering, we offer an ex-works profile camshaft which is very effective, but read on first!
The route to improved performance from Fulvias lies with work on the cylinder head - especially on the exhaust side.
The 1.3HF developed 101 BHP and about 12lb/ft more torque than the 1.3S. This was achieved by hand finishing of the the cylinder head and compression set at 10.5/1 instead of 9.5/1 as used in the 1.3S. Manifolding was the same as the 1.3S.
Should you decide that the time is right to have the valve guides replaced, this would be the time to work on the head. Gas flowing a Fulvia head is hard work owing to the long ports and the very hard aluminium alloy from which the head is cast. However, a considerable improvement can be achieved by work in the valve throats although the full job is worthwhile; the 1.3HF and Series 1 1.6 engines were beautifully finished inside the ports and inlet manifold. Raising the compression ratio is easily done by skimming. Depending on the budget available you could consider larger valves - and you should have the valve seats replaced as they are not suitable for unleaded fuel (1.6s have harder seats that are fine - my spare head is on the bench here as I write this and I can definitely confirm this!)
If you have the head and inlet manifold worked on, the next step would be to modify the air box as breathing is limited by the standard arrangement as a moment's study will show. This would require that the carburettors be re-jetted. After this you could consider camshafts and perhaps a special exhaust manifold and system.
I hope that this helps
Paul Leclercq
-
ANT
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Wow baby !
Im off to find a spare head . Will keep you informed as to how it progreses .
Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a reply I am sure it will be of intertest many of the other fellow Fulvia Nuts .
All the best ,
ANT .
Im off to find a spare head . Will keep you informed as to how it progreses .
Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a reply I am sure it will be of intertest many of the other fellow Fulvia Nuts .
All the best ,
ANT .
-
Paul de R. Leclercq
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
You are welcome. Anything to spread the faith after all!
Before you start grinding, cutting and polishing, I recommend that you buy a suitable text-book on head work. There is a number of excellent publications - I have an American book from the Peterson's series which contains all you need to know.
best of luck
Paul Leclercq
Before you start grinding, cutting and polishing, I recommend that you buy a suitable text-book on head work. There is a number of excellent publications - I have an American book from the Peterson's series which contains all you need to know.
best of luck
Paul Leclercq
-
Jim
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Ant,
Make sure you balance the carbs properly first. This is absolutely critical - make sure you get the right tools though and do it properly......
Jim
Make sure you balance the carbs properly first. This is absolutely critical - make sure you get the right tools though and do it properly......
Jim
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Christos Skriapas
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Paul let me know something
I've got a new camshafts prepared by an italian tuning shop and was a label attached with saying:
Fulvia (107*)
aspirazione: 43 primo punto morto superiore
77 dopo punto morto inferiore
scarico: 77 prima punto morto inferiore
43 dopo punto morto superiore
Then is something like Profilo n* 637 H. 6,85 mm
I can't realy unterstand what's the meaning of these and I'm also not able to understand my mechanic explanation because my italian is not so good.
If could you help me I'll apreciate that.
Also I've got the compression droped to 10.0:1 and a beatifull job in the valve throats, plus the valves springs from 16 HF.
He said something about 110 bhp. The reality is that the car is a bit agresive and seems to be ok but I'm still doing the 'rodazzio' no more that 4000 revs. I've got also black smoke from the exaust. He said that is normal for this engine and after some rounds will be ok. We will see. Anyway I will a post for news.
Thanks
I've got a new camshafts prepared by an italian tuning shop and was a label attached with saying:
Fulvia (107*)
aspirazione: 43 primo punto morto superiore
77 dopo punto morto inferiore
scarico: 77 prima punto morto inferiore
43 dopo punto morto superiore
Then is something like Profilo n* 637 H. 6,85 mm
I can't realy unterstand what's the meaning of these and I'm also not able to understand my mechanic explanation because my italian is not so good.
If could you help me I'll apreciate that.
Also I've got the compression droped to 10.0:1 and a beatifull job in the valve throats, plus the valves springs from 16 HF.
He said something about 110 bhp. The reality is that the car is a bit agresive and seems to be ok but I'm still doing the 'rodazzio' no more that 4000 revs. I've got also black smoke from the exaust. He said that is normal for this engine and after some rounds will be ok. We will see. Anyway I will a post for news.
Thanks
-
P. de R. Leclercq
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Dear Christos,
Yes I know these camshafts; I have installed a pair myself in my fuel-injected Fulvia; they are very good.
43/77/77/43 is obviously the timing, so you have 300 degrees duration and 86 degrees of overlap. 6.85 is the maximum lift which you must multiply by the rocker ratio (1.5) so lift is 10.275mm. 107 degrees is the point of maximum lift.
Lift at TDC is 3.80 mm. To set these cams up on the engine you must use No 4 exhaust valve and No 1 inlet valve because otherwise the rocker on No 1 exhaust would hit the spring cap before it touched the valve; the needle tappet on No 4 allows you to set this large clearance. Obviously you have to turn the engine through 360 degrees before you time the inlet camshaft!
I have not fitted these camshafts to a 1300; please check very carefully for piston to valve clearance at 5 deg BTDC and 5 deg after.
The label with my camshafts suggests 0.20 mm as tappet clearance inlet and exhaust; .
The cams give useful torque at quite low revs (especially bearing in mind that I have a four-into-one exhaust manifold) and a wide power band.
Black smoke is incorrect; the car is running way too rich.
Best of luck
PAUL
Yes I know these camshafts; I have installed a pair myself in my fuel-injected Fulvia; they are very good.
