Jacking and Towing a Lucas-injected, Ouzo Burning Alfa...

[Simon Favre <simon@domain.elided>]

Lighten UP, people.

Jacking and placing of jack stands:

I usually jack the front of the car first, then the rear. My reasoning is
that since I jack the front by the jacking points (at least on the 105),
this tips the car side to side. I prefer to do this with the rear wheels
on the ground to keep it from sliding on the rear jack stands if I did
the rear first. On my 101, the front jacking point gets too low to use
if I do the rear first.

For a 101 series car, the center of the front crossmember right behind
the radiator works well. I use a small block of wood on the jack head. I
then put jack stands under the main frame rails on either side of the
motor, or under the swaybar mounting bolts in front (not as good).

On a 105/115 car, there is no good place to jack from. Some are able to
place a jack under the large crossmember behind the sump fins. I can't
fit my jack under there. I jack the car up by the front jacking points,
then place a jackstand under the frame rail that sits inboard of the
rocker panels. If I want the front up really high, I put a big board
under the crossmember after the car is up on the stands, and jack on
that. IMO, the rocker panels should never be used for jack stands. It's
just too easy to screw up the side of the car. The jacking points
themselves work on jack stands, but you have to have someplace else to
put the floor jack. I prefer to keep the jackstands on the inboard frame
rails, where any minor boo-boos are less visible.

On all 101/105/115 series cars, the safest place to jack the rear end up
is the bottom of the center, round part of the differential. The flat
part where the drain plug sits is too delicate, IMO. I place the jack
stands under the axle tubes as far apart as I can get them and still
work on whatever needs unbolting under there. I leave the jack under the
diff while I'm under there. If I have to drop the rear end, I place the
extra jackstands under the frame rails.

Towing:

The main reason not to tow a RWD car on a dolly more than 100 miles or so
is that you are causing the ring and pinion to wear on the opposite side
of the gear teeth. The same goes for the tranny. Doing this can cause
particles to shed into the oil that will cause premature wear. I would
change the tranny and diff oil after such a tow. Even with the driveshaft
out, the diff is still subjected to abnormal wear.

Lucas Injection:

Fascinating stuff. While it may be more important to some owners to get
their current problems fixed, I find the historical perspective from 
threads like this to be of immeasurable value. Keep it up.

Ouzo:

Try drinking it on the rocks in a plastic glass. You have to drink it
fast before the plastic melts...

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