Re: Rev'ing up a healthy Alfa

[David Bishop <dbisho1@domain.elided>]

>Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 11:57:42 -0500
>From: "Jeff Nantais" <jeff@domain.elided>
>Subject: Rev'ing up a healthy Alfa

>Hi all,
>My experience with driving std. transmissions is very limited,
>I've only had my Alfa for 6 months, and it's the first 'stick' I've
>ever had.  Watching my friends drive their cars - everyone seems
>to shift from one gear to the next around 3000-3500 rpm.  My
>question arises from the story Pat Braden wrote in the Alfa Owners
>Bible, about the american who drove very "carefully" and spent
>most of the time with his alfa in the shop needing repairs, while an
>Italian driver who drove his Alfa HARD, never new what the inside
>of his mechanic's shop looked like.

>Although their is many ideas of the 'best' way to shift, what is the
>"Italian" way to shift?

>Today when my car was finally warmed up, with the needle within
>the range on my temp gauge - I revved it to 4800 before each shift -
>just to see what it felt like.
>GOD does that feel good!  And I'm sure my Alfa liked it too, he
>screamed so loud - like a 747 taking off.  It was almost like the
>car blew cleaned his throat and started to sing.  You can definitely
>feel the VVT kicking in...

>Is this what Pat Braden's story was talking about?

>Thx,

>Jeff Nantais
>'88 Spider Graduate
>'69 Citroen DS21

I've noticed that after Peter Krause instructed me to wind the 164 out higher before
shifting,
it seems to 'enjoy' it more (I certainly do). My plug fouling due to short shifting
and babying
the engine brought about this advice. It seems to be running better, and actually
one reason
that I hadn't previously shifted as high was that it 'seemed' as if the engine
didn't like it, as if
it was too fragile and might break. Now that I'm driving it differently it feels as
if
it's 'stronger'. I know my descriptions here are all very vague and nebulous, but
there IS
a difference. It ALMOST makes me want to make breathing changes, such as headers or
a freer flow exhaust, but the cost of maintaining 2 Alfas precludes tweaking either
of them,
I'll keep them both stock and I could do far worse than properly maintaining two
stock Alfas.

My Spider has never exhibited any behaviour that might have led me to believe it
didn't like
being wound out, it was trying to communicate to me how I should drive the 164, but
I just
wasn't paying attention. :-)
David
'91 164 Base
'89 Spider Veloce

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