The rush to complete a project.

[AlfaNeely@xxxxxxx]

      I was supposed to race Topeka this weekend.  I had sent my entry fee 
and they are running my favorite configuration of the course.
       I thrashed all Memorial Day weekend.  John DiMaggio came and helped a 
couple of days.  The engine went back in Tuesday night.  I worked until 
midnight Thursday night and the major project left Friday morning was mounting the 
new fuel cell and connecting the new fuel pump and hoses.
       I started the engine about 5:00 Friday afternoon.  It idled poorly and 
clattered at RPM's above idle.  I suspected a loose timing chain.  I pulled 
the valve cover, tightened the chain again and checked valve clearances (Alfa 
valve clearances do open up when the engine is hot).  I put the valve cover 
back on and it still clattered.  It also got oil everywhere as the valve cover 
was just sitting in place, not bolted down.  Engine compression was fine at 205 &
 210 in all cylinders.
       I was exhausted, went home, showered and took a quick nap.  Peg and I 
met Don Sable, who owns the warehouse where I work on my race car and Noel 
Keefer and their wives for supper later.  We all discussed the problem.  It 
appeared the clattering started about the RPM when the VVT or Variable Valve Timing 
advanced the intake camshaft.  Don was sure that was the problem.
       I persuaded the local Alfa mechanic, Cliff Whisler to come look at my 
engine Saturday morning.  He looked at the timing chain and quickly noted that 
I had the cam caps on backwards.  The caps are numbered from 1 to 3 on the 
exhaust side front to back and then 4 to 6 from back to front on the intake 
side.  I had them installed in a mirror image to that.
       That meant the intake cam timing was advanced and when the VVT 
advanced it further, the valves were touching the pistons.  Luckily, they were just 
touching.  I could and probably should have bent all the intake valves.  I had 
rolled the engine over on the stand before I put it in, but the VVT was 
retarded.
       The lesson here is to look at the book.  I knew exactly where the 
photo showing the cam cap numbering is in the Alfa Shop Manual.  I did them from 
memory and had gotten the image reversed in my mind.
       In fact, the 750 series Alfa cam caps were numbered in the manner that 
I installed them.  Why Alfa changed is a mystery.

       The engine idles and runs fine now.  I had to rebuild the exhaust 
system due to the fuel cell and panhard bar taking up the space where the exhaust 
was previously.  The new exhaust is much better than the jury rig I had 
previously. Plus there are several other little details that two weeks will allow me 
to solve at leisure rather than rushing to the race track.  I will head to 
Omaha on June 14, my birthday.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
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