[Ken Moshier]

I was, and still a fan of Pat Braden's writings. But, in his otherwise great book ALL ALLOY TWIN CAM COMPANION he states that Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection was used into 1994 on Spiders, while only the 164 and a small number of Commemorative Spiders (sold as leftovers into 1995) used Motronic fuel injection. He states, more than once, that only a very few 4-cylinder Alfas came to the US w/Motronic. I was under the impression that ALL Spiders from mid 1989 on had Motronic fuel injection. How can such a knowledgeable Alfa writer, enthusiast, and mechanic be so wrong?

 

[Zunige]

You are absolutely correct in stating that the book is wrong. And just to clarify, U.S. Spiders were fitted with the Motronic Fuel Management ECU starting with the models titled as 1990 (not 1989). 1990 is one of those Alfa Spider "transition" years, so those Spiders have the body of a series 3, but the mechanics that was to be used in the series 4 ('91 - '94).

As to why the information is wrong in the book, I can only say that it doesn't surprise me and I don't think that it should be viewed as a concern about the author's knowledge. Let me explain. There are several factors that should be considered. First, the book was published after Pat's death. Furthermore, and this would apply to all human beings, the amount of information covering so many years is simply of encyclopedic proportions, so it is a daunting task to get everything right.

I know that I have lived and breathed Spiders for several decades and feel confident about my knowledge, but it is not unusual that, as I write on this BB, I catch myself looking at what I am about to post and say to myself: "sheesh,.. what's wrong with your head? this is just wrong and you know better!" It just happens, which is why before publishing a book there is a proofreading process, but of course proofreading technical data is even more error prone since the number of qualified proofreaders is significantly less. I have Pat's books, but to be honest, I haven't read them. In fact, I bought them because I was embarrassed that as a serious Alfista, I didn't own the original classic (the "Bible") or the "Twin Cam Companion", which I also view as a tribute and memory of a great writer and Alfista. When I do get around to reading them, it will be for pure enjoyment. I realize that many people refer to these publications seeking guidance and answers related to their cars, but one just has to realize that publications have errors...

Best regards,

 

[Ken Moshier]

Enrique, as always.....

Thanks, Enrique, your knowledge of our beloved Spiders is appreciated. I have a lot of respect for the late Pat Braden and hesitated before writing my thread. Your response has helped, a lot. I guess there's still room for more Alfa Spider books. Ever think of writing one?
By the way, my '86 Spider is also black, shows everything when dirty but beautiful when clean!
Ken

 

[Zunige]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the word of appreciation. As a subscriber to some of the national automobile periodicals, I came to read Pat Braden's columns regularly. I didn't realize he was an Alfista however, until I joined the AROC many years after I had been following his writings.

I don't know about another Spider book, but I have been working on a small booklet that could help a new buyer, as it groups the Spiders by series and highlights features which could help the reader grasp the evolution of the model... As small as that is, it's still a significant effort, so I can imagine what it would be like to produce a volume that covers an entire marque.

Yes, the black ones are beautiful, even if they require additional attention... Dusting the car has been second nature for me for a while, but I have also become a fan of the waterless wash.

Best regards,