147 Twin Spark Engine Longevity

[Garibaldi]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know how many kilometres a Twin Spark engine will last if it is serviced regularly?

[Stephen Aarons]

I'd say thats like asking how long is a piece of string 

[Mick A]

423,567km

[Ray Pignataro]

Mick could you be any more specific that answer was borderline vague

[colcol]

It all depends on what brand of oil you use, if you use a good brand what like i do, then it will last a long time, but if you use a commonly used brand of oil then the engine will blow up immediately, you should always look for a brand of oil thats a bit obscure so that no one knows much about it so you can tell every one how good it is because all the Scientists who developed it all wear white dustcoats and the evil multinationals oil companies are always trying to buy this oil company so they can find out all their secrets before they shut them down, Colin.

[Evan Bottcher]

That's a long piece of string.

[extraball]

when I was looking for a 147, the common amount of k's on the ones for sale was 160k. There was equally an amount of 147s with 200 to 280k, as there was those with less than 100k. I drove one with 180k, and it purred like a kitten, with a ton of power, despite the suspension flogged, and a couple of dash warning lights staying on. I think that the engine is one of its strongest points, and be more watchful of suspension and electrics.

[Cool Jesus]

I agree with extraB, as long as there is a service history with receipts you should be Ok. Suspension is common for owners to not replace along with electric niggles such as window switches and the like. It amazes me how many Alfas are being sold at high asking prices with no history at all. As desperate as you may be for Alfa ownership (or any car) if you buy a car with no history it's a mystery bag with plenty of issues for sure. I bought our 147 with no history and wasn't surprised by the hidden faults it was carrying, mind you I accounted for it by negotiating the price down and performed the maintenance myself to save even more coin. The engines are strong and powerful, any sluggishness or smoke is cause for concern. Warning lights can also be a headache to diagnose, as you can be certain your not being told the entire truth of its cause from a seller with no vehicle history or inclination to remedy before sale.

[Alfapride]

Agree with all the above, my 147 has 102,000km and feels like new (I remember driving these new) and I can't really feel any change in performance. I've seen some 147's with over 200,000km so the engine has the potential to 'last the distance' if well maintained. Be mindful these engines can use a little oil, so if you are looking at some check the oil level - if it's been running on low engine oil this could be a concern. Regular oil changes and timing belt changes as per the intervals should ensure the engine is reliable and durable - good luck in your search!

[colcol]

Watch for stuck open thermostats, 147's and 156's eat thermostats, if you have a faulty one then the car won't be heating up and it will be running too cold therefor increasing wear on the engine, if your engine doesn't get up to 80c within 5 kilometres from cold startup, then you need a new stat, my 11 year old is on to its 4th, Colin.

[Steve S]

A tech recently told me they don't usually last much past 250,000km. Something usually gets them by then, be that due to neglect or other problem.

[Kristian4]

A tech recently told me they don't usually last much past 250,000km. Something usually gets them by then, be that due to neglect or other problem.

I recently bought a 2002 Alfa 147 - initially as a cheap run around to use for a few months. It has done 272,000 km and was reasonably well serviced up to about 250,000km and then sporadically. Had a lot of fun driving it, so decided I may just lavish some TLC - or sell it and buy another lower mileage. Last driver told me it was using oil - so I did service, new filters and changed to a good quality Castrol oil. So far through 1600km in town & open road, no oil consumption, so not sure what oil he was using.

[bonno]

Hi Kristian
Sound like you have a good TS motor from the oil consumption figures quoted. I presume the oil used was a full synthetic 10W60 grade.  Now if you have no history on the last time the timing belt was done, then I suggest you need to have this taken care of ASAP  to ensure trouble free motoring for at least another 60K.