Alfa Pages

[BILL]

[Jonintownsville]

My manual for my 1987 33 recommends 20w/50. Perhaps series 3 have a thinner oil requirement due to fuel injection being put in. The two Alfa specialists in Melbourne both recommend 20w/50 for 80's 33's (not sure about the 90's). Both are Italian imigrants who trained with Alfa Romeo in Italy apparently.

[GaryUK]

I use Hash oil but have found it drastically increases fuel consumption (especially crisps and chocolate) at all temperatures but it keeps me running real smooth with no rattles. I have had no problems with my pipe getting blocked but have not had it on a rolling road yet I have a rolling machine (my good lady). The only thing to avoid is anything synthetic as bashed hash is not worth the cash. My warning light does not flicker which could be viewed as a Disco disappointment.

In summary Winners sometimes use Drugs.

[paddy granger]

[GaryUK]

Paddy it's the same stuff, nice

Haven't had any in the past couple of years and it used to be very expensive but as the price has dropped so markedly over the past two years (due to virtual decriminalisation) it will be cheaper now.

At the moment I'm smoking what we call pollen or 00 (the first shaking, 00 = Double Zero, 00 refers to the size of the smallest mesh they use to sieve it) it's basically just the resin crystals from the flower heads, very strong very nice, £15 per 1/8th, where as bog standarg Morrocan is about £40-60 per ounce (£40 for me, £60 for Munters).

[George/33S2]

[George/33S2]

Sh*te... I meant to write 10W50

I must trace that fuel leak someday... Those fuel vapours are starting to destroy my brain

[sudman]

Pennzoil GT Performance 10w40 semi synthetic is what the hydraulic tappet 8v 1.7 in my Sud gets treated to... (it did yesterday actually!)

I find it runs excellent oil pressure, hot or cold, never had problems with the oil light being on, and the gauge never fluctuates, which to me would indicate good oil flow as well!
_________________
Just because it's old... doesn't mean it can't go fast!

[belg]

10w60 castrol RS

[amir]

Alfa 33 in Summer: Castrol RS 10/60

in Winter: Castrol RS 0/40

my 155 TD 2.5 however likes Shell Helix 0/30
_________________
33 P4
75 Milano
155 TD 2.5

[bvolden]

I run 10w 40 shell Helix and notice that the oil preassure goes from 4 (cold) to 0 or 1 when hot . While ideling with hot engine the oil light flickers, and now I am confused because some say 10/40 and alfa says 20/50? What should i choose, considering that i live in Norway?

What about the oil filter, wouldn't this also influence on the oil preassure?

[lesthegringo]

I always had the oil pressure light flickering on at idle after a hard thrash even with a brand new pump and a reconditioned engine - the pump is just a bit marginal when the engine oil is hot and thin.

My final cure was to fit an oil cooler and a thermostatic sandwich plate. Never had any problems since. Got it all from Demon Tweeks, and if I remember right the stuff was all Mocal, and set me back less than 100 pounds sterling (five years ago).

Les

[foxenhole2]

I have just found this thread and thought I would put in my experiences after racing a 8v 1.8 for a number of years.
1. Oil - used 10-60 Millers FS or Selenia Racing or Motul 300v. No problems with any of them.
2. Film strength is more important than viscosity (within reason). Expensive oils have more film strength improver (an expensive additive) than cheaper stuff. This is why some race engines can run at 10k plus rpm on 0w-15 oil (very, very expensive!!)

3. Racers tricks to improve oil pressure. Firstly shim the oil pump pressure relief valve (PRV) with a 1-1.5mm washer to hold it shut for longer. Make sure the PRV seats correctly. I expect a lot of the flickering lights is down to leakage at this point. Next, restrict the oil feed to the cylinder heads by screwing an allen headed grub screw, with a 3mm hole drilled down the middle, into the block. This should be at the face where the heads bolt on and the oilway needs to be tapped to the same thread as your allen screw, fixed with loctite and screwed down below the mating face of the block.
4. Oil numbers. eg 10w40. This is explained as behaving like a SAE10 monograde oil would at -18oC and like a SAE40 oil would when it was hot.
5. Look for quality rating. The higher up the alphabet the better the oil. SE or SF is for knackered Metros and the like (fine for older carb cars on their last legs. The best oil is rated at SL (unless a higher standard has been recently launched). This is probably over the top for a road car with a 1970s based engine like the Alfa 33. (Ratings with a C are for diesels - S = spark and C = compression ignition)
Hope this helps,
Mark

[lesthegringo]

just a little point - the oil pump relief valve only opens when the oil pressure is sufficient to overcome the force of the spring. Shimming the pump will increase the cold and highest possible oil pressure, but when the oil pressure drops away, the oil pressure relief valve does not open anyway. At idle, when the oil is hot, the viscosity drops, and it simply is too easy to pump round the engine, which is why the pressure drops away. Shimming the relief valve does nothing more than use extra power.

On my oil pumps, I make sure that the gears are in good condition, not scored, that the mating faces of the pump are flat, and where the gears run that the bores are not gouged and the end faces not scored. When assembling, I try and get the minimum gap possible between the pump body and the gears, and apply some hylomar between the pump housing flanges, and between the pump and the rear engine cover where it seats. This is just to stop any possible leakage.

Anyone who wants to know more from a real expert on engines should take a look at David Vizards 'Tuning the BL 'A' series engine', it is nothing short of a bible. It obviously does not deal with our engines, but many of the principles are able to be read across

Les

[bvolden]

Gave the 33 new oil yesturday, QuakerState 20/50, oil preassure starts at 4 and ends up at 2 when hot. Oil lamp has stopped flickering. What kind of oil preassure do YOU have?

[Guest]

Hi guys

Remember that the engine has been here since -68 and is not made for very thin oils. That is why it is not recommended to use 0 or 5w oils in it. Maybe in very cold climate thin oils could be used.

I had some Valvoline semi-synthetic racing oil 10w-60 in use year around, engine ran well with it and no leaks.

In winter it can be -25c for long times here, 10w will do fine anyway.

TimoJ 33 s2 project, in Finland

just my 2c

[Guest]

Hi Les

What is Hylomar? Kind of gasketstuff?

TimoJ, curious

[Guest]

[lesthegringo]

Hylomar is a non-setting blue gasket paste, which is actually a Rolls-Royce Aero Engines Plc product; they use it to seal the bearing sumps and compressor case split lines

If it's good enough for them.....

Les

[Guest]

Hi

Wish it was available here too.. I use Hermetite Golden gasket non hardening paste. It is veery sticky icky and useful in all joints, never hardens in coolant hoses etc. Can use with fuel, oil and coolant joints.

Is the Rolls product similar, exept alot better ?

TimoJ

[Eddie W]

Hi everybody, if you refer to my Redline oils thread in the general forum Munro has very kindly posted some links of interest( I don't seem to be able to do this) Follow the Cobra Club link and there is an article " More than you ever wanted to know about oils", this will answer all the questions posed on this thread. Very informative.
Regards Eddie
_________________
A LITTLE FURTHER A LITTLE FASTER

[Laki]

I use Selienia racing 10/60W.....Doesn drik a drop of it in 10k km. Also very quckliy gets warm and drink a bit less gas....For me it is perfect
_________________
-- ALFA ROMEO 33 Q4 --