Alfa Pages

[Matt Stolton]

As you may have read in the UK section, I attended, and had a top time, at the Dreamracers Track Day thingy on Sunday. However, half way through the afternoon session, I lost second gear, which had been crunching all day, and had been sick for a month or more, with the typical 33 type synchro noise.

I had bought a box (cheers Dean), mostly for the P4 EMC, but I can use that to get me out of trouble in the short term, and then rebuild the current broken box.

I have a few reservation, as I have not done a box before. Having looked inside one today, and seen how it works, I reckon I can do the job, and I also have the workshop manual for reference. However Me and Lloyd (Clovertech) are thinking of trying to get some of the 145/6 boxer gearbox internals to fit the 33 housing, as the 145/6 didn't use 33 style synchros, and didn't have the crunchy second problem. Has any one done this, and have any advice? Any other gearbox rebuilding tips would be highly welcomed, preferably with a microsoft style wizard that I can use to help me get through the task
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Regards

Matt

Ex Alfa 33 'GTA' (P4 with Knobs On)
Now cruising in a 166 3.2 Ti!!

[GaryUK]

Matt you'll be wanting tools for that job; you know spanners and the like.

Have you considered an adapter plate and a Subaru Imp. 4*4 box/prop/diffs etc alot more sturdy for the power your lil baby's putting out. As well as the robustness you'd the get LSD's in for free and independent rear suspension.

The only tools for rebuilding the box that are unusual that I can think of are clip spreading pliers and punches.

[Matt Stolton]

Whilst i fear you may be taking the mick, many thanks for the advice re needing tools. Admitedly I had thought about that, but it is nice to have my thought process agreed with.

I would love to do the scoobie mod, but it isn't keeping it within the "family". It would be better to cut my losses and get a scoobie, but I fear I would miss all the hassle of owning a littlw piece of the Italian mindset.
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Regards

Matt

Ex Alfa 33 'GTA' (P4 with Knobs On)
Now cruising in a 166 3.2 Ti!!

[knight]

Hi Matt - last time we spoke you was saying you were going to clovertech for some tuning work on your 16V motor.....how did it go in the end?....whats the final spec of your engine and what sort of power you now got?.....I'm quite interested in your engine as I'm now 100% sure that I should go the 1.7 16V route, as I believe its a very good base motor

cheers

stephen

[Dreamracers]

Good luck with the job Matt - the way my wife talks, I hope you make it back to another track day and I am putting my name on the list to be a passenger!
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Alfasud 1.7Ti & Alfasud 1.3Ti

[Matt Stolton]

Mark - I fear your wife is exagerating the car beyond all capabilities, what made it interesting was my complete lack of ability as a driver, hence sliding everywhere, crunching of gears etc. As long as your life assurance is paid up, I will try my best to scare you with my poor driving at the next trackday....

Stephen - I don't know when we last chatted, but the engine is basically finished, except for a remap to optimise everything. However, due to some obscure parts, and a general slowness, it did take 2 years. However, now we know what we are doing, and have the valves, and proven the theory of the head work/grind stands up to being jeckle and hyde (i.e. nice and soft around town/day to day, but switches to an animal over 4K RPM). The car has been on the road for about three months now, and what with the trackday, I guess you could call it 'run in'. Apart from running out of fuel yesterday, due to a fuel gauge sender, sending the signal for 1/4 tank, not empty, it has behaved perfectly. I will be swappping gearboxes next Tuesday, at Lloyd's, so by all means if your local, come and say hello.

Re 16V vs 8V. I do miss the sound of carbs, and the trumpets of my 8V, and the stupid amounts of botom end torque. However, to get the most out of an engine, and to meet emmisions, especially if you have tweaked it, carbs are a nightmare, as they basically work there best when airflow is high. This can be at high RPM on big bore carbs, 40-45s, or on smaller carbs on the same engine e.g.36s, further down. Obviously carb manufacturers put second mini venturi inside the main one, do get around it, but that then detracts from top end perfomance, as you are hindering flow.

Injection, especially with the trumpets of the 16V, is much more controllable, especially with a remap or a new chip. Granted that the 16V is lower on torque lower down, but it much more civilised, and nicer to live with. And don't believe all the hype of being gutless below 3500 rpm. Even with the silly headwork, cams, enlarged valves etc, that should make the 16V completely torqueless, and a pure RPM power screamer, I can still go into 3rd gear at 2000 rpm and pull along and accelerate quite happily. Equally 4th or 5th at sub 2000rpm is doable, with no bottom end knockings or other nastiness. I won't kid you and say it has the torque of a 3.0 V6, but it has enough to make it useable day to day, and fun at the weekends.
_________________
Regards

Matt

Ex Alfa 33 'GTA' (P4 with Knobs On)
Now cruising in a 166 3.2 Ti!!