[rickw]

My son's 164 project has stalled during the final stages. The car sat for 10 years (in a garage) before he got it, he's changed the starter, top end gaskets, fuel filter, and dropped cleaned gas tank and replaced the pump. With a fully charged battery the engine turns over (we're not feeding it gas just yet) at a rate I would call about slow, not what would normally expect. It is a nice steady slow turn, no clicking or disengaging of the solenoid, just not fast. Compared to a SAAB its half the speed.

Also... if anyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area wants to have a "lets it getting running party" please let me know. My son is neck deep in college and I'd hate for him to abandon this so close to the end. I'll provide food, drink, and party gifts of new tools or something similar. He has issues at the gas tank pump area that need to be addressed (orings, bad fuel sender, and a random line going no where)... and I haven't worked on an Alfa past a 1964 SZ. )

 

[richardbradford]

If the engine is turning and has good oil, unless an ancilliary (i.e. water pump) is stiff it is probably the starter, a bad earth or less than pefect battery. Or you could just be used to the SAAB.
You didn't say what engine it is or whether manual or automatic.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

Did he/you replace head gaskets or just valve cover gaskets? Did he pre-oil cylinder walls with sea foam foggy oil and spin engine over with starter WITH sparkplugs out to fully lube cylinder walls and main/rod bearing and cam shaft and lifters?
Did he install new timing belt and correctly time engine?

As for fuel system and random line going no where and issues you need to be more specific. Does he have a fuel leak at two o-rings at the 90 degree elbows going into pump tank covers. Does pump run if he jumpers pin 30 to 87 at fuel pump relay socket pink and pink-white wires and then turns on key?

Chances are if car set 10 years even if he gets new fuel pump running and pressure and flow through fuel rail on engine the fuel injectors will be stuck and need to be shocked individually with extra Bosch pigtail connector with 12v correctly applied to + blade terminal in injector and then - negative terminal repeatedly flashed to grounding point such as valve cover bolt to try and pop injector plunger/pintle open and closed to get fuel flow.

Report his results/test performed please.

 

[beeton]

After I rebuilt my starter and added a new solenoid, the car spun up much more quickly so I am wondering if things are gummed up in there (the starter). Also, I am having issues with my starter (or starting the car) as I get a clunk and then she catches or sometimes not until after a few attempts. Other times, will catch 10 times in a row and always quickly. If you go in there, replace rather than rebuild if you can as you don't want to do it twice (as I am about to do).

 

[richardbradford]

Great replies from great guys. Steve is a major guru on this site and beeton has been suffering starter issues so you are very well served with info here.
Maybe post a video of it turning over so we can see if it seems normal for a 164?