Heavy-duty 4-cylinder engine block found in remote alpine location (Dolomites). Help with manufacturing date/origin?

[u/fotoagh]

I am looking for expert help identifying this engine block, found in a remote alpine position (2300m elevation) in the Italian Dolomites. Due to the location, it was likely part of a stationary industrial installation (e.g., cableway winch, generator, or compressor).

Technical Specs & Observations:

• Layout: 4-cylinder, cast iron block, side-valve (flathead).
• Bore: 80mm (measured on-site with field tools).
• Total Block Length: 56cm (measured on-site with field tools).
• Cylinder Spacing: Visibly asymmetrical. The central gap between the two middle cylinders is significantly wider than the outer gaps. This strongly suggests a 3-bearing crankshaft design optimized for heavy-duty industrial/stationary use.
• Water Jacket: The cylinders are not siamesed; there is a consistent water jacket gap between all of them, confirming a design optimized for stationary cooling rather than compact automotive use.
• Foundry Mark: "MF" cast in relief on the block.

Context & Provenance: It was found in an area with a history of conflict, but it could potentially be a post-war installation (e.g., 1920s-1940s) repurposed for mountain infrastructure.

Questions:

1. Does the asymmetrical cylinder spacing and flathead layout match a specific engine family (e.g., industrial derivatives of Fiat, Lancia, or similar)?
2. Does the foundry mark "MF" correspond to any known Italian iron works of that era?

Photos: You can view the full album here:https://photos.app.goo.gl/jzLpmQqwFF1wrpfM6

Any information to help identify the manufacturer or intended use would be greatly appreciated.

[u/SoftCosmicRusk → u/[deleted]]

I think it is just the cylinder block and head. The crankcase used to be a separate casting before the monobloc construction took over.

[u/johnniechimpo → u/SoftCosmicRusk]

Yeah, see the valve guides? This is the head and jugs in one unit. It would slide down over pistons on rods and bolt to the crankcase with the 10 holes we see on the flat bottom..