43/77/77/43 is obviously the timing, so you have 300 degrees duration and 86 degrees of overlap. 6.85 is the maximum lift which you must multiply by the rocker ratio (1.5) so lift is 10.275mm. 107 degrees is the point of maximum lift.
Lift at TDC is 3.80 mm. To set these cams up on the engine you must use No 4 exhaust valve and No 1 inlet valve because otherwise the rocker on No 1 exhaust would hit the spring cap before it touched the valve; the needle tappet on No 4 allows you to set this large clearance. Obviously you have to turn the engine through 360 degrees before you time the inlet camshaft!
I have not fitted these camshafts to a 1300; please check very carefully for piston to valve clearance at 5 deg BTDC and 5 deg after.
The label with my camshafts suggests 0.20 mm as tappet clearance inlet and exhaust; .
The cams give useful torque at quite low revs (especially bearing in mind that I have a four-into-one exhaust manifold) and a wide power band.
Black smoke is incorrect; the car is running way too rich.
Best of luck
PAUL
-
Christos Skriapas
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Thanks for your reply. Now it's clear and I can check with my mechanic. You know the correct diameter for the manifold? The pistons are 77,6 after the job in the engine block but nothing special. There from MAHLE and seems to be the series pistons. Anyway Today I'm dong the carburators. I make a deal for total repair/replacement of wornd parts for 150 euros a pair.
the only thing I have missing now is the main engine mount. Unfortunatelly Omicron doesn't have any new available but they fax me (apreciate) that they can help me with a used one. i'm still looking for.
Thanks againP. de R. Leclercq wrote:
>
> Dear Christos,
>
> Yes I know these camshafts; I have installed a pair myself in
> my fuel-injected Fulvia; they are very good.
>
> 43/77/77/43 is obviously the timing, so you have 300 degrees
> duration and 86 degrees of overlap. 6.85 is the maximum lift
> which you must multiply by the rocker ratio (1.5) so lift is
> 10.275mm. 107 degrees is the point of maximum lift.
>
> Lift at TDC is 3.80 mm. To set these cams up on the engine
> you must use No 4 exhaust valve and No 1 inlet valve because
> otherwise the rocker on No 1 exhaust would hit the spring cap
> before it touched the valve; the needle tappet on No 4 allows
> you to set this large clearance. Obviously you have to turn
> the engine through 360 degrees before you time the inlet
> camshaft!
>
> I have not fitted these camshafts to a 1300; please check
> very carefully for piston to valve clearance at 5 deg BTDC
> and 5 deg after.
>
> The label with my camshafts suggests 0.20 mm as tappet
> clearance inlet and exhaust; .
>
> The cams give useful torque at quite low revs (especially
> bearing in mind that I have a four-into-one exhaust manifold)
> and a wide power band.
>
> Black smoke is incorrect; the car is running way too rich.
>
> Best of luck
>
> PAUL
the only thing I have missing now is the main engine mount. Unfortunatelly Omicron doesn't have any new available but they fax me (apreciate) that they can help me with a used one. i'm still looking for.
Thanks againP. de R. Leclercq wrote:
>
> Dear Christos,
>
> Yes I know these camshafts; I have installed a pair myself in
> my fuel-injected Fulvia; they are very good.
>
> 43/77/77/43 is obviously the timing, so you have 300 degrees
> duration and 86 degrees of overlap. 6.85 is the maximum lift
> which you must multiply by the rocker ratio (1.5) so lift is
> 10.275mm. 107 degrees is the point of maximum lift.
>
> Lift at TDC is 3.80 mm. To set these cams up on the engine
> you must use No 4 exhaust valve and No 1 inlet valve because
> otherwise the rocker on No 1 exhaust would hit the spring cap
> before it touched the valve; the needle tappet on No 4 allows
> you to set this large clearance. Obviously you have to turn
> the engine through 360 degrees before you time the inlet
> camshaft!
>
> I have not fitted these camshafts to a 1300; please check
> very carefully for piston to valve clearance at 5 deg BTDC
> and 5 deg after.
>
> The label with my camshafts suggests 0.20 mm as tappet
> clearance inlet and exhaust; .
>
> The cams give useful torque at quite low revs (especially
> bearing in mind that I have a four-into-one exhaust manifold)
> and a wide power band.
>
> Black smoke is incorrect; the car is running way too rich.
>
> Best of luck
>
> PAUL
-
Paul de R. Leclercq
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Christos; which manifold? ideal internal diameter for the primaries of the exhaust manifold is 35mm; secondaries (in a 4/2/1 system) should bec. 42mm with the remainder being about 52mm. Primaries should be about 21" (roughly 525mm) in length (measured from the exhaust valve) with secondaries about 9" (about 230mm). The length of the pipe before expansion should be 30" - say 750mm.
Inlet manifold should be smoothed using established principles and carefully matched to the ports and the rubbers should also be carefully matched to the manifold.
If you can be bothered to modify the pistons to suit I recommend very large exhaust valves....
Best of luck
Paul
Inlet manifold should be smoothed using established principles and carefully matched to the ports and the rubbers should also be carefully matched to the manifold.
If you can be bothered to modify the pistons to suit I recommend very large exhaust valves....
Best of luck
Paul
-
christos skriapas
Re: How to make a 1.3 go a bit better ?
Paul; I found the manifold instaled when I bought the car. Yesterday I measured it and the numbers are mached with the numbers you gave to me. So I thing I'm lucky. I replace also the carburators with new one's ( 250 euros with the calibration). The car obviusly goes better but it stall again when I'm trying to accelerate from high revs.(4000 rvs) I thing I need to adjust again the timing, but the car goes more than 170 km on the clock.