[alfa] Re: alfa-digest V10 #228

[George Graves <gmgraves@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I put a 3-liter engine in mine and wouldn't change it back for any 
amount of money. It's that much better. And you can look at it this 
way. If Alfa had made the GTV-6 for a couple of more years, it would 
have had both the Milano Verde engine dropped into it as well as the 
Milano Power Steering, so all you're doing is anticipating the next 
change to the model had that change taken place.

About air conditioning. The original GTV-6 AC was anemic to begin with 
and simply changing to R134 will make it unacceptable. What you need to 
do if you're going to refurbish and update your air conditioning is the 
following:

1) Lose your original York piston type compressor. It is very 
inefficient and trouble-prone, and I've heard that it doesn't work very 
well with R134. Replace it with a Sanken unit from a BMW, SAAB or late 
model Milano. These seem to tolerate sitting unused for a long time 
without the seals drying up.

2) Your condenser (the small radiator-like device in front of the car's 
engine radiator) is totally inadequate for R134. Find a shop that can 
fabricate new condensers (my mechanic used a shop in LA) and send them 
yours for a pattern and tell them that it needs half-again more 
capacity than the stock one. It cost me about $250 to have mine built. 
This is actually a good deal because that's somewhat cheaper than what 
Alfa Ricambi charged for new stock ones (when they were available - 
they aren't any more).

3) if your GTV-6 doesn't have the optional 'Tropic-Aire' auxiliary heat 
exchanger and squirrel-cage fan in the cabin, neither of the above, 
will do you much good. Find one. You can tell them by the cylindrical 
bulge below the dash in the passenger footwell. You'll need it all, 
though: The motor, the fan, the auxiliary heat exchanger, the entire 
fan switch assembly and all the ducting.

4) Use a GM dryer from a recent model car. These are more reliable than 
the original factory units and work better with R134. Any Automotive 
A/C shop should be able to make to fittings to adapt to these disparate 
parts. Air conditioning systems, more than any other, are the prime 
example of "parts-is-parts". All modern ones work the same way and 
except for the variations in the threads and size of various gas-tight 
fittings, you can mix and match parts as needed.

My R134 upgraded Tropic-Aire system in my GTV-6 takes a few minutes to 
get going, but once it does, 36 degree F air emerges from the dash 
vents and it will keep the car comfortable on pretty much the warmest 
days.

Good luck.

George Graves
'86 GTV-6 3.0 'S'



On Jul 19, 2004, at 10:08 AM, alfa-digest wrote:

>
> Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 12:45:53 -0400
> From: "Jay T Hinton" <jhinton@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] GTV6 2.5 vs 3.0 and AC equip
>
> Now that the GTV6 is rapidly becoming a 25 year old classic,  I need to
> figure out which way to go with Tazio, the 1983 2.5 litre, 3.4 ratioed
> GTV6.  Tazio lost his original leather interior some time ago,  with a
> set of Verde Recaros and the rear seat cushion removed, with just a
> carpeted area in place.  I still  have the original seats.  Other than
> that, very few modifications at all.  But,  I have a spare 3.0 Verde
> motor now and the wiring harness to go with it.
>
> I am inclined to swap in the 3.0 and its harness.  But doesn't this
> lower the value of the car, quite a bit.  Sure,  its going to be much
> quicker and pleasant to drive,  but one day, Tazio will be moved on 
> down
> the road to another owner.  I doubt I would want to replace the 
> original
> wiring harness, though replacing the original 2.5 motor would not be
> difficult.
>
> And,  with more cars needing AC work,  I wonder if anyone might suggest
> some AC equip to pull a vacuum on the system once its repaired and
> bolted up.  I would most likely work with R134A gas, but would welcome
> other suggestions as well.
>
> Thanks, Ciao,
>
> Jay
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