Re: 164 with rebuilt engine that won't start

[Rodney Tidwell <rodneygt@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

ascher baer wrote:

> it's back together with two replaced rods and runs fine. but; it won't

>
> start in the mornings when cold.  i haven't seen it, but i'm told that

>
> it's got to be started "by hand" and once running and warm, purrs like

> a
> happy kitten.  i'm looking to get my car back, so does anyone have any

>
> clue as to what might be wrong.
>
>

This, of course, smacks of something electrical or fuel related and
should have nothing to do with the engine, per se.  I would suggest
either that some electrical component was damaged when your car was
flooded or that it's likely the mechanics have not hooked something up
properly (perhaps a bad connection).  The motronic self test would
probably narrow down the list of possible culprits.

Based on personal experience, I've encountered two common 164 problems
that produce similar symptoms; however, it could be something else.  The

first, is the failure of the small in-tank fuel line.  In early failure
mode, the car became hard to nearly impossible to start when cold.  I
could start it "by hand" (i.e., with ether when it stranded me after
being parked all day).  This is cheap and fairly easy to fix (less than
$1 of fuel line) if you don't mind spending about an hour in the trunk.
Now, if this is your problem, it seems very coincidental.  But, Alfas
are, sometimes, confounding animals.

The second problem which I experienced with similar symptoms (though I
could get it to crank eventually and it didn't run perfectly even when
warm ) was a corroded water temperature sensor connector.  This item can

appear fine; but, the one or both of the wires can corrode where you
can't see it within the connector.  Unhooking the connector to, say,
remove the engine could finish the job earlier corrosion had started.
The motronic self test will identify this problem though not in so many
words.  If this is the problem, the code will equate to something about
extremely high or low temperatures (Colin has an article by Mr. DiMatteo

on his 164 pages that list the codes, etc.).  Again, this is a cheap and

easy fix.  The connector is about $2 at any discount auto parts store.
They probably won't have it listed for the 164. It may be listed as a
bosch/lucas fuel injector connector.  Visual inspection will confirm you

have the correct connector.

All this said, your problem may well be something else.  Hopefully,
among the replies you receive, you will get the correct diagnosis.  Let
me know.

Rodney G. Tidwell
McComb, MS

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