Re: 2nd gear synchro

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@domain.elided>]

2nd gear synchros are a consistent point of wear in the 1750 and 2000 
Spiders (and other models as the Spiders, GTVs, Berlinas and Alfettas all 
use the same gearbox). I cannot vouch 100% for the cause, but what I 
recall reading is that the gearbox changes to the 1750 and 2000 ended up 
with a gear cluster for 2nd gear which overstresses the synchro by a few 
percentage points beyond the synchro's rated torque loading. 

The proper repair is not cheap. According to my buds at the Alfa shop, 
the right repair is to buy new second gear cluster and synchros and then 
have the gear cluster lightened substantially (I've heard numbers around 
the 12-15% range). It's about $500-600 in parts alone, then the machining 
and overall transmission rebuild costs on top of that. Two friends of 
mine had this done on their Spider gearboxes and they shift far better, 
and have continued to shift far better through the past 30,000 miles, 
than any standard Spider gearbox I've owned. 

My 3rd gear synchros have also proven to be a bit weak. 

Godfrey

>Ok, so I keep hearing the second gear synchros are a common
>problem on our beloved Alfas.  And mine is no exception.  Many of
>the alfisti I have spoken to around here have told me not to even
>bother with it as it will just go out again in short order.  I
>thought I remembered either in a post or on one of the web sites
>someone saying there was a good fix for this.

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