Danger! Amateur 2.0 Rebuild Commencing

[La Voce]

My Alfetta GT exhibits the following symptoms:
-a tiny bit of oil in the coolant, but no coolant detectable in the oil
-odor of burning oil at idle/low rpms, blue smoke under hard acceleration
-white smoke under deceleration
-needs a quart of oil every 200 miles or so
-oil pressure gage reads 0 at idle when warm, moves off the peg at about 3,000 rpm and up
-was overheating unless gently driven; now overheats regardless (new cap, hoses and T-stat)
-engine pressurizing the coolant system; after warmed up, rock-hard hose between t-Stat nipple and radiator deflates when radiator cap is removed, and a rush of air blasts into the overflow bottle
-coolant in overflow bottle does not return to radiator after cool down
-cold dry compression check: #1:90, #2:90, #3:80, #4:140

Cover me, I'm going in.

[180OUT]

Jim, if you haven't already done so, I strongly suggest you obtain as much service information as you can. Alfa motors are great designs and actually enjoyable to work on. However, they do have their diosyncracies.

1. Get the official Alfa shop manual for motor overhauls.

2. If you can find one, get a copy of the Autobook manual. I think it's only for 105 cars but the motor building section is very instructive.

3. Heynes published an Alfetta shop manual that is also good reference material. It, too, may be long out of print but you may be able to find one used. You can also check your library. They may be able to get a copy on interlibrary loan.

3. Pat Braden published a very good practical guide to working on Alfa's which is a great supplement to the shop manuals. You really should get a copy.

Good luck.

[TASOS CHATZ]

Index of /~manual/Workshop manual's
Ciao
Tasos

[La Voce]

Thanks guys, I have the Haynes manual and will use it, and all the tips and lessons learned gathered from this BB. The plan is to rebuild the head (or buy a rebuilt one) and replace the rings if the liners look good, if not, then it's a new set of pistons and liners. I'm sure it will spiral out to more, such as carb mounts, etc. It's a Spica motor with weber conversion, I'm tempted to increase the performance slightly while I'm at it. The oversized valves, I have been told, are not recommended unless I'm racing only, which I'm not, this will be a street car, and maybe an occasional autocross.

[alfaparticle]

Hi Jim:
Don't waste your money on big valves. Also be wary of fancy valve seat cuts. If you have the original US Spica cams then you will do well to swap them out. 10548's will make an improvement but contact AlfaR7 (Richard Jemison) if you you want to make some bigger gains. Motronic pistons are the way to go if you replace pistons and liners.

I think that the best engine rebuild information is on the Cardisk. It is a reproduction of the factory manuals.

[La Voce]

Thanks Ed. That confirms what I've been told. New cams may be hard to justify in the budget if there's nothing wrong with the stock Spicas. Any idea if I can get a modest gain just by going with bigger pistons? Stock is 9:1 for the pistons, what's the skinny on the 10:1 pistons? Are the 10.4:1 pistons that prone to detonation?

[alfaparticle]

10:1 Motronics give a better shaped combustion chamber. I strongly recommend that you dump the Spica cams. They just do not work well with Webers. I got more power, better driveability and better mpg when I first switched to 10548's. Watch out for a set on ebay. You may be able to get them for about $100. New RJ cams are about $280 each from webcams.
Richard did my cylinder head for me. He is in your neck of the woods.
Ed

[La Voce]

OK thanks for the guidance, I have PM'd Richard

[Alfar7]

I have a Fresh built motor. It has std 9 to 1 pistons and the head is one of my special ported ones. I built it for my project spider (Spider improvemebt project on the BB) While buying the LS from George Prieto I bought a set of balanced 10.4 pistons ,liners & Rods which I am going to put into that motor.
The pistons et liners et rods can be had for cheap with a set of cams However not scheduled the removal...

Check your motor as I suggested in the PM. If liners are good rings are all you need. (for that)
Rj

[La Voce]

She broke free no problem, but convincing it to go up and off the hold down studs was another matter. Had to literally drive it up inch by inch with wooden shims. The exhaust side rear corner seemed to be the problem. When it got to the top, I had to climb inside the car and wrestle it free.
Luckily, as I pulled it off and then stood there, crouched in the engine bay wondering what to do next, my wife walked into the garage. I said "good morning Dear, would you carry this over to the bench?"

Pistons drove out OK and look good, #3 liner (lowest compression) has some faint scratch marks. Nothing that catches a fingernail. Other than being shiny as mirrors, the liners look good. My plan is to hone and reuse them, and reuse the pistons as well. Likely going to buy only replacement Hastings rings and rod bearings for that part of it.

Did have a question, the tappets (followers?) all have some minor wear scratching, nothing that catches a fingernail, and the cam lobes all look good, no sharp edges or unusual wear marks. Here's a picture of the worst one- do they need replaced? At around $25 each they don't cost much compared to other things I suppose, but it starts to add up.

[AR67202]

I'd replace them, and I'd also thoroughly check the cams...

[La Voce]

thanks- and if I were a valve shim, where would I be? I did not see any, unless they reside under the valve stem keeper?

[AR67202]

on top of the valvestem, under the tappet. they sometimes stick on the inside of the tappet upon removal... looks like a hearing aid battery, but hollow on one side...

[La Voce]

Uhh, yes, thanks. I found them, AFTER I removed the tappets and mixed them up. Now I've no clue which one went where. Ah well, as I'm buying a rebuilt head with new valves and springs etc. I'd have to start from scratch anyway. I have always wanted that digital micrometer from Harbor Freight.

[gigem75]

In a pinch I've cut up feeler guages to tighten up or loosen that last 3 or 4 thou. It works but I wouldn't recommend it. The fact you got them mixed up is no big deal. If I may ask, why the new head? What is wrong with your old one a good three angle valve job wouldn't cure? As far as the mic goes, I'd highly recommend a craftsman or a good quality one. I have nothing against HF, bought lots of stuff from them but for presision tools I'd go with quality over price.
You didn't mention a new oil pump. That is a must have, without a doubt part that must be replaced. Are you replacing the mains? I realize the "while I'm in there" diease can shoot a budget real fast but a new oil pump will give you that good oil pressure at idle when the motor is hot. Very reassuring feeling. I built my fist Alfa engines without replacing the oil pump and never got decent oil pressure until I did. I would at least recommend popping off a main cap and looking at the bearing and plasticguage at least one of them to see what clearances you have on the mains.
Hope this helps.