Race Engine Forum UK

Hi Guy, hi guys.
I've been planning a Fiat/Lancia engine swap to my Lada Niva for a long time. As the original engine died a few days ago I think the time has come.
I have a late 2.0 8v engine to use for this conversion.
I think the only issue with the vertical installation of the late engine is the sump/oil pickup and the camboxes. To clear the front differential on the Niva I have to make a completely new sump and modify the oil pickup.

Is it possible to use a late head in vertical position?
If not, is it possible to modify the camboxes?
If not, is it possible to use early camboxes on a late (reversed port head)?

Is there anything else I should be worried about with this conversion?

Thanks!
Uros

I think that all you will have to do, Uros is examine the oil drain towers in the camboxes.

If my memory serves me correctly the later 8v 2 liter engines are inclined forwards rather than the Beta types (which were inclined backwards).

So putting the late unit vertical would make one of the camboxes flood. I never guess which one to modify without examining the actual part.

All you have to do is drill a couple of 8mm holes into the correct drain tower to lower the cambox oil level.

I think it will be the exhaust cambox in your RWD setup, this would be the front-most cambox in the original FWD orientation, thus the lowest and the one with the tallest drain tower.

Don't forget you will also need to provision a gearbox input shaft support bearing in the crank....

G

Thank you Guy,
I'll post photos of both camboxes and my modification when I do it.

Uros