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BB4 - 1993 164L How goes it REHAB thread

20K views 176 replies 14 participants last post by  Alfisto Steve 
#1 · (Edited)

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#3 ·
Not to answer for Steve, but, of course. I never remove the air plenum to access the rear plugs. Use a 6" and 3" extensions with a good plug socket. I use finger tips cut off of old rubber gloves at all the joints to make sure none of them come apart when I'm pulling the plug out. I can usually get them out with only removing the wiring off the IAC, but access is better if you remove the oil separator and hose from the IAC to the big black hose.
 
#4 ·
Same here. Have never had to remove the 12V plenum. Yes, tight fit, but quite doable. The 24V engine is really a different situation, alas.

One reason I use the Iridium plugs in all the cars, since I don't have to remove them for many k's of miles.
 
#5 ·
I look forward to following this.

Bob
 
#6 ·
Well, R2 and Del 1, to answer 419 Guy NO I did not have to remove intake plenum. However, comma.

Hold that thought, pizza just arrived and I R hungry been a long day again. More on that later.
 
#7 ·
OK here was the deal on what I had to do to get to rear plugs. Because the plugs wires would not release from plug and I didn't want to destroy wiring pulling on them I had to do the following to get a pry bar under the plug wire top hats:
1.Removed L-shaped hose from OVS to rear valve cover to get to number 1 wire top hat (pretty standard op for me).
2. Removed IAC from rear of plenum to be able to pop up both #2 and #3 plug wires.
3. Then had to flex top hats on all three wires to get them to clear intake plenum. "Hard hats" from old age make it even harder.
Note: This is a later 12v engine that has the intake plenum mounted on three rubber bushing that screw into rear valve cover so plenum seems to be moved further back over parts of plug wire hats not like earlier 164s with hard mounted intakes/
 
#8 ·
It's ALIVE, non-BB4 is Alive!

I got non-Black Beauty IV (non-BB4) to run today. It had a bad motronic engine management computer. I moved it under its own power to line up with other 3 164s. I also found out it has massive fuel leak in fuel return line hose coupling at firewall by power steering pump area and it has NO BRAKES, too!

Brake fluid reservoir empty but clutch still worked and since the clutch fluid supply port is higher up on the fluid food chain in that reservoir I was amazed. Guess the brake fluid system leak left a couple pump of fluid left in clutch master.

Lucky I was able to start it up drive it forward and turn it around and drive it back into driveway.

Next time I get the time to play with it I will have to replace those short fuel hoses at base of firewall. Probably will have to at least remove P/S pump pulley to get enough access room to change hoses. I hate that job as much as I hate changing a starter.

I ended up lining up the four blackies going from right to left in the order I acquired them.

BB1 164L Nov 2009, BB2 164S June 2011, BB3 Mar 2016 and non-BB4 also Mar 2016.
 

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#10 ·
Enough already!



My Number "Five Alive" is the non-black white 91 164L aka the ex-Fred DeMatteo ride located in the backyard. I got it running, too but steering rack system is big leaker.

I need no more "input" of 164s right now. Maybe I will save the Euro trailer hitch off Fred's 91L and let that non-black one go?
 
#11 · (Edited)
OK, found brake line leak this morning. It is the same pesky 60569370 Right rear steel line that runs from brake compensator valve in rear crossmember to area under gas tank filler pipe in R/R wheel well.

This is the same line that was clamped off on BB2 with vise grips when it came to me from PA. We also relpaced same R/R line on Joe's 164B with 164S engine.

So anybody got one spare R/R 60569370 line as my two spares went on BB2 and Joe's 164B?
 
#14 ·
That is fine no hurry.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Is this the one you have?



Steven too late, Dean from TrailAuto in Dearborn, MI and UPS delivered it Friday. Is this the one you have? I have five (5) 164s would love to have another spare since I gave Joe my last one I had.

Wonder why R/R is the one that goes first? Is it fuel spills from filler tube? Seems like R/R fender flare the one to rust first, too. I bet gas spillage washed out waxing compound inside body skins.

Dean and I have been helping each other out for many years. Him more than me but, I have been able to supply him some GTV6 stuff when he needed it. All that GTV6 stuff of mine now gone.
 

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#19 ·
Thanks, I will treasure it.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Post-OP recovery mod trying to go slow on Alfa work

I had my Green Laser Photoselective vaporization on my prostate on Tuesday morning so little limited in my wrenching.

Felt good enough this morning to field strip the guts out of inside of Non-BB4.

All the seats and the headliner come out and I am now repairing sun-roof panel surrounding bezel.

I gave the new used to me front and rear seats for it another Kiwi black liqiud polish treatment.

Have to take Buster to the vet in a few minutes when ML gets back from beach house. We are a tag team.

Back from Buster Butt getting his glands expressed, once the vet put a muzzle on him he was no trouble at all.

Here are some pix of my days work:
 

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#21 ·
JB Weld does the trick and stick.
 

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#22 ·
Indoor play day due to rain and Post-OP recovery

Still recovering slowly from my prostate surgery but getting better.

Worked on building up spare headliner carcass from Old Nero the Donor to install in Non-BB4. I had recovered it years ago and had it stored away.

