Controllo Elettronico Motore

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD7-527 Jack Hagerty says "I didn't quite follow this. Do you mean that
Alfa designed their own EFI system but decided to go with Bosch rather than
put it into production? Or did they influence some of the later Bosch Jetronic
designs?" after citing Eric Storhok:
>Surprised the Alfa Romeo made thier own EFI?  Some of you AROC USA members 
>will remember Fred D's articles, well perhaps correspondence with Alfa 
>concering this- For more info read SAE paper 850290...Remember the 
>caddy' 4-6-8? Alfa did it too, but with some pretty sweet electronics 
>where the driver might not have noticed what was going on...

I believe Eric was talking about the C.E.M., an Alfetta variant of 1982-83
which ran the standard two liter four as a modular engine like GM's 4-6-8,
C.E.M standing for Controllo Elettronico Motore, running the engine on two
cylinders at a time when four were not needed, but switching which two rapidly
enough that there were no adverse effects. From June 1981 to February 1982 ten
of the unsold US-spec 1979 Sport Sedans (complete with US bumpers, round
headlights and side trim) were put in service as taxis in Milan as a field
test, returning a 12.1% fuel savings in city use from which was extrapolated a
25% savings in general use. 

Catarsi's book lists a production of 994 C.E.M.s in 1982/83, and describes the
ignition and injection as an integrated system controlled by a Bosch Motronic
microprocessor, but the photo of the engine bay, captioned as a "C.E.M. of
1983 derived directly from that of the Milanese taxi" is clearly a Spica
system with a big C.E.M. label on the Spica air box. I'm finding the
translation of the text slightly heavy going, but will return. I know Fred was
quite interested in the possibilities, but Alfa backed off. I'm sure Fred (or
someone else) can amplify and correct -

Cordially,

John H. 
Raleigh, N.C.

------------------------------