4-Cam Head Removal.

[velocedoc]

Being the valve train is hydraulic lifters, they will have to fully fill up with oil before they get quiet. A good run will resolve that for you.

[daz]

Ill second that. my 2.0 147 was stood a couple of weeks and when i first started it it sounded very noisey at the top end so much i thought id skipped tooth a but after a couple of minuites all was quiet

[john.harrill]

Thanks, all.
The plan is to allow the engine to run in for some time while checking for leaks and proper temps. The hope is that things will quiet down before the car is re-registered and put back on the road.

Ancillary Issues.
Having had the pleasure of removing the thermostat and housing several times over the years, I still cannot find the right sequence. Securing the parts seems to be done ad-hoc: The bracket surrounding the water pump should be loose to access the two short hoses leading to the head; the bracket won't fully come off unless the temp sensor is removed; etc. It's just a PITA.

The metallic surface of the false firewall is prone to tearing. I re-covered mine with aluminum tape. No clue whether it will last or not. Sure looks good. Photos are coming.

Still have not tried "Shoo-Goo" on the cracking wire insulators. I hope that works.

[Alfisto Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john.harrill Double cool! Are Bi-turbos more temperamental than 164s?

[john.harrill]

I asked myself: “Why won’t this noise go away?”
After running-in the engine for a couple of hours, a rhythmic tap-tap-tap is still coming from the rear bank of cylinders. Plenty of time for the lifters to fill with oil. Placing a long ratchet extension to the ear and several points along the rear cam cover yielded no clanging from the head at all. What gives?

Hmmm. What else makes a rhythmic, tapping sound, loacalized on an engine? I stripped the induction and removed the false firewall. Then, reaching down to the junction of the head and the exhaust manifold, I felt something not-quite right. Removal of the manifold confirmed it. I had installed the manifold gasket for cylinder #3 backwards.

The gaskets are non-square parallelograms, with bolt-holes in diagonal corners. They fit on the exhaust studs two ways; only one of them is right. This one is flipped over. So, I have the Panthers on the radio, waiting for the engine to cool down.

[Alfisto Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john.harrill I asked myself: “Why won’t this noise go away?” After running-in the engine for a couple of hours, a rhythmic tap-tap-tap is still coming from the rear bank of cylinders. Plenty of time for the lifters to fill with oil. Placing a long ratchet extension to the ear and several points along the rear cam cover yielded no clanging from the head at all. What gives? Hmmm. What else makes a rhythmic, tapping sound, loacalized on an engine? I stripped the induction and removed the false firewall. Then, reaching down to the junction of the head and the exhaust manifold, I felt something not-quite right. Removal of the manifold confirmed it. I had installed the manifold gasket for cylinder #3 backwards. The gaskets are non-square parallelograms, with bolt-holes in diagonal corners. They fit on the exhaust studs two ways; only one of them is right. This one is flipped over. So, I have the Panthers on the radio, waiting for the engine to cool down.

[junglejustice]

Hey Boss, don't worry about it - yet! The lifters ARE filled with oil - they are PUMPED UP - I actually have quite a bit of experience with this...

Once you are 100% sure that everything else is good, go and give the car the berries a bit! A few hard pulls in 3rd THROUGH redline will fix it! We go through this ALL of the time - on the dyno they finally come right.

WORST case (I am doing this RIGHT NOW in fact), you have to take the cams out (yes, I am aware of the fact that this also means taking the fender-liners out the auxiliary belt off, the front ancillaries idler off, the timing belt cover off, the intake plenum off the coil-pack cover off, all of the coils out and both timing belt covers off - yes-yes - re-doing cam-timing etc...)

I feel for you. Any way - that's the worst case scenario - cams out and then you have to collapse those puppies. Done this about 10 times in 3 years - not fun - doing it again now on the 3.45 litre 6-speed car.

You can check it by just removing the rear valve-cover. Press down on the lifter with your thumb - squeeze you thumb-nail in right newt to the cam - with the suspected problematic lob pointing up - press down on the lifter - it should have a couple of mm play before engaging the valve-stem tip. Literally a soft spring-loaded play - then you know that it is good Check the others and compare them... A pumped up lifter will be rock-solid - you won't budge it - not even a fraction of a mm.

Get her nice and warm first and go run the snot out of the car a time or two. Buzz me if that does not work and we'll go from there. 425.941.4747. I'll walk you through the collapsing process.

By the way - those compression numbers are high for a cold engine that has not run in a long time! Were they taken with the throttle pulled open - each try...? Just curious...

Cheers, JvR

[john.harrill]

Flipping the exhaust manifold gasket (now installed properly) got rid of the noise. The engine has a very quite whir again.

I have a slight stumble off idle and 1221 (AFM problem) error code. I'll clear the codes and try again.

[john.harrill]

1221 is now gone after clearing the codes. But 1255 has returned.
In reading the cam angle sensor posts, I realize it is possible to switch the rear knock sensor connector and the cam angle sensor.

would this manifest itself in a 1255?

[Alfisto Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john.harrill 1221 is now gone after clearing the codes. But 1255 has returned. In reading the cam angle sensor posts, I realize it is possible to switch the rear knock sensor connector and the cam angle sensor. would this manifest itself in a 1255?

[john.harrill]

Yep. Swapped connectors and got the same result. One connector exits the harness close to the firewall, and another exits close to the heater hose connection to the big coolant pipe.

Measured the CAS between pins 1 & 2 and got 600 ohms.

Also, if you open the throttle abruptly, you get a backfire.

[junglejustice]

Yeah - you could swap the tps and knock and cam angle sensors...

Hate that Alfa did not make it simpler for us...

It will also run like it is about 50 horsepower down - smooth - but low...

Also check the front knock-sensor and the idle-control valve connectors...

[john.harrill]

Thinking about pulling back the insulation on the connectors exiting the harness. The CAS should have a red and a white wire going to it. That way, I can verify.

The front knock sensor should be correct. There is not another similar connector near it.

Are the knock sensors fragile? I did remove them while cleaning the valley between the cylinder banks.

[junglejustice]

You're wrong - I swapped the front knock sensor and the idle-air on a car that came to me in boxes once - it would throw a CAM angle code if you can believe that! You can also cross the crank-angle sensor, but then it won't run - that one is easy!

Also - just check the wires and trace them out at the ECU side of the harness with an ohm-meter from each connector... The colours are in the manual/on the CD - that was how we found it!

You don't even need the ohm-meter really - if the book says that water temp is blue - pull it back and see - make sure that other car ran smooth, but it was down about 30 horses or so!

[john.harrill]

Thanks for the response.

I'm confident I don't have the IAC mixed up with anything: the cable is the