A newbie with the first of many questions

[EastTnAlfa]

Hello all, I really do enjoy the board, been reading for a few weeks, all of the members seem to be very helpful. I owned a '76 spider in the early 80's, i ended up selling it in '84, didn't take long to wish that I hadn't. So 20 years later I have fixed that, looking for the wife a crv in the paper there was the ad "1988 Alfa Romeo Spider", so once again I am a proud owner an ALFA!!!
Here is the question: The gear shift when it is in 1st and 2nd is all the way over to the left of the opening in the console, with a level across the valve cover the left side is about 3/4 of an inch low, with the level on the bottom of the oil pan it only appears to be about 3/8 of an inch off. I don't think it has been wrecked, but it may have been (it drives straight and true and tight). the motor mount on the passengers side looks newer than the left. the left looks like original.--Could a wore out motor mount make the motor sit this much out of level?
Thanks for any help. Ben

[John M]

Hey Ben:

Welcome to the board and congrats on getting another Alfa! Now seeing that you are from TN....don't go and paint that car orange or run it at Bristol! There are some other TN folk on the board so look around and perhaps you can make a few TN Alfa connections.

To answer your question....yes. But I believe the intake side rides a little bit higher than the exhaust side. Bottom of the pan should look level to the eye. I would check your mounts and replace as necessary...including the tranny mount. It sounds like the driver's side mount is slouching a bit. I would suggest replacing them both at the same time.


Best Regards,
John M

[EastTnAlfa]

Thanks John for the help, no need to worry about an orange Alfa, but I would take it a few laps around Bristol if I had a chance. (I was lucky enough to do a few laps around Bristol in the Richard Petty Driving Experence, it was GREAT).
I changed out the drivers side mount(didn't think I could do the intake side right now < and i wouldn't know where to start on the tranny mount>) it didn't help center up the shifter. I'm not sure what it could be other than being a bent front end. I took off the shifter knob, it is HUGE, and put on the one I had on my "76 and that helped being able to shift it with out hitting my leg.
Thanks again for your help, Ben

[conedriver]

Ben,

Your shifter misalignment may have a simple fix: the bottom of the shift rod fits over a stub coming from the transmission and is secured by a bolt & nut. Loosen this bolt with two 11mm wrenches, and you can change the side-to-side position of the shift lever. The ideal position has the 1st & -2nd gear plane and the 5th-reverse plane centered in the console opening. Does your shift lever already have this alignment?

The alignment is easy, removing the console and the rubber boots at the tranny to access the bolt is a pain.

[EastTnAlfa]

Thanks for the help George, I hope that the '88 has the adjustment, be this weekend before i can get to it. Any advice on removing the console? Is the rubber boot on the tranny friction fit or is there a clamp of some sort i need to loosen?
Thanks again, Ben
PS--THIS SITE IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[EastTnAlfa]

I got into the console, looks like some one beat me to it, they cut the inner boot to get to the adjustment nut and bolt. I was able to loosen and tighten back up, now it is in ideal postition.
I am going to replace the innner and outer boots and replace the shifter boot as well, but for the life of me I can not figure out how to get the top of the console loose from under the dash, it looks like it has 4 rivets holding it on, am I missing something or is it not removable.
Once again THANKS for any help,
Ben Gibbs
Kingsport, Tn
1988 AR Spider

[GeneW]

There are two bolts under the radio - have to pull it to get to them.
Gene