Break it and improve it ..

Its been a while since i last posted, so time to update this thing.

The stackup between the X19 5 speed gearbox and the 4 speed 128 box is somewhat different - when you bolt the casings together, the gears jam up and dont move. I have since found out that i need a Fiat Ritmo 5 speed gearbox to make the conversion work.

SO as a result, i ran through my 4 speed gearbox parts, of which the input and cluster shafts were in good condition, and so were all the gears and synchros, so i bolted that back into the 4 speed casing, with my new LSD, and all new bearings.

Last meeting out i discovered another breakage - which i believe has been contributing to my unbearable high speed vibration at race pace.

I dropped off the inner CV Boot and had a look to the inside of the diff, and discovered that my tripode joints were now sqaures.

The Tripode's had given us issues in the past with needle rollers not being able to hack the pace, and either tearing out of the bearing caps, or crushing, and turning to smush inside the gearbox, so we had rebushed the tripode's with aluminium bronze bushes.

The problem we have discovered is that by pressing the bushes into the caps, and making them too large, the cap cannot move about 4 - 5mm in and out on the pin of the tripode, it is stationary, which means when the driveshaft moves on an angle under cornering, its dragging the cap instead of allowing it to turn.

Tony from Lynchbuilt Performance Products (http://www.lynchbuilt.co.nz/) has since rebushed them for me with bushes that press onto the caps and allow the caps to walk sideways as well as turn freely.
Im out at the track this weekend after yet another gearbox rebuild to see if the new style tripode's do the business.

Fingers crossed ..

Also, my friend Chris took a quick video in-car as we did a few brief laps at pukekohe while testing out the new diff - this can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ8BxEJSPmo Its just a few laps at low speed, just starting to get some pace on in about the last 15 seconds of video.

Waiting Waiting Waiting

Not alot has really happened in the last few weeks - my Fiat 128 4 Speed diff has been sent to Phil Buggee in Australia to be turned into a clutch type LSD, and should be ready by the end of the week. I have been down the line and met up with a guy called Darren who is restoring a Fiat X19, and done a bit of a parts swap, him ending up with a 1300cc long motor (ported head, hot cam etc), and us ending up with a couple of spare 1500's, a spare 4 speed, and a 5 speed gearbox.

The 5 speed has been stripped - and is in decidedly average condition inside, but nothing a bead blaster shouldnt tidy up. I also have my 4 speed stripped from the incident at pukekohe where it had a bit of a "moment" - but the internals all look good.

Im going to start building the 5 speed as soon as i see my diff back in the country. Will keep everyone posted.

Front Suspension Dramas

Hey guys - ive had gearbox issues with my car for quite some time, and we finally nailed down the cause.

The Front springs in my car are far too soft - (approx 180lb we think). This allows passenger side driveshaft to be able to move upwards far enough to touch the housing on the outer edge of the gearbox - causing huge dramas.

Its also caused me (on more than one occasion) to explode tripoid joints in the gearbox.

SO .. the fix .. (we hope).

I have bought a coilover conversion kit, which consists of - an alloy threaded sleeve, with a spring platform, and locking ring, a top hat, some grub screws, o rings, and two different height springs.

I use early X19 rear shocks in the front of my 128 with KYB Inserts. The alloy collar slips over the original shock, which gives you a new base for the smaller diameter coilover springs.

After installing, my car has raised up about 65mm from its previous ride height (far less than desirable), so this weeks task is to figure out where we can get 65mm of ride height back.

Heres some pretty pics.

Already Done Modifications ..

Hey guys ..

I thought i'd tell you a bit about my car, as this is way late in the piece to be updating you on mods, as ive already been racing the car for several years. This is a list of a few of the things already done to the car that it is currently running ..

Engine:

1498cc Fiat X19 engine, overbored with 88mm Forged Iapel Pistons. - 1560cc.
Genuine Fiat X19 forged rods - crack tested, shot peened, balanced.
Genuine Fiat X19 Crankshaft - crack tested, balanced.
PBS Racing Oil Control Baffle Plate
Standard X19 Oil Pump, with PBS high volume relief spring (approx 80PSI)
200 X 280mm Oil Cooler, with thermostat.
Fiat 128 Tin Sump.
Custom graphite head gasket - enlarged fire rings.
Fiat Tipo 1600cc head, flowed by Lynn Rogers, with 40mm inlet valves, stock exhaust valves, ported & polished, flowed, valve guides trimmed, 3 cut valve grind.
12.8:1 compression on Avgas.
PBS Inlet manifold.
PBS double valve springs.
Twin Weber 42DCOE Sidedrafts.
PBS PH4 Hybrid Cam (430 thou lift, 290 duration)
Lynchbuilt performance equal length headers, 4 into 2 into 1, into 2" mandrel bent exhaust.
Urethane lower engine mount, solid steel top reaction strut (top mount).
Kent Cams adjustable aluminium cam gear.
Genuine Fiat steel idler gear.
Fiat uno bosch electronic ignition.
Malpassi Fuel Pressure regulator.

Brakes, Hubs, & Wheels:

Mazda Familia DOHC Turbo BP series front rotors (4X100) with centre hole machined to suit fiat hubs.
Custom 11mm steel plate adaptor brackets for calipers.
Mazda Familia DOHC Turbo BP calipers - single pot, with approx 55mm piston.
Hubs - redrilled to 4X100 PCD, with Toyota studs pressed through from behind, and wheel nuts.
Bendix Ultimate compound pads.
Fiat X19 Master Cylinder (larger bore than 128).
Standard Drums in rear.
TSW Razor 14 X 5.5" wheels, with 185/60/14" Dunlop D02G race rubber.

Suspension:

5 Leaf rear transverse spring - reset to lower the car.
GAB Shocks with heavy oil.
Front - work in progress.
Fiat X19 Rear shocks, with KYB Insert's, and a Jamex coilover conversion kit, with 300lb springs. (this is all set to change shortly).

Body:

Full rollcage with lots of extra bracing - links through to the strut towers in the front.
Jamex daytona fixed back bucket seats, FIA approved 5 point 3" harnesses.
No hoodlining, carpet, consols, or lower dash.
Rear doors gutted (no winders, or inside door skin).
Engine bay chassis rails plated with 2mm plates.
Strut tower faces plated with 3mm plates
Alloy strut brace.
2mm Plates over sway bar mounts - entire front end seem welded.


So this is how the car sits at the moment - currently having run 1.18.1's around Pukekohe circuit.

I have no doubt forgotten half the modifications that have been done, so will post them as i remember them.

Cheers.

Welcome

Welcome to the blog place of both mine, and my father's Fiat 128 race cars.
We have been racing for many years in both these cars, and they are permanently being modified and improved ... so i thought i would start a blog to keep everyone updated on the problems and fixes that we find along the way with the 128's.

Cheers for visiting .. please keep coming back to this page.

Carl