Alfa 147 TS camshaft variator

[Hughsie]

Being a newish Alfa 147 owner I was wondering about the Twin Spark's ticking noise at idle. Would it be tappet noise or the camshaft variator?
Any idea of the cost of replacing the variator?
I am a bit isolated from any respected Alfa service and very reluctant to seek advice locally. The mech's around here have great skills on tractors and headers - less so on exotics.

[Mick A]

G'day,

The lifters in these heads are pretty reliable and they very rarely give any dramas. It's fairly common for the variator to be the cause of the noise, usually though it'll be quite loud on startup then go away or quieten down noticeably after a few seconds. If its constant and unchanging even with engine temp/oil pressure etc it could well be a lifter, but too hard to diagnose for certain from afar.

The kit for the variator (one nylon washer and a spring) is very cheap, around $30/40 from memory, and the variator is relatively easy to pull apart, but a little difficult sometimes to get back together again, theres a knack to it that only comes from doing a lot of them!

Mick.

[bazzbazz]

Is it a Manual? Does the tapping sound go away when you put the clutch in? (Just checking an alternative theory)

[Hughsie]

No unfortunately it's a Selespeed
The ticking is not very loud and there is no reduction in performance
I recently changed the oil with synthetic
0 - 50 and there is no noticeable reduction in the sound.

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