Re: Need an engine opinion on a 164 S noise

["Daegrigg (Don)" <daegrigg@domain.elided>]

Whoa!  If this is a benign noise, I think the "well known" Alfa shop should
be able to either tell you what it is, or conversely that it is not
something serious.  A simple mechanic stethoscope could isolate the noise.
Alternately, get a second opinion from another shop or Alfa expert.

JMO,

Don

----- Original Message -----
From: <adoherty@domain.elided>
To: <alfa@domain.elided>
Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2003 6:51 PM
Subject: Need an engine opinion on a 164 S noise


> Hello, I looked at a 164 S today with decent mileage (65K). It was OK
> mechanically (had alot of recent maintenance etc), and appears from the
> records, at least the recent ones, that it has been maintained regularly
and
> properly at a well-known Alfa shop. Anyhow, upon returning from the test
drive,
> I noticed that there was a subtle knock in the engine at idle. Very hard
to
> tell if it is indeed a rod-knock or just some metallic bits meeting at
idle
> speeds (external engine brackets or something). When I brought the engine
over
> idle a little bit the noise went away, and didn't appear to increase with
rpms
> or get worse. Just a little nervous about needing a $5K engine tab soon
after
> buying the car. The owner, and his well-known shop (name withheld) say the
> noise has not gotten better or worse for the last 20K or so miles, and
that to
> not worry about it unless it starts to get worse.... I guess my question
is,
> given the rather loose diagnostics noted above, how likely is it that I'm
just
> looking at a bracket or motor mount or some such needing adjustment, or
would a
> rod bearing sound as above. I've looked at another car with a bad rod
bearing
> and the knock increased then eventually went away as the rpms increased.
Any
> and all help appreciated.
>
> Adam
>
> --
> Adam S. Doherty
> Howard Hughes Medical Institute
> University of Pennsylvania--School of Medicine
> 360 CRB
> 415 Curie Blvd
> Philadelphia, PA  19104   USA
>
> Phone: 215-898-7806
> Fax: 215-898-8780
> Email: adoherty@domain.elided
> --
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