Dining room table worked fine as work bench as ML gone to beach house to ready it for summer rental starting next weekend.

I managed to install repaired sun roof panel bezel surround and front cross trim piece I repaired both from Non-BB4.

I have to find a driver's side sun visor as old one from BB4 broken off.

MAARC blanket on guest room bed is from our local AROC-USA chapter.
 

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#23 ·
FINALLY Got some time of my own

Beach house now in the hands of property manager for the summer yippee!

Thanks Steven for R/R brake line. I got it installed and did a poor boy partial brake bleed So took Non-BB4 around the block after I bled brakes and installed rehabbed driver's seat I got from Al.

Do you think old brake line was a bit rusted?

PIZZA comfort food for supper going to get it in a few minutes as ML just got up from her nap. Beach house ready for issue project beat her up bad, too.
 

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#24 ·
#25 ·
So far I have $285 in my someday ToBe BB4. I spent $85 for title and taxes to DMV and $200 to Al for complete front and rear seats.

Steven gave me the R/R brake line so the new spare one I did pay Dean money for is in my spares inventory for another day when needed so won't count it against this 164.

I bought a new used 94LS white sun roof with good seal for the white 164L project. UPS soon to deliver so that purchase will go in another spreadsheet.

I have a good black sun roof assembly in stock I guess from Old Nero but I must have used the seal on some other 164 maybe QS2 I sold couple years ago.

As I say you can never have to many spare parts.
 
#26 · (Edited)
MAJOR Sweat Equity on soon to be maybe BB4

Mary Lee impressed with the fact I removed head liner assembly from guest bedroom, rear seats from living room and front seats from sun room today.

Started off the day on Non-BB4 by removing sun roof assembly and trying to test spare one from Old Nero with shiny black panel. However COMMA could not make it retract just flip up vent mode.

So I removed non-shiny black panel from BB4's assembly and installed it without panel. Then I dyed carpet with SEM color coat 15303 graphite in aerosol cans (2 ea).

Then I installed new but not perfect headliner assembly I recovered using Old Nero backing panel years ago with left over material from Hancock Fabric store. It will do for "free" 164.

Then I installed rear seats , redid center console with same graphite spray.

I finally installed the rest of the $200 seats from Al.

Turned out pretty good if I must say myself. Not perfect but the price was right.

I will try to save old sun roof seal tomorrow and install it on shiny black sun roof panel.
 

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#27 ·
BB4 back out of garage today

installed repaired sun roof seal on shiny sun roof panel and installed and rigged panel early this morning.

Ended up changing both rear brake calipers and pads as lining pads paper thin and pistons fully extended.

Bleed rear brakes one at a time with jack under rear axles to get simulated weight on wheels to valve in rear cross member to stay open.

Bleed front brakes already so pretty good pedal feel now,

Used cleaner wax on good parts of paint job on sides of body. Top and deck lid not so hot, hood not mucher better

Looks good from 10 feet if not looking t top of car.

BB2 now back in garage, and white 91L waiting its turn in que.
 

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#28 · (Edited)
Raked more leaves and some thought about Non-BB4 and BB2

Been awhile hasn't it. Somewhere along the way since last June I pulled out engine and tranny and then got side tracked.

Today I dug out the best set of chrome intakes and an intake plenum that was cleaned and painted.

I guess with 60+ spring fever weather this week I am getting the urge to do something Alfa related.

BB2 needed 2 qts of 20w50 Dino oil and some coolant. It has been 7 months since I changed oil and 2000 miles.

BB2 has 12,000 miles on timing belt and 5 years. So I guess I ought to change timing belt for age. But I think I will change out all pulleys and upgrade to euro pulleys and rounded tooth timing belt like I did to BB1 last year.

Here are a couple pictures I took today.

Looks like #1 and #3 intake tubes on BB2 are duller than the rest and #1 has a small dent. I guess I can swap them out with better ones I pulled out for non-BB4.
 

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#29 ·
What are you using to get the cast aluminum so clean?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#30 ·
My son does the cleaning and repainting. He has a blasting cabinet and monster air compressor.
 
#32 ·
Robbing BB4 for BB2

I pulled off down pipes, cat convertor and cat mounting bracket from non-BB4 today as it appears I am going to have to downgrade BB2 my 164S to 164B/L down pipes, cat and center muffler as I have major noise around my S cat and i can't feel any leaks from below. I think maybe crack or rust hole in top of S dual pipe out cat.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Let the Save another 164 Rescue Society Project begin

What is an Alfisti to do for a hobby?

I put BB4 into Examination and Evaluation (E&E) Mode today. Depending on outcome I may go into Planning and Estimation (P&E) phase.

Some disassembly pre-E&E today.

I pulled false firewall to check out evaporator, blower motor, heater core and wiper motor.

I got my 2004 repair work order with the car and I see I installed a new heater core in Feb 2004 and it still looks good.

The blower motor looks new as it is the green shade of later post Saab yellowish ones of yore. I will take it out of blower housing and check wear on brushes and armature. PO Mike may have changed it after 2004.

Some leaves and such were removed with shop vac.
 

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