From: "Graham Davis" <grahamldavis@domain.elided>
Reply-To: "Graham Davis" <grahamldavis@domain.elided>
To: alfa-digest@domain.elided
Subject: [alfa] RE: 164 up in flames
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 14:32:01 -0500
IMHO, neither the car nor it's design is the problem; simply lack of
maintenance. Rubber parts do not last indefinitely whether they be
hoses, belts or bushings. I'm told by a local specialist that Ferrari
specifies that their cars be re-bushed annually ($!!!) I was rooting in
a salvage yard this last weekend and saw several roasted cars, BMW's,
Mercedes, Volvo's, etc.; all having suffered engine bay fires. Even now
there is a Ferrari 308 on eBay, #2431432981 that has apparently suffered
the same fate. When I found how easy and inexpensive it was to replace
the fuel hoses on my Milano, I purchased what was required and did the
deed. If it makes you more comfortable to spend for imported metric fuel
hose, that's OK. I just went to AutoZone and bought enough high pressure
Fuel & Emissions SAE 30R7 5/16" (7.9M) dia. hose @ $1.00 per foot to
replace everything. I retained the cup washers per Alfa's (Bosch)
design but replaced the band clamps with stainless steel ones from a
240Z. Two years, 3 months and 32000 miles later I have experienced no
leaks. FWIW, if you choose to tackle this, do replace the seals on the
injector nozzles. As to Milano's up in flames, yes, they are/were
famous for collecting leaf litter in the heater air intake which also
housed and cooled the fan motor speed resistor. An Alfa design? I doubt
it. The units were more likely designed by the vendor who supplied them,
Behr Gmbh. At any rate, the units were produced at Behr's plant in Ft.
Worth, Texas. Simple and cheap ($2.50) fix: make a leaf screen for the
air intake below the windshield apron. Great. An Italian car with a
German engine management/fuel system (Bosch), steering and transaxle
(ZF), clutch, shock absorbers (Sachs) and much of the hydraulics (ATE -
Alfred Teves) minus a couple of Brembo items; wheel bearings from Brazil
(Timken), some of the Jaeger electronics made in France and a USA built
heater. And now you know why I have this ITALY sticker on the back of my
car! Not complaining; beats anything for the money made anywhere else!
Just my $.02.
Graham L. Davis
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