Re: Warning re ARDONA stepper method

[Jerry Ecklund <jre2100@domain.elided>]

So far I think Ardona's method is working well.  My
problem isn't reaching the screws at the base of the
windshield but rather one of them is stripped in
place.  It's not the head but the threads that are
stripped.  It seems to me that unless the entire heat
box/vent assembly comes out with dash the factory
method would leave me in the same position.  It
appears to me the screws used to hold the defrost
vents to the dash are of a very low quality.  They're
only holding the plastic vent to the vinyl dash but
still almost all 8 of them have partially stripped
threads.  Obviously they were over tightened or forced
in place the last time the dash was removed.  I've
decided after hours of working at this screw I'm
simply going to cut the tang off the defrost vent and
then only use three screws rather than four when I put
it back together.  Wish me luck!

Rgds.,
Jerry Ecklund, San Francisco
'91 164S

Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 21:12:05 -0700
From: C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>
Subject: Warning re ARDONA stepper method

This is my response to the unlucky 164 owner stuck
part way through the 
ARDONA stepper replacement method. The method works
well when you are 
faced 
with doing hundreds of these repairs, the risks of an
unlucky break are 
amortized. If you happen to be the unlucky one.. it
doesn't work so 
well. 
there are many things that can go wrong during the
ARDONA method which 
will 
erase any time advantage.

The official factory approved method (not ARDONA's
desperate cobble up 
job) 
involves removing the entire dashboard assembly from
the car. This is 
done 
by unbolting the dash from the firewall by accessing
the mounting nuts 
in 
the false bulkhead area under the hood. It's time
consuming but 
reliable. 
It is unfortunate you might have to do this but the
inability to access 
the 
screws at the base of the windshield isn't a problem
once the dash 
comes out.

  Don't be mislead though, this is a very lengthy
procedure involving 
removal of the AC evaporator and a bunch of stuff. A
trained and 
experienced mechanic takes 10 to 12 hours to do the
steppers by the 
approved method. That's why ARDONA was so desperate to
devise a cheaper 
way. Unfortunately, it takes a trained, experienced
and LUCKY  mechanic 
to 
do it the ARDONA way. You are one of the unlucky ones.
ARDONA could 
afford 
to be unlucky every now and again, you are now
understanding the costs 
of 
being THE unlucky owner. My mechanic refused to use
the ARDONA method 
for 
this reason, if it goes wrong the job is twice as
long!

Trouble with the design is the entire dashboard is
assemble outside the 
car 
in the factory. Unfortunately, Alfa got so excited
about the cost 
savings 
of this approach they forgot about serviceability once
installed. SAAB 
used 
the same cost saving assembly method but ensured that
the top came off 
the 
dashboard (by inserting screws from below!) and the
HVAC controllers 
could 
be accessed by removing the glovebox (or airbag in
later cars).

Alfa deserves criticism for omitting an in car
serviceable dash 
assembly. 
You are now reaping the expenses Alfa saved!

Good Luck

Michael


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner
Send FREE Valentine eCards with Yahoo! Greetings!
http://greetings.yahoo.com

--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided