jts oil filter

[Mick A]

It's not just the belt itself but the tensioner and idler bearings that wear.

If it's been 3 years I definitely recommend a cam belt kit.

If you are in Melbourne there are several specialists who advertise on this website and have reasonable rates to do the job.

And yes a dowdy washer is very important to use on the sump plug.
An 8mm 1/2' drive socket will work on the sump plug.

Cheers. - mick

[colcol]

The belts are a time thing as they go hard and brittle from day 1, the tensioners wear out with distance, but even though they may not have much wear, the grease in them hardens up and fails to lubricate, then they get noisy, and while you are changing the cam belt, the tensioners are there just looking at you, just change them, Colin.

[Neil Choi]

Good on you T-rex for having a go at maintaining your Alfa, as you know oil is a critical part of the car, it is like blood.  Change oil regularly with the right oil and the JTS will be good to you.  Build up a good set of tools and things will get easier, or just have a BFH on hand.

I would have advised you practice and learn car maintenance on a Toyota!!!  But you have an Alfa, so keep asking questions and lots of people here will be able to help and point you in the right direction.

Re:  timing belt, you could jump on the East Link and you will be at Monza Motors in Bayswater in no time, they do only Alfa's and they will look after you.

[colcol]

And if you want some inspiration on all things mechanical, look at Scotty Kilmer on Youtube, but leave cam belt changes to the proffesionals, and for the cam belt changes you need cam locks, Top Dead Centre gauges, tensioner pulley setting tools, etc, expensive for a one off cam belt change, Colin.

[t-rev]

Thanks for all of your advice, i'll get a  quote from 'Monza', and i think i'l need a new variator and water pump. Is there much difference in quality in the cam belt kits? I can land one from uk a lot cheaper than local retailers but even with the stocks in the uk,the prices vary considerably. The 'dayco' kits seem to be quite common

[colcol]

I would only replace the variator if its noisy and your car sounds like a diesel, but replace the water pump every second cam belt change, if unknown, replace it, as it is part of the cam belt tensioning system.
The timing belt kits are Genuine, Dayco, Gates, Continental, they are all good, but buy brand names from known retailers, try Italian Automotive Spares in Brunswick, [9036 1606], as they are a club sponsor and they know their stuff, Colin.

[colcol]

Changed the oil in the JTS today, still managed to get half the oil on the floor, the oil is so thin, 10 viscosity and its hot, when you take off the sump plug, the oil rushes out and hits the bottom of the drain pan and flows back up the side of the drain pan, onto the floor, need to look for a deeper drain pan.
To change the tiny JTS oil filter you need a strap wrench that is flexible enough to twist it around the filter to avoid snagging on the cat, but its in a great position, nice and easy to get at it, Colin.

[Mick A]

We use these for removing oil filters.

[Neil Choi]

Ha, I can't afford Snap On, but use a SCA one, $17 and works a treat like the Snap On.  It was on sale the other day for about $13.  But there is that certain prestigious feeling about using Snap On tools. 

Mmmmmm, tools.............., mmmmmm, power tools.........................

[colcol]

Found a good oil drain pan, it has 15 litres capacity, has a decent pouring spout, for tipping the used oil back into an old container, and it has a ridge on top, similar to the top of a toilet bowl, to stop the oil flowing over the top, it is quite solid, cost $28 at Bursons, Autobahn had a similar one, but it was a bit flimsy for $25, Repco only had the type that i already have that don't stop the oil flowing over the side, seen similar type on ebay, but postage was a bit steep, because it was a bulky package, Colin.

[t-rev]

All good, thanks for your reply's. Now the fun really starts!, air filter. I removed the three bolts(that separate the air filter housing) but don't know what to do next, I don't want to remove any thing that I can't put back! Does the air pipe unclip from the filter housing?, does the MAF come off?   

[colcol]

You have to unclip the flexible rubber pipe at the top of the air cleaner housing, if i remember rightly, you need special pliers to unhook the hose clamp, so naturally, i cut it off and replaced it with a normal hose clamp, to make it easier next time, when you get the air cleaner element out, there will be a lot of rubbish in the bottom of the air cleaner housing, as it is low to the ground, and sucks up rubbish off the ground.
Thats why it is important in a GT, 147, GTV and 156, that you don't drive through water as it will pick up water easy and you can hydraulic your engine, a few years ago after the Queensland floods, there were a few sad cases of the above mentioned cars with water damaged engines, Colin.

[Neil Choi]

Found a good oil drain pan, it has 15 litres capacity, has a decent pouring spout, for tipping the used oil back into an old container, and it has a ridge on top, similar to the top of a toilet bowl, to stop the oil flowing over the top, it is quite solid, cost $28 at Bursons, Autobahn had a similar one, but it was a bit flimsy for $25, Repco only had the type that i already have that don't stop the oil flowing over the side, seen similar type on ebay, but postage was a bit steep, because it was a bulky package, Colin.

You can find empty 25L clear polypropylene containers around, free, just cut to size, say, 2/3 and you have 15L capacity.  Just an idea as I have heaps around and recently helped to drain and store 95L of diesel.

[colcol]

Every time i drain the oil in the 156, its ends up on the garage floor, i could not quite work out why, so i actually watched it, instead of allowing to drain while i do something else, and what happens is, it runs up the side of the drain pan and over the side, the new one is like a toilet, in so far that it has lip on the top to stop the oil flowing over the side, never happens with the 33, as it has thicker oil 20-50, where the 156 has 10-60, the 25 litre containers have a large radius on the bottom that helps the oil flow up the side, i cannot beleive what a mess i always make, but it gives a use for old newspapers, Colin.