[alfa] 2.0L rebuild/used replacement...

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> Hi, folks.
>
> After 135K of delightful, trouble-free miles (the last 30 or so under my
> stewardship), the 74 Spider 2L is tired...uneven compression, some
> apparently upper-end and some reflecting blow-by problems.  Anyway, I'd like
> to keep this car going and am wondering about rebuild vs. used motors.
> Obviously with the latter one takes his chances, but you see them on eBay
> once in a while in the $400-$500 range...any experience/persepectives?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark Kunkel
> Limping 74 Spider
> Carrollton, GA
Well,  I sorta did this.. Got a 77 Spider last year, to get back into 
Alfas.. needed a rebuild pretty bad.  Heard about a basket case motor,  
was running when taken apart, about $300.  Thought "Hey,  if all I have 
to do is put it back together,  I'll save a lot of money!" 
Now I say,  "Hey, it seemed like an idea at the time!"

It could have gone that way,  but the liners were worn just enough to 
need replacing,  so another $400,  along with the expected head work.  I 
basically did a usual full rebuild, and now have a fresh 72-74 era motor 
and a worn 77 motor missing its manifolds, Spica and a few other parts.

Hey, I had one motor,  now I have two!!  ;-)

Anyway,  your situation may or may not be similar.  If all your problems 
are in the head,  you can get by much cheaper.  Try to diagnose if there 
are ring problems or not..  though with the blowby, you might have 
them.  If you change pistons and liners,  it's worth going all the way 
and getting the crank and block checked out,  new bearings, etc.. 
A used motor may be just about in the same shape (or worse) than yours, 
it probably will be of a similar age,  since you probably would want a 
Spica motor, and the newest one will be 23-24 years old..  That's the 
crapshoot.  At least if you do the rebuild, you know you have a 
freshened motor..

Jon
77 Spider
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