Alfa Pages

[Dr A. 33 1.5IE]

Hello everyone,

I would just to find out if anyone used any fuel system and injector cleaner in any IE Alfa 33. I used once STP's cleaner and all I can tell is that the car it's still running alright and in addition that I might have been burning a few cents less unleaded than before.

Do these things do any good?

If yes which brand gave anyone better results?

That Magnet based octane booster's (that clip around the fuel tubing) do they do anything?

And finally using unleaded 98octane than 95octane does this affects the car's well being???

Thanks in advance!!!
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1994 Alfa 33 1.5 IE Cat. 220.000Kms and still going strong!!! (Από την Αθήνα και τώρα στην Λευκωσία)

[john 33_16v]

Hi,

I use optimax (97 RON ithink?) in my '93 16v.

It feels like it goes a bit better than on standard 95ron, but it may be the brains way of compensating for the worry of the extra expense!

Car usually runs at it's best on a cold damp day.

John
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If it aint broke, fiddle with it until it is!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
93 33 16v Mirtle Met
08 Fiat Grande Punto Exotica Red
90 Yamaha FZR600 Genesis- Silky white/red/blue

[gritsop]

Hi,

The best way to have your injectors cleaned is to take them out and have them supersonically cleaned. It is the best way to examine the injectors effectiveness and test them in the engine simulating device of the garage. You will then see a lot of black and white deposits coming out of them and you surely don't want this dirt to pile up to the catalyst.

These deposits are the remainings of the combustion process (normal) but the white ones are mostly water coming from fuel which is caught in the injectors small filters inside it.

In addition when the cleaning process is nearly over the cleaning device instructs the mechanic to blow compressed air in the inlet of the injector while it keeps the needle open. You will lose the world in front of you when you see the white cloud coming out of the needle ...

For this reason have them cleaned in the garage ... its a shame for all this dirt to end up to the catalyst.

About the magnet ring, a colleague of mine has used it in his car (a 2CV) and according to his calculations there has been fuel efficiency. He told that 3 magnets are installed in the fuel hose, the radiator and the air filter.
This set cost him around 200€.

Regards,
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Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

[Dr A. 33 1.5IE]

Thanks guys for your fast replies,

John 33_16v i think I might just for once use 98ron to see if the car pools any better uphill on the highway close to where I am leaving. If I get any results I will let you know. Thanks anyway mate!!!

Gritsop,

I don't really know if that procedure you described is worthing while carrying it out (really). It sounds very laborious. What you reckon will be the benefits out of this??? By the way good runnings (καλορίζικο) with your 147. Is it a rosso Alfa???

Thanks guys
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1994 Alfa 33 1.5 IE Cat. 220.000Kms and still going strong!!! (Από την Αθήνα και τώρα στην Λευκωσία)

[Pipster]

definetly pull the injectors out and take them to garage to supersonic cleaning. I lovered my consumption from 9 to 8 litres/100 km on 1.7 16v.

[gritsop]

Hi,

Taking out the injectors is not a great deal. Two screws from each side hold the fuel rail in place. You will need 8 O-rings to replace plus 4 boot like rubber covers that are placed in the lower part of the injector.

Have not checked the fuel consumption but personally I don't agree with these liquids that can ruin the cat. Just my opinion.

Thanks for your wishes about the 147 ! Actually it is a grey color (694 code) and it is used mostly by my sister. (new member struck by Alfa virus)

Regards,
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

[Admin]

Hi

What is done to clean the injectors is Ultrasonic cleaning. They put them in a bath of solvent which is vibrated at a very high frequency.

Higher octane fuel should not have any effect. However using higher octane fuel means you can advance the ignition timing which might give you some more power.

I tried some BP Ultimate in my bike, and it definatly felt like it was running smoother. However when run on a dyno it gave the lowest figure it has ever done, but not 100% sure that was the fuel.

All the best

Keith

[Dr A. 33 1.5IE]

Luckily guys I only used that STP thing just once.

Thus i think that if my Alfa garage can do it then i will. Otherwise I don't think i will mess with it.

