Alfa 164 Buying guide

[Alfisto Steve]

My 164 buying guide list does it need updating?

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I found this over under another post in FS section. I posted it in 2006 do I need to revise and add or delete items?

"Kinda depends on the state of the car when you get it.

Areas of concern from front to back for 12v models:

Cooling fan motor bearings seize (can be replaced)
Cooling fan low speed resisitor fails (upgraded one came out in 94).
Serpentine belt idler bearing and belt (Use Dayco cross hatch belt).
water pump bearing due to overtensioning stock serpentine belt
A/C compressor clutch pulley bearing
Alternator voltage regulator brushes (easy to replace regulator)
Timing belt and tensioner (oil fed leaks, mechanical one not Murphy proof hard to install/tension correctly without damaging/breaking thermal clutch spring.
input shaft BALL bearing IF INSTALLED pre 94 5-speeds fails replace with overload roller brg.
front strut lower bearings get stiff from dirt
Heater core burst (usually from overheating engine due to cooling fan problem)
Blower motor bearings can seize
A/C heater stepper motors for temp and air distrubtuion in dash
inner/outer door handles crack
fuel pump hose inside tank cracks
Accumulator spring(s) weak/broken in ZF A/T if slow to engage in D or harsh 4-3 downshift

Add concerns for 24v
Timing belt idler/tensioner bearings seize
Cam timing jumps
coil packs arcing
heater core rupture
cooling fan issues bearings/resistor
a/c control panel LED display fades



If well maintained during its life it is a good car. I have 205,000 on my 164B I bought new and maintained myself. Still have original engine as it came from factory, but at 130,000 changed clutch and input shaft ball bearing in 5-speed tranny with overload roller brg, changed stepper motors 10 years ago and did fuel pump hose in tank about same time.

I have 173,000 on our other daily driver I bought last year for $900. It is a good car but I had to change stepper motors, replace fuel pump hose in tank after bad previous wrong type hose replacement let go, had to replace a/c clutch due to bad bearing, replaced front axle boot and master cylinder that locked up one summer in the heat. Replaced accumulator springs in ZF autobox to correct shifting issue.

Have replaced cooling fan motor bearings in my one owner and serpentine belt idler bearings too. Have replaced oil fed timing belt tensioner with mechanical one and changed timing belt every 30,000 miles for safety.

Never been stranded in my 5-speed and only once in A/T one when that bad fuel hose repair by somebody before me let go on me in traffic.

If you "investigate that noise" before something fails and do scheduled maintenance these cars are nearly bullet proof.

I change timing belt, oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, power steering fluid at regular intervals and keep on keeping on."