General Gearbox to new engine questions

[Welsh Jon]

Hello there!

My new thing for my panda I think will be to get as much as I can out of the 999cc FIRE until I have the time to put in a real cracker of an engine (I have a few that Fiat definitely didn't make in mind!)

Questions are:

1. Around how heavy is the FIRE engine and what weight engine could you replace it with before it started to change the handling?

2. What is the maximum amount of torque and power you can put into the 4x4 gearbox without overloading it? Is there documentation of the maximum valvue here, or is experienced educated guesses the way forward?

3. My theory for a 4x2 would be that if I were to put a different crown wheel and pinion into the gearbox then this might compensate for the different rev range of a motorbike engine. Would this be true? Is it a job I could do on a garage bench when I had the parts? Would it be possible to replace the crown wheel and pinion on the rear axle for a 4x4?

I'm really looking forward to your invaluable comments and advice here!

Jon

 

[panda-sport]

1. Around how heavy is the FIRE engine and what weight engine could you replace it with before it started to change the handling?

Without manifolds and alternator 60kg (on my scales anyway), about 75kgs fully dressed. I wouldn't go much above 100kg fully dressed. The only car engines I found that produce more power than the 100bhp of the 1368 16v fire engine, that fit in the Panda engine bay and that are relatively light are the Honda B16 and D16 engines and the Toyota 4AGE engines.

If fitting a motorbike engine with its gearbox mated to the Panda box then there will be little or no wieght gain

2. What is the maximum amount of torque and power you can put into the 4x4 gearbox without overloading it? Is there documentation of the maximum valvue here, or is experienced educated guesses the way forward??

Its the torque figure you need to worry about with gearboxs. If your planning on fitting a bike engine then the torquey ones produce the same as a 999cc Panda engine and the best less than the 1242 16v so you should have no problem there. Any thing over 120ft-lbs and I would realy start to worry.

3. My theory for a 4x2 would be that if I were to put a different crown wheel and pinion into the gearbox then this might compensate for the different rev range of a motorbike engine. Would this be true? Is it a job I could do on a garage bench when I had the parts? Would it be possible to replace the crown wheel and pinion on the rear axle for a 4x4?

I'm really looking forward to your invaluable comments and advice here!

Jon

I have no idea where you would get the parts from and would not attempt unless you have rebuilt gearboxes before.

Good luck