[jacsil]

I have a 1991 164 with 85,000 miles. about 1 month ago when my daughter was driving she started seeing smoke comming from under the hood. she emidietly pulled over. she thought it needed water but it didnt. she started back up but it wouldnt go anywhere.

I found that one of the transmission feed lines had sprung a leak. I had the line repaired and put it back on. Put some transmission fluid in started it up and everything was fine.

Last week when she would start the car it would take a moment befor locking into any forward gear when shifting from park etc. once it got into gear it shifted fine.

tonight she was driving my younger son to basketball and she said it took a little longer to get into gear but then was fine. However when she started going up a hill it wouldnt go forward. I tried to get it to go forward but it wouldnt go anywhere the engine would rev but nothing. it almost felt as if the parking brake was on. It shifts into reverse and works fine. If I rev it it slowly starts to move. any thoughts. I just had the heads rebuilt and put new hoses on did all the work with my brother in law except the machining. the car runs and looks great. also im not sure but the transmission might be overfull.


PS I searched other posts and posted this at the bottom of an onther thread. but thought a new thread might be best. I hope thats ok.

 

[as1478]

I've had the same problems on my 1992 164L - in fact, I once was stuck at a stop light with only reverse.

It is probably one of two things - either the Accumulator springs or the Governor seals. Both are fixable and neither require you to get new transmission.

Here is a thread by Alfisto Steve that references both issues: http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/164-168-1991-1995/15244-alfa-164-zf-4hp18-automatic-valve-body.html. I have done the Accumulator springs myself and had a transmission shop do the governor seals for what I thought was a reasonable fee (under $500).

Good Luck!

Adam
1992 164L Auto

 

[jacsil]

I have been told it is mostlikely the forward clutch

I emailed ericksons as steve suggested and Bud emailed me back stating in all likely it is the forward A clutch I asked about the valves and he said it doesnt sound like a valve problem

 

[Craig]

See the documents on my 164 page, the is a bulletin re. no forward, good reverse.

 

[jacsil]

thank you for the bulletins

Im very confused now. I guess I could take it apart and see if the valve springs are stuck. How long of a job is this? Is it a matter of taking off the air intak and the hoses on top and opening it up? I dont want to pay for this and the governor gaskets then find out I need to get a rebuilt tranny.

I found a afla shop that will install a tranny for $800.00 plus the cost of the tranny. I can get a used one for $500.00 However if it goes bad Im screwed after 3 months would have to get another and pay for labor. the used one is from a reputale alfa salvage yard. they new the owner of the car and drove it over 120 miles themselves to their yard. said the tranny works fine. it is from a high mileage car. could be around 150k miles.

another alfa shop says they can get a rebuilt tranny for 950 plus istallation total somewhere between 1850 and $2000 depending on the houses etc that might be needed.

the car is clean with 85k miles and rebuilt heads new water and oil pump belts etc within the last year. Just dont know if its worth spending the money.

 

[Craig]

Im very confused now. I guess I could take it apart and see if the valve springs are stuck. How long of a job is this? Is it a matter of taking off the air intak and the hoses on top and opening it up?

Yes, drain coolant, remove afm and air filter box, remove coolant tank and hoses, remove cover from tranny......... basically follow the procedure in Steve's guides. A few hours and no parts, no cost if you recover coolant, in my mind it's worth a try.

I dont want to pay for this and the governor gaskets then find out I need to get a rebuilt tranny.

Governor is accessed through the wheel well so it's a separate procedure if required.

 

[jacsil]

having tranny rebuilt

Well lets make a long story short. I have talked to ericksons 3 times and sent an email once. each time the conclusion was the same. forward clutch. I asked about the possiblity being in the valve body. They said my symptoms don't fit. I really wish they did.

I spoke with my daughter again. I got a bit more information from her. I think I finally got the whole picture. The car had set for about an hour. Then she left to drop her little brother off at basketball practice. She was driving up a hill where there are arterial stop signs spaced so that you cant get going very fast unless you drive like a maniac. She doesn't. She came to a stop at the 4th stop sign made a right turn and started up a another hill. It is then when the tranny started slipping the car would continue up hill but the engine was reving very high. She pulled over and nothing ever since.

It will go into revrese though. So despite of the fact that it will go into reverse. Ericksons said that when my transmission lost fluid a month ago was probably when the damage started. They said the clutches get damaged very quickly when starved for fluid, and once damaged can progress to a sudden death. This is from Ericsons.

Believe me when I tell you that with 3 kids in school and all of their tuitions the money is very tight. If they ,ericksons, thought there was the least bit of a possiblity it could be a stuck valve or spring. I would have gone after it.

The car is at italian imports in san carlos california. They inspected the car first. The A arm bushings are starting to wear but they said nothing unsafe just not as tight as when new. Rear muffler rotting from the inside. they said common on this year especially if you take a lot of short trips and the condensation doesnt get a chance to get blown out etc. a few loose hose clamps and thats about it.

The tranny rebuild including removal and installation will cost around $2k. I'll post back after the work is done let everyone know exactly what was found. If it was a stuck valve boy will i be pissed. (its still in the back of my mind).

Thanks

 

[jacsil]

tranny rebuilt pick up tomorrow

First let me tell you about a call I got from the alfa shop on wednesday that freaked me out. I got a call to update me on the status of the rebuild and that the transmission shop was waiting for one more part a broken "bell spring". Well I hear broken spring and I emediately start thinking valvebody spring, and that maybe I didnt need to have the tranny rebuilt. The alfa shop said they werent sure what a bell spring was either. so thursday morning I researched Bell spring on the internet. After a lot of searching I found that a bell spring really isnt a spring at all but probably a cone shaped washer that is used to apply addiditonal force to various parts of the tranny including the clutches. I even called erickson industries and they said that they are used in the main part of the transmission.

later that moring I got a call from the alfa shop and they spoke with the transmission shop and they said the problem was in the main part of the transmission not in the valve body. Anyway they are installing nuemerous new parts throughout the tranny including a new tourque converter.

while having to rebuild the tranny is an expense I really didn't need. I was relieved to find out that it had to be redone and my money wasnt being wasted.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

Fathers, Daughters and 164's

I wish you all the good luck and hope the Alfa gods are listening. Our youngest daughter's 164 locked up the a/c compressor and smoked the a/c clutch pulley so that is my next repair job. We are still saving for her college as she is still in high school so I can imagine how much it takes for three in college.

The good news is she is being forced to learn how to drive a 5-speed 164 now. Thank God for spare cars.