Fiat 650cc motor from a Fiat 126 Oil recomendation

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HellaBroke

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Hello to all,
SO. Just when I think I have an idea as to what im talking about for motor oil my interests change…
I am ¼ of the way (locating parts can be a challenge) into rebuilding a fiat 650cc motor for a Fiat 126 ( never imported to the USA however 2k models managed to make there way over to Canada at one point)

I will be installing a traditional spin on oil filter as this motor from the factory comes with a “centrifugal slinger” as a means of cleaning motor oil… so this should aid in cleaning things up a bit if you will. Also being added from the get go is an “Abrath” xl oil pan. 4L larger factory is some where in the neighbor hood of 1L. After the build if needed and external oil cooler will be added as well.

Oil… oil… oil… Having never delt with air cooled motors I figure I should ask the pro’s.
My understanding factory fiat recommended 20w50… so to me this just seams thick… through and through… however it is air-cooled, operating temperatures for the oil will most likely be higher than your typical water cooled motor so I guess this makes sense.
Amsoil is usually what I stick with for all of my other motorized toys/vehicles and would like to stay this rout if they have something that will work with an air cooled car motor like this.

Some googling turned up a lot of VW air-cooled guys using amsoil ZRod 20w50. should I go with this?

Thanks to any and all contributions to figuring what might “best suit” this application…



Typically what I see everyone asking for are
Vehicle usage… Any where and every where 5 mile trips one way or so (however operating temperature characteristics are unknown to me at this time… I am assuming oil temperature will rise to operational temperature relatively quickly vs a water cooled motor)

oil will likely be changed after 30 min of initial start up, then again at 1 hour of operation time, and hopefully depending on what we find in the filter as well as the magnetic drain plug change the oil ever 1500-2500 miles (all depending on the first few oil analysis…)
 
The Amsoil Z Rod would be perfect. I would stick with 20w-50 in that motor. I have some experience with air cooled motorcycles and I would not deviate from the factory recommendation in that vehicle.

Is Amsoil easy enough for you to order? Motul or another European manufacturer surely makes a quality 15w- or 20w-50 if Amsoil is difficult to acquire.
 
LOL!
Is this 126 or 126p?
People in eastern Europe were dumping these POS cars so fast, there are not many left.
I actually knew people who got killed in those. Extremely unsafe. I would not drive it on regular streets.

4408465-7-103065.jpg
 
Since this is a rebuilt engine and you plan on changing out the initial oil fill very early I'd run a cheap 5W/10W-30 HDEO.

For the second fill a 4T bike oil is not a bad idea as Trav has suggested. I don't know if you have to go as heavy as a 10W-50, a 10W-40 grade may be fine. If you are going to install an oil pressure and/or oil temp' gauge that would make the oil grade selection very easy.
 
My Dream though, especially where you are at Hellabroke, if I were in Your shoes, would consist of Motul Classic 30 for break, no Wear-In of that motor, for at least 3 short OCIs, with Motul 300V Chrono 10w-40 or Power 15w-50. Orange Oil.
 
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Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
LOL!
Is this 126 or 126p?
People in eastern Europe were dumping these POS cars so fast, there are not many left.
I actually knew people who got killed in those. Extremely unsafe. I would not drive it on regular streets.

4408465-7-103065.jpg



Im sure it would be easy to die in one of these.... just like the fiat 500.. or really most any small european car from the 50's-to mid 80's however this is being built as a toy/fun car. And ill be lucky to squeese 35-40hp from this little motor and keeping the 4 speed a top speed around 55-60mph is a pretty good achievement. .. so while death could occur I dont think I will have to think much of it where I plan to drive it. Although anything can happen....


Amsoil will probably be my go to then its my cheapist oil to get even with shipping... just to throw into prospective 1l of oil even no name runs 9 € on sale... amsoil I can get for 8 usd... much cheqper.
 
Quote:
LOL!
Is this 126 or 126p?
People in eastern Europe were dumping these POS cars so fast, there are not many left.
I actually knew people who got killed in those. Extremely unsafe. I would not drive it on regular streets.



In Europe its safer to drive these backwards, or sideways
 
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Some people spend their time on BITOG trying to talk others out of Amsoil for whatever reasons.

Take a look at Amsoil 10W-40 (two automotive varieties and a motorcycle type, perhaps the 15W-40. I would not automatically default to 20W-50.

Ciao!

Paulo (well OK I am 1/2 Italian!)
 
Mobile 1 is here.. it is not cheap.. 10-30 is the easiest to find and goes for 16-18 euro a liter... After i saw Zrod would do the job thats the cheapest oil for me to get. As Amsoil ships to FPO box's I can get it for around $8 a quart and just tag it onto another order to drop the shipping price.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Some people spend their time on BITOG trying to talk others out of Amsoil for whatever reasons.

Take a look at Amsoil 10W-40 (two automotive varieties and a motorcycle type, perhaps the 15W-40. I would not automatically default to 20W-50.

Ciao!

Paulo (well OK I am 1/2 Italian!)

I am certainly no Amsoil hater but he is in Europe. Amsoil may be very good but IMHO its no better than whats on the shelf there, true synthetics are in abundant supply.
At 8 Euros a litre its not a bad buy though if he can get it for that.
 
There is a guy on youtube with a channel called "Fiatnutz." His job is an automotive machinist. He knows so much about classic Fiats that I would prefer to ask him about oil in such a Fiat engine.
 
Originally Posted By: 84zmyfavorite
Amsoil is Cheaper,...in Europe of all places,...For a Reason!

The reason its cheaper is because I can order it online and they ship to FPO mailing adress' so its the same price it is in the USA.. other wise any patrolium products have rediculous tax in italy... royal purple can be found at a little race shop in the town next to mine at 19E and some change... ( not that i will use royal purple or do i want to turn this into a oil debate.. )

I have talked to a lot of fiat guys over here they are pretty much a hobby car something you can take out on the track and rubbing paint is all in part of the fun. These guys buy whatever they can get at the cheapist price just because for them the motor is only 150 euro for a block from the scrap yard... Ill be on a different playing field, when it gets back to the states parts will cost a lot more if they can even be found on that side, and for the ones that cant be found ill be paying a premium in shipping and avalibility...

contimplating my filter set up... there are several avanues that can be gone with. one being a modified timing case where the oil pump is located and a standard oil filter attached, 2 would be to source a electric oil pump that can be installed to the pan and oil fill cap... and a remote oil filter in line with that im just un sure of how this will affect the factory oil pump and oil pickup.. granted its at the bottom of the pan... hmm back to the drawing board...

Thanks for the responses on different oils recommended
 
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