So that ultrasonic cleansing can it do any harm to the injectors ie. cracks or deformations???

Thanks
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1994 Alfa 33 1.5 IE Cat. 220.000Kms and still going strong!!! (Από την Αθήνα και τώρα στην Λευκωσία)

[gritsop]

Hi,

No, this cleaning machine just simulates the engine running in various rpms. It starts from 1000 to 3000 rpms then goes back to 1000 , then from 4500 to 6000 rps and backwards.

At the end of the process the four injectors are mounted in a "fuel rail" and their operation is tested in scaled tubes measuring the volume of liquid injected at various conditions. If the volume is the same for all four , everything's perfect otherwise the faulty is replaced. It is worth noting that the injectors are also tested for leaks. The injector's needle is closed and the machine presses at full, the liquid; thus you can check for leakages.

When I had mine cleaned, it cost me 50€. Note that I had removed them home and took them only for cleaning; the labor of the mechanic was done by me.

A quick question: In the 147 I have been told that the injectors should not be cleaned.These are new type ones not compared to the 33's and do not need any maintenance. If done so, the MAP system will have problems and big cost to repair. Anyone has idea about that?

Regards,
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

[Guest]

Sorry Gritsop for not getting back to you. Our 147 injectors have never been cleaned.

Paddy

[LDA]

i had a low power problem with my perm 4 last year. i couldnt work out where all the power had gone. the car drove really badly.

i changed all sorts of bits to try and narrow down the problem and in the end i gave up and handed it to a local garage. the found that there was rust in the fuel lines that had come from the fuel tank.

the fuel tank was rusting from the inside out!

number 3 injector was 95% blocked!!! once they had been cleaned and the fuel flushed out with an air line, the car ran like a dream again. i took the fuel tank off shortly after and cleaned it out proerply. not had a problem since.

so i would defo get your injectors cleaned!! its not that expensive either. and even cheaper if you take them out and just give the 4 injectors to the cleaning place.

L.
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A good workman allways blames his sh*t tools.

[paddy granger]

On the subject of fuel supply, my 33's fuel pump started making a slight whine a few months ago (after the car had stood still for a few weeks). I mentioned it to my trusty Alfa mechanic, who suggested that I should take it out and pump injector cleaner through it - he mentioned that it is a common problem, and that replacement isn't necessary.

After a bit of spirited driving the pump stopped making the noise, so I'll leave it for now. I also think that my tank might be rusting from the inside out. The guy who made the tank must have been tired, as he has missed a few tack welds....and I am sure that the baffles are rusted as the engine was once starved from fuel when going round a right hand corner too fast on a lowish tank. But that might also just be a design fault in the tank, as it was very low on fuel.

[LDA]

yeh my pump makes the same noise. i assumed it was rust as it only started doing it after i cleaned out the tank. the car seemed to work ok even with the noisy pump so i never thought to take it off and clean it..

L.
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A good workman allways blames his sh*t tools.

[bobbber]

I thought the noisy pump is due to the fuel filter needing replacement? It struggles to pump the fuel through a clogged filter?

Just a thought.

Bob
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Fiat Bravo 165 Sport

[gritsop]

Hi,

About the fuel pump I also had this problem of whine noise. To cut a long story short , I had it opened cleaned it, and the noise was slightly less. Then renewed the fuel filter, noise even less, but for only some days;then again whine, whine, whine.

Installed a second hand one, worse noise mainly metallic.

Yesterday installed a brand new one Can't even hear it when motor runs.

It seems that the noise is caused by the rollers and blades which revolve and suck the fuel. The are getting worn out and this slack is transformed into noise.

Regards,
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

[LDA]

my car has a new filter that was put in when the injectors where cleaned. the noise didnt start till after all this was clean and new. think that make the free flowing system made the pump push faster and now it just whines.

meh, my new group a 280L/h up to 120psi pump should sort that out. but i bet it wont be any quieter!!

L.
_________________
A good workman allways blames his sh*t tools.