[dvoyer]

I'm worried I maybe forgot to reinstall the engine block rear cover on my rebuilt and reinstalled engine… but :

1) I had this engine in my garage for 2 years and I can't remember seeing this rear cover. I can't remember removing it neither… age doesn't help though !

2) It pretty obvious that something is missing when the cover is not there. I'm not that absentminded. Hard to think I reassembled the flywheel over such a cavity !

3) I've read in the Alfa Engine Overhaul manual that engine block produced after 1989 no longer have this cover.

Problem is this Alfa is a 1986 and I always thought it was the original engine.

I have a 1989 with the rear cover (or maybe it's a 1988, I don't remember, it's a parts bin, see picture) and block number is : ARO1544-001693

My supposedly 1986 has block number: ARO1544-606477

Should I understand that my 1986 car block is a later production and then not original ? AND could have no rear cover If so… what's that engine ?

Thanks for your help

 

[dvoyer]

I tried to contact [email protected] without success. This email address doesn't work anymore I think. I was asking about the year of production of my ARO1544-606477 engine.

Does somebody can confirm that there is an order in the engine numbers ? What I'm trying to say (with my poor English) is : Does my ARO1544-001693 an earlier unit than my ARO1544-606477 engine ?

Thank you !

 

[ghnl]

BB member Papajam may be able to help decipher the engine numbers. I'll send him a PM.

 

[Bernhard]

Try this adress:

[email protected]
Automobilismo Storico Alfa Romeo
Centro Direzionale
Viale Alfa Romeo
20020 Arese (MI) Italy

Salutations

Bernhard

 

[papajam]

Does my ARO1544-001693 an earlier unit than my ARO1544-606477 engine ?

According to the engine numbers shown on Alfa issued parts microfiche, yes, engine 001693 is earlier than engine 606477.
Engine type 01544 was used in the USA Spiders from 1982-1988 (no information shown for 1989). Only the 1982 model year had sequential engine serial numbers starting with 00xxxxx (as in 001693). Engines starting with 500xxx were used in 1983 and 1984 while engines starting with 600xxx were fitted in 1985 and 1986. 1987 and 1988 engines started with 6025xx. Our ex-1989 Spider was fitted with engine number 614089.
According to Alfa issued engine repair manual #8777 issued 10/1990, a number of changes to the engine were made in 1986. These changes include elimination of the plate above the rear main oil seal, rear oil return on the head and block were blocked off and no cam bucket oil drains in the cylinder head.

 

[Wille R.]

Here is a list. Engine numbers

.

 

[dvoyer]

Thank you very much,

Ok… I have a 82 engine in my 89 Spider and the Alfa Engine Overhaul manual is wrong when it says that engine block produced after 1989 no longer have this cover. In fact it should say produced after 86 instead of 89.

That would explain why I can't remember seeing this cover and most important it means that my 86 engine doesn't have this cover.

Thanks again papajam and others.

 

[papajam]

What Alfa engine manual do you have, Dominic?

 

[dvoyer]

What Alfa engine manual do you have, Dominic?

The engine manual I cited is on the right side of the picture. The other manual doesn't give too much information about engine.

 

[papajam]

Interesting. The manual on the right appears to be the same one I have, #8777. In the forward and table of contents section on page ii, is there a listing of engine variations? This is the source of the info I posted.
Being curious, I went through a number parts books yesterday to see if they could confirm/deny 1986 as the year of this change. 1985 and 1986 list the same part number for block, 115.43.01.010.00, while the 87 block number is listed in the new Fiat format 60518621 (which crosses to 115.43.01.010.00; note that these numbers are from memory so please don't quote me on them). Alfa was pretty good at changing part numbers when a component was revised so it struck me as odd that the part numbers were all the same (on a side note, the 1988 block part is different I'm assuming due to the OVS oil return being changed from the dipstick to right side of the block).
Anyway, the plate above the rear main is shown for 1985 but is NOT shown for 1986 or 1987. Curious...

BTW, the manual on the left appears that it might be #4607 published by ARI in the United States.

 

[dvoyer]

Thanks Jim,

You're right it's the #8777 manual I have. We can see on page 3-4 (right column at the bottom of the page) the note that fouled me. It's probably a typo.

I hadn't seen the page ii with engine variation.

Have a nice day,
Dominic

 

[dvoyer]

The manual on the left is #3748, any substantial change with the #4607 ?

 

[papajam]

4607 covers 1986 Spiders only and, as mentioned, was published by ARI. 3748 is for 1986 Spiders as well but was published by Alfa Diass in Italy. 3748 was also revised three times, 3748 R3 being the latest, so as to cover cars through 1988.