147 GTA 3.2 24v into a GTV6 (116) ?

[ALFA GTV6 GP]

Have The opportunity to buy a 147 GTA 24v motor with 4000 miles on it was wondering what parts I would need to fit it in my GTV6 (116) and if it's possible cost efficent?
I know Glenwood do a similar transplant/conversion from the Glenwood 156 GTA 24v 290 hp screamer was hoping it was possible with the 147 GTA?
All feedback appreciated thanks in advance ..
John

[junglejustice]

Hey John - the Glenwood GTA motors in 3.2 trim are converted to around 290 crank-horsepower a sea-level. The stocker is rated by the factory at 250 horses... Just FYI.

All the same ! Congratulations - I am excited for you - looks like I will be getting a 3.2 GTA for my street Verde as well.... The conversion is very do-able. My motor would come converted in terms of internal balancing WITH the crank pulley and flywheel - ready for the longitudinal installation.

Your engine right now has an external balance-factor only and it is setup for a transverse installation in the front-wheel drive application of the 147/156 GTAs...

A short-cut way to get around this - but it is not perfect - is to find a flywheel and crank-pulley from a 3.0 12 valve Milano Verde (or from a European 75 Americana), or from an SZ Zagato engine even and to use this on your 24 valve engine in the GTV6.

Once you have the pulley, you would need to press the little timing ring-gear from the 24 valve pulley on to the 12 valve 3.0 pulley (can't be a 2.5 pulley!!!) and either have it tack-welded in place or use machine-screws installed to hold the entire ring-gear "cup" on there (like from the 164 type 60 minus 2 tone-wheel set-up...)

You would also need one of those 3.0 bell-housings OR just use washers/spacers to get the starter-alignment accurate.

Ideally you would just send the entire thing to Dawie at Glenwood - let him convert it to 3.45 or 3.7 or just keep it 3.2 but get the balance-factor accurate and get all of the other little things in line... You will also need any Milano/GTV6 sump - converting it to fit on the GTA is a bear - the oil-pump doesn't clear and some of the holes don't line-up...

There is a deep custom aluminium sump available from Dawie (I have one for you) for 500 dollars USD that will fit over that crank-driven GTA oil-pump. I suggest inspecting the bearings while you are there - BONE STOCK the 3.2s have a propensity towards spinning their main bearings. Once it its right, it is right, but just have a look-see. (I was just at Alfissimo in Jo'Burg and there is literally a sea of GTAs in SA (stockers) with dead cranks and spun bearings - straight from the factory!) The old 12 valvers were so solid at the bottom...

Other than this, you are pretty close. The good news is that dimensionally the block and head externals are identical between the newest generation 3.2 litre 24 valve and the oldest 12 valve 2.5..... The engine would sit RIGHT on the stock mounting points and the stock drive-shaft will bolt right up to the 3.0 flywheel (now on there once you install it...)

I would attempt to get the ECU and stock harness with it, or consider going with a stand-alone engine management system such as the GoTech or other - you may need external drivers for the coils or get a set of VW VR6 coil-packs or Mitsubishi Pajero (or other) 6-pack coil-packs or coils with their own drivers...

More expensive stand-alone ECUs or the new GoTech Pro-X will drive those 6 stock individual Alfa coil-un-plugs without a problem. For now it would be best to run the stock Bosch setup - make sure that all sensors are there such as the knock-sensors... Also, make sure that it comes with a crank-angle sensor (200 bucks USD), the cam-angle sensor (also 200 bucks), the 44mm GTA/164 Q chrome intake runners (400 bucks) and the larger GTA intake plenum!

Fuel rails and injectors (red GTA injectors - can't miss them - 3-400 bucks) and timing belt covers in one piece is also important. Is the timing belt still installed? Do a compression test - depending on how long it sat - this may not tell you anything either...

Good luck with it!

[junglejustice]

...one more thing...

Since the new generation of 156/147-type engines have their thermostat-housings at the back of the engine (left-side over the gear-box when seated in the car), you would also need to either a) convert a thermostat-housing from a 164 to the front of the 156/147 engine (much work), or b) plan on plumbing from the back to the front of the car - the way that we went on the 3.7s (but tight back there up against the firewall....)

It's not too bad except that the inlet and outlet points of the radiator are now opposite of the Milano/75/GTV6 setup... You can cross hoses over each other (once your custom plumbing coming from the back of the new generation motor now reaches the front-area of the car), but the point is that once installed in the car that engine will now want the radiator-out (cooled water low-point) over on the left-side and hot-water to the radiator (high-point out of the motor) now on the right of the motor...

Jes and I replaced our radiators with a huge unit (with integrated oil-heat exchangers) out of the GT350 racing catalogues (it already has water out low on the left and water in high on the right (sitting in the car....), so all that we had to do was plan plumbing from the back of the engine to the front-area of the engine-bay.

[alfatim]

"I was just at Alfissimo in Jo'Burg and there is literally a sea of GTAs in SA (stockers) with dead cranks and spun bearings - straight from the factory!) "

Is this really so ?????

In the UK Ive not encountered this yet! Engine failures due to lack of oil etc, but not an inherent problem with 3.2 or 3.0 24v cranks!

Ive also spoken to someone who works with Dawie a lot and he said its the first he has heard.

Can you confirm this is a problem and if it is ..... most importantly.... How it is being solved.