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Designed by Aurelio Lampredi the Fiat SOHC engine first appeared in the front-wheel drive (FWD) Fiat 128 of 1969. The inline 4-cylinder engine comprised an iron block with an aluminium cylinder-head containing a single over-head camshaft operating directly on both the inlet and exhaust valves in a reverse-flow cylinder-head configuration. The camshaft being driven by a belt rather than chain. The engine remained in production until the mid 1990s and grew in capacity over the years from 1100 cc (in the Fiat 128) to an eventual 1600 cc (in the Fiat Tipo/Tempra).
Design and production history
The engine was designed as a transverse mounted FWD-only power-plant being the first engine/gearbox combination to exhibit the now standard transverse engine-next-to-gearbox layout with unequal length driveshafts (the Mini had it's gearbox in the sump of the engine). The one exception to the engines FWD-only design is its revolutionary use as a mid-engine drive-train in the Fiat X1/9.
A prominent feature of the Fiat SOHC engine its massively over-square proportions. This over-square design allows large (within the constrains of a reverse-flow configuration) valve sizes relative to engine capacity. A secondary benefit is the short crank throw reduces the accelerative forces on the con-rod allowing the engine to operate at significantly increased engine-speeds.
The Engine was developed for forced-induction use in the Fiat Uno Turbo Mk I and further refined for the MK II and later the Punto GT.
As with its bigger brother the famous Fiat DOHC (aka Fiat/Lancia twincam) engine, the Fiat SOHC engine was shared with the Fiat subsidiary Lancia (appearing in 1500 cc guise in the Lancia Delta/Prisma of the 1980s) as well as being used in the Fiat 128 derived Yugo.
Applications
List of vehicles utilising variations of the Fiat SOHC engine.
Fiat
- Fiat 128: 1969-1985
- Fiat 127: 1971-1987
- Fiat Regata: 1985-1990
- Fiat Ritmo/Strada: 1978-1988
- Fiat Punto Mk I: 1993-1999
- Fiat Uno: 1983-1995
- Fiat Tipo: 1988-1995
- Fiat Tempra: 1990-1995
- Fiat X1/9: 1972-1989
