[alfa] Engine rebuilding and maintenance abilities

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jonathan Smithies comments: "It sounds like we've got a man who is very
good with bodywork and cleaning things up (the disguised 2L for the '69
looks amazing), but clearly shouldn't be allowed near a running engine.

"Biba, may I respectfully suggest you take your car to a mechanic who
knows Alfas - I'm sure you'll get a lot more pleasure out of your
Alfetta (and spend less time by the side of the road).  It might not be
a bad idea to have your restorations checked out by someone who
understands engines as well.

"We all have our limits (I sure do) - the trick is recognizing them."

********

Feel I need to reply to this one since Jonathan is saying in essence I
shouldn't be allowed near an engine.

As it is, my attitude when restoring an Alfa is always, "Whew the damn
bodywork, paint, and polishing is finally completed, now I can go to
work. I very much enjoy rebuilding Alfa 4-cylinder engines and of course
'detailing them' to the nth degree.

I will admit I don't consider myself a demon tweaker, nor do I have much
in the way of diagnostic equipment. So, yes, I have taken client's cars
to a mechanic I trust (and who does this on a daily basis and does have
diagnostic equipment) for a final tweaking. Note the rebuilt engine runs
well enough to make it the 25 or so miles there (and many miles
afterwards).

So, yeah, I feel I know my way around Alfa 4-cylinder engines pretty
well. That doesn't mean I have all the answers and feel quite lucky
people on this Digest have been willing to offer suggestions - many of
which I've taken.

I will also mention I've never been totally happy with the lack of idle
consistency on my own car. Since I don't have a supply of various jets,
not to mention being an expert on Webers, I have considered taking the
car to the same shop. It's the finding a friend to meet me there early
a.m., then take me back to my shop, then pick me up and take me to the
mechanic - which has prevented this.

If I could afford it and had a spare car to drive, I would take my
Alfetta to this mechanic and say, "Drive it until it cuts out on you,
then fix it along with the idle."

I could easily see the hours racking up. I've driven my car for miles
without a hiccup an it does not run at all rough in between times. It
simply starts cutting out and eventually stopping completely, almost
always at speed, never on city streets.

The engine always fixes itself, at least for awhile. While I did fiddle
with the timing a bit the first time it cut out on me yesterday, It
started and ran fine for about 15 miles. Next time all I did was lift
the hood and wait about six to eight minutes. Incidentally, the engine
nor the MarelliPlex was not at all hot, oil pressure and water temps
were fine. It 'merely' seems to require sitting for a bit. Engine
started and I made the final 20 or so miles home / to shop without
further incident.

A Professional Mechanic - meaning, I guess, someone who can be trusted
around engines would have to hook up any diagnostic equipment to the
engine within seconds. I can almost always start the engine right away
after it stops. It just seems to cut out again sooner if I don't wait
those extra minutes.

Tell you what Jonathan, show this to your Alfa mechanic, assuming you
have one. If he is able to diagnose the problem from what I've described
and it solves the problem I'll send you two checks in your name each for
one hour of his hourly rate. Keep one, keep both, give them to him, your
choice.

I will say, I have not switched out the MarelliPlex with the Bosch
mechanical system yet. If that solves it, then a suggestion of getting
rid of the MarelliPlex won't count.

I'll be the first to admit I find it very Unprofessional to start
installing new / different parts or trying various settings on items
such as the ignition timing going on the theory, "Well that didn't work,
I might as well try this."

That said, I am obviously at my wits end and perhaps I'm wrong, but feel
strongly a Professional Mechanic might end up doing the same.

Note: 2000 engine rebuilt less than 50k miles ago, rather hot cams,
Weber 40DCOE's with (Alfa) stock jets, Euro inlet manifold and airbox,
Euro exhaust manifolds, MarelliPlex ignition.

The following parts have been replaced:

New magnetic pickup
New ignition control module
New distributor cap
New distributor rotor
New ignition wires
New sets of spark plugs - NGK BP6ES, Bosch +4R #089, (currently) NGK
BP7ES
New 4.5 to 6.5 psi Facet electronic fuel pump
New rear fuel filter
New Filter-King filter
Fresh clear fuel filter between Webers to be used as a sight glass
Any flex fuel lines showing even minor cracks have been replaced
New (non-original) Bosch starter relay simply because the other was 18
years old.

Labor:

Checked fuel vapor recovery valve. It was okay. However, never got a
whosh from removing gas cap.
Checked (several times) ground / continuity - okay. 13V to fuel pump
both when off and running.
Double checked ignition setting pointer on waterpump using a dial gauge
in #1 spark plug hole.
Have timed ignition using a quality timing light both on the somewhat
retarded end since the MarelliPlex has a rather shallow timing curve.
Seemed to run best at slightly retarded from when max advance  lines up
with 'M' at 5500 rpm, hot.
Obviously removed and replaced all parts / items listed above.

Perhaps I'm missing some Labor or Parts, but that should be the
majority.

Should anyone else care to print out and take to your Professional
Mechanic, by all means do so and if more than one winning answer
arrives, the first in, which solves the puzzle gets the checks.

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
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