[SilveronBlu]

So I was replacing the timing belt the other day on my 82 GTV6, when I noticed that the motor is rotated of center. What I mean is, if you were to stand in front of the car, with the hood removed, and look straight down at the motor, the front end of the motor is off a bit to the right, and the back end of the motor is off a bit to the left. Basically, if a perfectly straight mounted motor is at "zero degrees", then mine looks like it's at about 350-355 degrees, or negative 5-10 degrees, depending on how you want to say it. Just to make it more clear, if you imagined that the crankshaft magically were to extend another 8 feet or so out the back of the motor toward the rear, it would be much closer to the passenger rear wheel than the driver rear wheel. I couldn't see anything fishy with the motor mounts, but it's not like I pulled the motor or anything to really check so who knows.

Is this normal, or is something really weird with my car?

BTW, mine has a Milano gearbox that was put in by the previous owner, if that matters at all. As far as I know the only mods on my car are the gearbox, koni shocks, and a stiff front sway.


Thanks

 

[xray]

someone replaced the rear motor mount and put it in backwards. it is offset to one side. But I have seen others looking like this and running just fine for years.

Also, the steering wheel is slightly offset and angled to one side to.

bothers me....

 

[rustysrustyduc]

You mean like this?

 

[rustysrustyduc]

I believe I read on here that the offset is to clear the shifter.

I wonder if this means that british/aussie cars are offset the other way? Or do they just have the shifter in the same spot. I'm guessing so, as the trans would have to be different as well.

 

[AlfaTipo]

I'm pretty sure the engine should be in line. Guibo wear would be bad and the propshaft would be running stressed at the center support.

xray's rear mount in the wrong way around sounds most likely but even that would be difficult to accomplish let alone fit the propshaft.

What is the story behind rustysrustyduc photo?

 

[Aggie57]

I believe I read on here that the offset is to clear the shifter.

I wonder if this means that british/aussie cars are offset the other way? Or do they just have the shifter in the same spot. I'm guessing so, as the trans would have to be different as well.

Same shifter mechanism on RHD cars.

 

[xray]

rustyduc:
WOW..that is more canted than I would accept......stresses other mounts and guibos..failure imminent

 

[rustysrustyduc]

The funny part is that you wouldn't notice it unless you pulled the hood off.

you really have to see it dead on.

Does anyone else have a pic of their car with the hood off from the front?

 

[SilveronBlu]

Thank you all for the replies, but sadly I am still totally unsure about this. I have read other discussions about this exact same topic on other parts of the web, and, same as here, there seems to be:

party A: "It's fine, they are all like that, just leave it"
or
party B: "The rear motor mount is in totally wrong, and you're going to screw up various drive-train components. The motor should be in line."

I don't know who to believe. I kinda hope party A is right, because then I don't need to fix anything, but then I also kinda hope party B is right, because let's face it, it looks VERY WRONG......

Is everything on an Alfa this mysterious?

 

[AlfaTipo]

If the propshaft used universal or CV joints being out of true would be OK and there are engines offset for crash protection. Don't believe this is the case with the Alfetta's. But I don't know for sure.

Another guess would be severe frame damage that moved the mount points in relation to each other.

Maybe the transaxle is out forcing the engine into that rather awkward looking position?

 

[Alfar7]

Angle

Most likely instalation of motormounts on opposite side from design.

 

[aralfa8589]

I was going to take a picture of mine, but it isn't needed. Pay attention to the post above this one. There's no room for opinions on this.

 

[tpalfa]

Wow how rough is the ride in rustyrustyduc's gtv6? I'd be scared the driveshaft would rip through the floor and dismember me. My engine is dead straight. Everything should be straight, engine, driveshaft, transaxle, guibos, bearings, clutch. The center bearing on the driveshaft is fixed to the body so the front and center guibos must be under a whole lot of stress. Maybe the motor mounts have failed or the rear mount is installed wrong? With the engine at that angle the car must have real problems when the driveshaft is spinning at 6-7000 rpm.

 

[rustysrustyduc]

OK Guys, here we go. Let's solve this strange Alfa oddity. Some of you insist that the offset is wrong. While I've read many other accounts that this was done on purpose to clear the shifter.

I can also add, that unless you remove your hood, you'd never notice this in a million years. Until now.

I've placed a yardstick on my plenum, parallel to the cast lines. I've taken a few pictures which I think anyone could do. ESPECIALLY if you have a sunroof. Just pop out the roof and take a pic once you've laid a yardstick down.

Here take a look:

from the rear:


over the front (you could do this over your open hood):


at the rear again looking from the front:


closeup over the radiator:


Now I believe that there wouldn't be so many people saying that this was OK if there weren't many instances of this happening. And I am skeptical that it is because of people installing motor mounts incorrectly. Why would there be a systematic misinstallation of motor mounts? If there is, then we should be concerned, right?

OK guys, go out and take some pics of your GTV6s with a yardstick on the plenum! And try and make the pics as clear, and lined up as possible!

 

[rustysrustyduc]

Oh, I'd also like to add, my car rides fine. Especially at speed. Although, there is some interference with my shifter and the driveshaft at idle. So if my engine were to be straightened out, so to speak, I think that would become worse.

 

[Mark_toro]

If Greg or HMA chime in, I would take their word based on experience.

Her is my $.02

The engine is offset and not parallel to the centerline of the car. If you look at the rear engine mount, it is offset, so if the trans tunnel is on center (assumed) the rear of the engine is offset. Front engine mounts may also offset some, but difficult to tell.

Now if you put the rear mount in backwards, it will either make the "misalignment" worse or better - not sure w/o the parts in front of me.

In the end, my engine was positioned as RRdoc's and I drove it that way for 150,k w/o issue. so not a big concern. Now the piocture at the top of this thread... something is wrong there.

Mark

 

[Mark_toro]

Sorry - opening up the top picture. Looks OK there too. Small size and old eyes - don't mix sell.

 

[mjr]

so by that token then, if people are saying that is normal, its not an offset! it's a skew, and would transalate all the way down the drive line to the transmission, otherwise the guibos and centre mount would be permanently stressed in one direction all the time. The drive line surely has to be straight which means the same skew would be present at the rear wheels. i.e one drive shaft shorter than the other. it can't be normal?! if it is then it explains why the guibos fail so often compared with other manufacturers with similar set up.
my hood is off at the moment, and I have just looked at mine, looks straight. I measured from each shock tower to the centre of the plenum, and it's the same assides a couple of millimetres, which is nothing.

 

[Mark_toro]

Yep, I'd say it is normal and causes no issues other than guibo life (which would still be "normal"). My experience is many miles with no issues.

 

[AlfaTipo]

I think that is your answer.

The engine position in your photos and explanation would place the propshaft closer to the shift linkage

If the propshaft is interferring with the shifter mechanism then that is seriously in need to be fixed.

As the shaft rotates at engine speed if it (probably the donut) fails it could (easily) tear through the sheetmetal severing your leg upon which you bleed out and die. More importantly, another Alfetta bites the dust.

Alarmist in Portland,