Alfa 33 Engine/Gearbox removal

[shane wescott]

Hi Guys

Have a "new" (new to me) 33 1.7 carby model I am getting on the road. Clutch is dodgy and won't engage properly. I have dismantled the slave and checked it out but I suspect there is something wrong around the pressure plate/clutch throw mechanism.

This means an engine/gearbox removal.

Any hints?? I have removed other engines from alfas (Berlina), holdens and VW but never a 33.

Any advice for a novice at this task.

Thanks in advance.

Shane

[Fast Eddie]

sounds like a question for Teruo to answer as he has the most experience dropping out and in boxer motors.  Suffice to say, you are aware it comes out from below i.e. you lift the car, not the motor?  if all else fails, i have the A33 manual on CD and if i can find it, i can perhaps ge the relevant pages to you.

[Evan Bottcher]

If you can get your hands on the Haynes manual it has excellent instructions and photos for step by step removing the engine/transmission.

Click here to see the book at Pitstop bookshop

I think that's a bit steep though - shame there's no copies currently on ebay in Oz as they do come up pretty regularly.

The process vaguely involves dropping the front crossmember (under the radiator) which releases the front engine mount, unbolting the driveshafts, unhooking all the hoses and wiring, undoing the gearbox tail mount, then the engine is hanging from the central mount on top of the bell housing.  If you don't have a crane, you can slowly lower the engine to the ground with a couple of trolley jacks under each head.  You can then jack up the front of the car and slide the engine out.

It's meant to be possible to drop the gearbox out without dropping the whole engine/gearbox unit, but unless you've done it many times apparently it will take you lots longer, more cursing, lost skin etc.

I may have got this a bit wrong as... well... I'm a bit of a nuffie - so I'd recommend getting a manual.  If you are in town and want to drop around to Brunswick you can borrow mine, just PM me.

[Scott Farquharson]

This should be mandatory for all 900 series cars - remove engine and gearbox - replace with V6...

[a sharp]

Scott you forgot to tell them to put the V6  in the back and make the thing rear wheel drive, this is the only way to make a real GT from a 900

[shane wescott]

Thanks for the comments guys. I do have a manual on cd.

Thanks for the comments on just trying to get the gearbix out the motor. I thought about that but figured it will involve lots of loss of skin.

I figure it's a good time to clean the engine and engine bay properly.

The book looks good but the 1.7 model I have is not covered, most of it is the same anyway.

Love the idea of the 33 with the V6, the videos are awesome.

Catch ya and I will let you know how it all goes, and BTW I live in Coburg so not far from Brunswick.

Shane

[Scott Farquharson]

Scott you forgot to tell them to put the V6  in the back and make the thing rear wheel drive, this is the only way to make a real GT from a 900

Exactly!  Hey - wait a minute - just buy a GTV6 instead.....

[Evan Bottcher]

Scott, Anthony - firstly it's 11pm on a Friday night - don't you have something better to do?

Secondly - go a little easy on the 900 series payout.  Shane has a genuine question in there somewhere.

Good luck - do let us know how you get on.  Not sure if you mean that you have the haynes manual or not.  If not - give me a call 0400 013 175 if you do want to drop around and borrow mine.

[shane wescott]

End of day 1. Nearly finished.

Only the front mount, sub chassis, and rear mount to go :-)


Roll on tomorrow.

[shane wescott]

Job Done.

Engine and gearbox out, clutch is dead, many broken pressure plate fingers. At least when I did get it out, I found my problem.

Very happy :-)

Catch ya

Shane

[Evan Bottcher]

You got a digi camera Shane?  If so post a couple of photos of the process?

cheers,
Evan.

[shane wescott]

pickies now in the pickies section.

[Southern75]

Well i'm going to add my 2 cents worth,

V6's are certainly nice ... but i have 2 babies (sorry its a 75 not gtv6) and i can't neglect the little one even though it rusts, leaks rarely runs as well as many other displays of tempremental behaviour!

What i do to take the engine out is sit the car on stands under a block and tackle, disconnect everything, ie plumbing electrical exhaust etc.

Take the weight of the engine with a big trolley jack, then take out drive shafts and control arms then engine should be able to be lowered to the ground,

The block and tackle can be used to raise the car body over the engine, sometimes not necessary, depending on how much of the engine intake you pull off. However the block and tackle can also be used to loed the engine instead of a trolley jack

[shane wescott]

Sounds like a good plan. I ended up having to drag the engine out. I didnt quite have the car up high enough. I am sure the block and tackle would make it easier to put the engine back in. I am looking to get an engine hoist so may use one of theose when I put the engine/gearbox back in, probably in a month or so.

catch ya

Shane

[Southern75]

they're also good a worthy investment, if you take the radiator out and the crank pulley off you can take the engine out the top ... but it's harder than out of the bottom