Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all, Just had my latest project delivered last night had a look over it today. The engine fitted is a Fiat Twin cam and the number on the block under is 3015 and on the cylinder head is 4372297. How do I find out what size of engine this is?

Also on the carb - I think it is the standard fiat carb - where would the choke cable connect to for cold starts as although there is an accelerator cable attached there are no other cables connected.


What engine oil is best for this engine?

The oil filter is fitted vertically and don't think can be changed without lifting the engine, I think I read I can use a filter housing from a fiat regatta is this correct? I would like to fit an oil pressure guage but where would this connect onto the engine block?

I also have read about changing the thermoststat housing on the front of the engine and fitting a bleed valve to the Tpiece to help bleed the cooling system and avoid overheating. Is this correct and what do I need to buy and where from. I would like to fit a temp guage but where would this connect onto the engine block?

Many thanks in advance

according to this page..

http://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/headid/headid.html

it is either a 1600 or 2000 and started life in a 131 (late)

Jefftav wrote: The engine fitted is a Fiat Twin cam and the number on the block under is 3015 and on the cylinder head is 4372297. How do I find out what size of engine this is?

I'll have a look in my books and see if I have something that would identify. You're looking at the stamped number above the oil filter mount yes?

Jefftav wrote: Also on the carb - I think it is the standard fiat carb - where would the choke cable connect to for cold starts as although there is an accelerator cable attached there are no other cables connected.
Have you had the air filter housing off? It might reveal itself then. Also, on my Lancia engine I think it had a water-temp based automatic choke. If yours has this, it'll have two rubber tubes going to the radiator pipes. These tubes are about the same thickness as fuel pipes so could be confused.

What engine oil is best for this engine?

Any decent 20/50. Synthetic or semi synthetic if you want to spend the money but that might be a bit too thin if the engine is getting old.

Jefftav wrote: The oil filter is fitted vertically and don't think can be changed without lifting the engine, I think I read I can use a filter housing from a fiat regatta is this correct?

I think so, if so it's be the best option. If you can't get hold of one, you could go for a remote filter housing. Eg look here
http://www.thinkauto.com/takeoff.htm

If you do this, (or possibly in any case), specify a Ford remote filter housing but a Fiat take off plate. (I think Fiat and Ford are the same oil filter thread thread but just to be safe) This makes it easier to get where Fiats aren't listed. Champion C101 filter is normal and C102 is a big fat filter.

Don't use Halfords brand equivalent as they don't have the non return valve (you can see the difference if you look into both side by side. One hase the radial holes blocked by a piece of rubber and one doesn't. Gives you something interesting to do at Halfords )

Jefftav wrote: I would like to fit an oil pressure guage but where would this connect onto the engine block?

On mine the standard (Lancia) oil filter housing is tapped for both oil pressure and oil temp. If yours doesn't have perhaps the Argenta one does. I think you can specify the remote take of plate to have a tapping for oil pressure. If not, easy enough to drill and tap.

Jefftav wrote: I also have read about changing the thermoststat housing on the front of the engine and fitting a bleed valve to the Tpiece to help bleed the cooling system and avoid overheating. Is this correct and what do I need to buy and where from. I would like to fit a temp guage but where would this connect onto the engine block?

Some of us do away with that t-piece thermostadt and instead fit an MG Midget 'internal' thermostat between the head and the water outlet take-of for a less pipesome arrangement. Ie one pipe from engine top to rad top, one pipe from engine bottom to rad bottom.

As for filling the cooling system, I undo the hose from the front of the engine and fill that first, then re-attach and fill the remote header tank, turn the heater valve to on and start the engine. As the water moves around any air-locks tend to clear quite quickly and I top up the header.

Oh, if you're altering the cooling system run a pipe across the heating inlet and outlet so that water flows through the heating circuit (though not necessarily the heater matrix) even if the heater is not used. Apparently No4 cylinder gets too hot if water doesn't keep flowing through the heater circuit - design fault. Think I read that on the Guy Croft site.

Most of the twincams from about 1975 onwards have a water heated automatic choke.
The engine number is stamped onto the block above the il filter housing.
The filter thread is 3/4" UNF, same as a Pinto, the oil pressure sender is the same as well, so adding an oil pressure gauge is easy enough.

Thanks everyone, I will look at the oil filter side and get the correct engine number as I have been looking on the exhaust manifold side and the cylinder head.

"same as a Pinto" Twincamman you did mean a Pinto and not a Punto just before I go and buy the wrong thing?

With a 'fancy' engine like that Jeff - you should probably use a 10W40 oil unless it's not in best of health!

Yup same as the Ford Pinto

Jefftav, have a look at the photo in Restoration project. Look for Dean's 1971 Fiat Twin Cam Project. There's a shot of the Regatta horizontal filter mount. I took the photo after reading you post.
Dean