Lancia Beta Forum

I was browsing GC's forum earlier, reading about the work that Paul Eustace has done prepping his Beta-powered Lancia Stratos replica. One comment made me sit up and take notice; he said:

"I am currently working on a steady bar for the engine. I have not used the Lancia head mounted solution as this leads to head gasket issues. I have designed a bell housing mounted solution. I will post some photographs soon."

and a couple of posts later:

"I extended the standard Lancia Beta engine bar and brought new bushes from Beta Boyz. The Lancia bracket which is normally mounted on the end of the cylinder head has been welded to a plate I fabricated and bolted to the bell housing. If the steady bar had remained on the cylinder head it is highly likely that the head gasket would fail due to the stress the steady bar applies to the end of the head."

Has anybody else heard about this issue? It's not something I've been aware of reading posts on this forum, but then that may just be my ignorance, of course. I suppose with the engine being rear-mounted in the Stratos, that may change things. As I'm doing a nut and bolt rebuild of the engine, if this is a potential issue I'd like to deal with it sooner rather than later.

I am with you on this, never read of anyone suggesting to move the bar. If I remember even the rally versions had an extended one to allow for the twin dellortos.

Personally cannot see how it can cause a head gasket failure on the standard road car unless the head is incorrectly torqued perhaps, or other factors are blamed on the bar incorrectly.

Interesting point never the less.......

Peter

Yes, never heard this one before. Could the bar be taking the blame for the heater flow problem at that end of the head recently explained by Eric, which does seem to be an issue?

Yes, I was wondering that, as well. It would be quite easy to conflate the two.

I can't see this being an issue in a standard Beta, the steady bar has relatively soft bushes which will surely damp the most vicious impacts to the head. Does raise the question as to if poly bushes are a good idea for this part though.

This is a view held by Guy Croft and I can understand the logic of it although if you have a full set of sound engine mounts and in the Beta case shock absorbers I do not believe the risk is significant. I run an engine steady using the Beta mount which I added because with extra power the Monte engine swings on its mounts. TMH have just announced a steady that fits to the bell housing (Designed by Chad). I will stay with what I have, particularly as I am using ARP Head Studs in place of the bolts and hopefully a Cometic MLS head gasket.

So Graham if in doubt use Mark's uprated engine mounts throughout and that will be fine for your power levels. I was doing standing starts at Curborough Sprint circuit with the head stay on the other GC engine with no issues so I have tested the idea. When I had no stay in a previous year it pulled the exhaust off the head!!

Eric   
PS of course if you use a cheap and nasty head gasket and the old bolts then this will add to the early head gasket failure.

Yes, I can see the logic of it, but it probably has greater relevance when you're really pushing the power envelope. I've held back the new engine dampers for use with my uprated engine, and I've got a full set of Mark's remanufactured engine mounts waiting in the wings so that should hopefully keep the plot under control. I have to say I'm interested in the TMH engine steady - is that for the Monte or also for FWD Betas? And is it an either/or situation with the OE engine steady?

Any news on the Cometic MLS head gaskets? I'm probably still around 4-6 months away from needing one, but interested in progress.

For Montecarlo you may have information here :

http://lanciamontecarlo13.blogspot.fr/2011/01/anti-torque-engine-stay-tirant-anti.html (http://lanciamontecarlo13.blogspot.fr/2011/01/anti-torque-engine-stay-tirant-anti.html)

and for my purpose I need the dims of the stabilizer bar of the 2liter 76 coupé ?

Someone could send me the lenght between axes ?

Thank you.