Alfaholics 198bhp TwinSpark

[TrackRacerGTV]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum and it's a first post.

I've got a 1965 Sprint GT in Blue, and I'm working on finishing it as a road/track day toy.

I've looked at the various T/S engine options, and see that Alfaholics list a 198bhp conversion. It looks great, and has the authentic under bonnet style to it, but is anyone running this in a car (except alfaholics) ??

I'm a little dubious about the power claims of 198bhp. Has anyone else had this engine power tested? would they be as kind to post results?

Looking at the graph on the website, I just can't understand how it makes this much power.

It's a 1970 cc's and makes 198bhp @6500/6600 rpm, then the power drops off after.

In my book thats 100bhp per litre. But for a long stroke 8v engine I can't see it making these power figures at such low rev's.

Even today the Honda 16v VTEC motors, and the BWM M3 inline 6 only just make this sort of power - but right up high in the rev range 7800 - 8000+.

The engine is quoted as being very tractable, and smooth to drive on the road, so my question is HOW??

Maybe it was an over reading dyno, or wrong correction maths for the flywheel power ??

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Regards

[AlfaTango1]

There are a number of normally asperated 2.0's that are at or just above 200 hp and around 6500 rpm. I looked at a twin spark race motor being sold at an estate auction that had been dynoed at 217/flywheel.

[Abarth]

Dear TrackRacerGTV,

I am running the 198hp set up which I purchased from Alfaholics, and have been doing so for a year now. There are a number of other people who have engaged in the same setup, although I am not sure if any of them are active alfabb members. I can confirm that their claims are substantiated (much to the disbelief of my Dyno man). The engine is closer to 2100ccs but still a very impressive output at that. The engine is incredibly torquey and amazingly tractable. I would do the conversion all over again and am even now playing with the idea of moving over to their next evolution of t/s with mono-block liner and bigger valve head.

I agree that the setup looks very tidy - I love the look of the twin plug head and the exclusion of the distributor via Alfaholic's mapped ignition setup.

I hope this helps but would be happy to discuss this further.

All the best

[TrackRacerGTV]

Hi AlfaTango1,

Ok . .! That's good info.

Were these 2.0's Alfa engines? the early nord or twinspark.

A t/s race motor with 217 is a possibility, but I'm sure it would be at more that 6400. The 198BHP engine is in a tractable road car.

Is there any 'engine dyno' information out there to support a 2.0 8v 4 cylinder Alfa engine making 200 BHP at 6400?

Regards

[genericwood]

I'm not trying to be rude in this response, but isn't the graph in your initial post engine dyno information that supports the claim? To achieve 198hp with a Nord engine, you need more revs. But there are lots of them around. The Twin Spark breathes so much better that I believe the Alfaholics claim. I don't agree with Max on everything, but I trust that the information posted on his web site is correct.

Erik

[jrclem]

I'm confident that the Dyno Graph is right on> Alfaholics are clearly a demented group of full-on nut cases (Like many of us!)... but their products (and claims) speak for themselves. You can not argue with such a magnificent track (& TRACK) record! Indeed I would run ALL of their stuff if I could find a venue that would allow it under our "vintage" rules. Alfaholics ROCKS!

[hagen111]

I have been in Arnoud's (=Abart) car both at Castle Comb and the Nurburgring as a passenger as well as in Max' car and can truly state these cars and engines are very impressive - especially as it pulls very hard from low revs.

Only for the brave...

[timbo]

I think I remember someone saying that the Alfaholics car was faster around Nurburgring than EVO magazine's specially prepared M3.

Having never been in a 105 as fast as this and having trouble understanding just what this sort of car is capable of, this comparison gives me a good concept of its incredible ability.

One day!!!!!

Tim

[domgul]

Hi
I have an Alfaholics twin spark installed in my 1966 GT Veloce and can only praise the set up also in connection with their suspension,weight reducing plastic windows,boot and bonnet lid.My engine is putting out about 185hp,i dont have the torque figures.
Without mapped ignition it does bog down under 3000rpm.
Regards
Dominic Gulotti

[Bartman]

My Nord engine (no TS) showed 199,8 horsepower at 7300 revs on the bench. So a TS with that armount HP is true possible.

[nda9h]

As i know Max´ quality of work, i think the numbers he gives are quite correct. My TS engine (not an alfaholics engine) showed 209 HP on the dyno, so the 198 HP he makes with his engine and the modifications he makes are surely true.

Thomas

[Max Banks]

Hi Guys,

Dominic has an early generation Twin Spark, Abarth has a second generation, just like I used to run in my own car for the last 2 years. The figures are very real, the beauty of the twinspark head design is that it promotes power at lower revs, unlike a Nord that requires lots of revs, our very special cam design promotes this characteristic, as does our stainless exhaust system which produces 15BHP more than the CSC Italian mild steel system at 4500 RPM. The 3-D mapped ignition that I and Abarth run is soon to be fitted to Dominic's car and will transform driveability, that system is the key to making an engine with such an 'interesting' cam have perfect driveability, it allows total flexibility in the ignition map to allow smooth running at all loads and revs. Our latest generation engine is just completed with more extreme cams, different valves and slightly bigger bore, power is superb and its encouraging we have pulled the whole gragh up, rather than just extend it longer and thus more revs, we have the same power as the old engine at 1,000rpm less! Lower revs mean less wear, no necessity for forged rods etc. so the engines are more 'realistic' for all uses. This thing pulls from 1,200 revs right through to 7,500 - literally is is amazing.... can't wait to drive it! Attached is the graph so you can see. The little flat spot is still there, so characteristic of an Alfa engine, but in reality you never feel it when you drive because it only occurs for so such a short rev time at relatively low revs.

[Biba69]

Max, I've just visited your (alfaholics) website, looked all over, and I can't even find a mention of Twin Spark, let alone photos along with details of your modifications to these engines.

Could you point me in the right direction?

In my case I'm less interested in race applications as hot street set-ups mentioned above. Is a secret hand-shake required?

Biba

[GTV-GR]

Max you used the 46/38 mm valve setup right?

[AndrewO]

Hi Biba,

Follow the links through the performance parts section then engine components. Here's a link to the twin spark section....

Alfaholics: Twin Spark Engine Parts

I'm pretty sure the engines are built to specification and as requested (it would be nice if he had half a dozen lying around in differing configurations for us to buy) so the price for a complete engine is realisticly set at "ask me". After years of testing and developing these engines I wouldn't expect him to have a parts list so people can take it and shop around, but in all my dealings with Max he seems like a decent bloke so if you ask him specific questions he should give specific answers.

Have a wander around the site - lots of goodies for all parts of your car.

Andrew