Engines
The Lancia Gamma is a front-wheel-drive car with a longitudinally-mounted boxer engine and a 5-speed manual transmission, later joined by an optional 4-speed automatic transmission.[1] The Gamma received a mid cycle face-lift, receiving Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection as well as a new corporate grille, 15-inch "sunburst" alloy wheels, and a revised interior with new instrumentation, interior lighting, badging, handbrake and gear lever gaiter.
Though Fiat had planned to use one of their V6 engines, Lancia developed unique flat-four engines for the Gamma. The Flavia and Flavia Coupé had used 1.8 and 2.0 litre flat-fours and the Lancia 2000 used the 2.0-litre version. Engine designer De Virgilio also drew up a four-cam V6 engine for the Gamma with either 3- or 4-litre displacement, but this never came to fruition.
The flat engine, though large for a modern four-cylinder petrol engine, lacked the cachet associated with six- and eight-cylinder engines but enabled Pininfarina chief stylist Aldo Brovarone to lower the coupé's bonnet line and to steeply rake its windscreen. Pressure cast in alloy with wet cylinder liners, the engine was light and though it only produced 140 PS, 120 PS in 2.0-litre form, 95% of its maximum torque was available at just 2,000 rpm.
Initially available with a displacement of 2.5 L (Gamma 2500), it was later joined by a 2.0 L version (Gamma 2000), which resulted from the Italian tax system (cars with engines larger than 2.0 L were subject to a heavier tax burden). The displacement was lowered by decreasing the bore rather than the stroke of the engine. Both displacements were using Weber carburetors, and the 2.5 L also came in a version fitted with fuel injection (Gamma 2500 I.E.)[1][2]
The most notorious aspect of the Gamma's engine related to the design of the power steering pump. The Gamma's engine utilized timing belts rather than the timing chains used in older Lancia flat-four models. Also, rather than powering the power steering pump using the traditional accessory belt, it was instead directly connected to the left hand side camshaft on the back of the engine. This created a design flaw in which applying too much load on the power steering pump (such as when starting the engine or turning the wheel to full lock) could cause the timing belt to skip or snap, causing serious damage to the engine.[7]
*stated by Pininfarina production records[4]
- 1999 cc carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 120 PS (1st series) 115 PS (2nd series)[2]
- 2484 cc carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 140 PS[2]
- 2484 cc I.E. 8v SOHC flat-4 - 140 PS[2]
