help needed

[MD]

marktim,

We can see you are a newbie both as Forum member and GTV2.0 owner. Welcome to transaxle Alfa ownership.
Given your lack of familiarity with this car and from what I read, mechancis generally, getting a manual for the car is gold advice for you. This is the FIRST step you should take to commencing any restoration or maintenance work.

So you have been advised where to source the bottom hose.  What you should understand first up is that the cooling system is comprised of a hydraulic circuit which includes top hose, bottom hose, by-pass hose and heater hoses. These all form a daisy chain of fluid containment. Like any chain with a broken link, it becomes useless. Likewise, if any of these hoses breaks, you will lose the coolant and potentially overheat the engine. So the golden rule for preventative maintenance as you say you want to do is to replace ALL the hoses at the same time.

The second item I need to explain to you is that the temperature control for you engine is carried out by the thermostat which is about 86* for this engine. The thermostat is helped to do its job by the radiator and fan. The fan operation is activated by a thermoswitch embeded in the right hand side radiator tank.

I hope that is basic enough information to clarify some things for you and help you get started in the right direction.

Don't be afraid of getting professional help in diagnostics and then make plans to budget for the  work to be carried either by you or the trade.

[marktim]

Thanks for the replies, I'm heading into Cilbertis tomorrow  and hoping to pick up that bottom radiator hose,as for the front end knock I've jacked the front up and checked the tightness of all the bolts I can see and nothing stands out, could a engine mount that's faulty give a knock when going over bumps ? Thanks for any replies.

[MD]

Unlikely     : Engine mounts
Least likely: Loose lower control arm mounting bolts
More likely : Lower control arm inner bushes flogged
Most likely : Either upper and/or lower control arm ball joints worn
Outside chance: Upper control arm inner rubber bush worn.

[festy]

Loud knock at the passengers side front over bumps could be the exhaust hitting the cross member/sump/body, a dodgy engine mount could be the cause.
Also, check the rear engine mount. They have a habit of breaking, and being out of sight and a pain to replace it may have been overlooked (or ignored) by the PO.
I'd also check that the front left brake caliper bolts are tight.

[rowan_bris]

It's often the steering rack bush on the passenger side if it is a light knocking noise, over small sharp bumps

[marktim]

Thanks for the replies, I've jacked the front end up and given everything  a tighten if possible  and can't find anything loose,I went to Cilbertis motors and got a lower radiator hose and was surprised at how good the price was and the two guys there where fantastic to deal with.
I think the best plan of attack is for me to  get these guys to do a report on the car in general and take it from there.
I  know this is going to upset some but I love everything about this car except the muffler at the back of the car,it's  such a great  looking back end except for that muffler looks a bit ordinary ,I know a lot of people will disagree. Once again thanks for the help.

[poohbah]

Very sensible to get them to look it over and do a full report. Just be prepared - mine had a loooong list...

[MD]

Yes best move.  I would go further and ask them to priorities the work so that you can budget for it.

[marktim]

No chance of me putting anything like that on this car, I've never liked seeing mufflers hanging  off the back of cars, I've yet to see a muffler that looks good enough to be seen at all,especially on a car like a gtv.
The previous owner had replaced the back muffler with a stainless  one and it's a neat and tidy job but in my view if all you could see was a nice chrome or black exhaust tip that would make a beautiful looking back end even  better, each to their own as they say, have a nice  day  .

[MD]

A little known fact:
Rear mild steel mufflers and exhaust components generally rust out well before the parts located close to the engine.
That part is well known. The reason for it is not well known. The reason is acid dew point.

All petrol contains sulphur. The products of combustion contain sulfur as a gas. As the temperature of these exhaust gases get progressively cooler towards the discharge point, the sulphur gas turns into a condensate coating all the exhaust interior with sulphuric acid. The term for this change of state is called the acid dew point.

Mild steel exhaust systems that use catalytic converters tend to last much longer especially if they are insulated because the cat generates additional heat and so the acid dew point is reached after it leaves the system (ideally).

Installing stainless steel exhaust components at the rear sections helps to combat the corrosive action of the sulphuric acid. If you have a stainless rear section but your exhaust is progressively getting louder over time, it is because you have been sold a dud shiny stainless outer muffler wrap containing mild steel baffles inside that have simply corroded away and you are now driving around with a empty stainless can for a muffler.

A full stainless system should last the life of the car. If you want to make the mild steel system last longer, install a cat.

[poohbah]

I like classic muff...

[DHDamo]

Sorry purists - mine came like this and I don't hate it enough to change it.

[marktim]

Thanks for the photos much appreciated, I like the look of the twin exhaust makes a good looking  back end even better,chees.
P.S On the transmission there's three electrical connections,one is for the reverse lights one is for the speedo,but what's the third one for?  Thanks for the replies, cheers.

[GTVeloce]

I thought the third switch was a fast idle neutral switch for AC cars, combined with the clutch switch. Meaning if you were in neutral or the clutch was disengaged and AC was on, it would raise the revs via a solenoid on the carbs. But I could be wrong.

[marktim]

It has me stumped as well,if it is  for the air conditioning, to raise the revs it's not working as my revs just drop and stay low,I did notice in the Haynes manual that when setting the idle  in an air conditioned model your supposed to have the air conditioner turned on,my Dellorto carbs do have that solenoid that's supposed to raise the idle when cold but in the Haynes  manual  it says the solenoid is triggered by the clutch or gear  change lever.Whatever it does it doesn't affect the car so I'll just leave well enough alone,cheers.