yuletide alfa woes

[ozchips]

ahh always at christmas
my beloved 2001 156 on the way home from Brisbane the other day, the speedo stopped working. i read that it is more than likely an ABS sensor, however no dash lights came on. Today i drove into ipswich with no worries, i came out of the shops and the alfa would not start
after a few goes it did start so off i went. After travelling for a few minutes i noticed the radio go on and off multiple times and slowly a heap of dash lights come on as well. i pull over and it would not start again. I call an auto electrician who comes out chucks a new battery in it (costing me $350 including call out) and he also tells me that it is not charging i need to get the alternator replaced or fixed...bugger
anyway if the alternator started to fail a few days ago would this have caused my speedo issue ? with new battery the speedo is still not working. and secondly what is the part number for the 2001 156 twinspark selespeed alternator ?
and lastly does anyone have a spare ? (will post that is buy sell and trade as well)
thanks all and have a great chrissy

[colcol]

Hello ozchips, It could be the alternator, as the voltage drops various components start to die,you said the car did not start, would the starter motor turn the motor or was there complete silence when turning the key?, if there was only clicking then it was a flat battery due to no charging by the alternator, you did not say if it is a twin spark or V-6, if it is a 4 then the bad news it is a very lengthy expensive job as the alternator is buried in the bowels of the motor , check also the serpentine belt has not broken, although you usually hear a bang when they break.

[ozchips]

sorry it is a twinspark 2l, belts seem ok
yes it does seems to be a bit of bastard job to do, io think it is certainly one i will have to pay for to be done properly
just waiting on some ocntacts to get back to me about costs
Would me nice if I could take it out myself and get it refurbed, but alas it is way beyond my mecanical skills

[colcol]

I read somewhere that the 155-156 Alfa Romeo's design they started with the Alternator and built the car around it!, i think if you had a hoist you would be able to remove it from underneath the car, but if not you would have to remove it from the top removing all the fuel injection trumpets and associated equipment, if you are not confident in doing it i would take it to an Alfa Romeo Specialist, not a ordinary Mechanic or Auto Electrician as this Alternator repair is very specialised and i am sure the Alfa Mechanics have worked out how to do it by this stage, let us know how you get on, best of luck, Colin.

[ozchips]

is there a way to tell which type of alternator is in the car wothout pulling it out ? eg by VIN number ?

[colcol]

I don't know a great deal about 156 alternators, except when mine fails i will need my long service leave to replace it!, you maybe best to go to a Alfa wrecker and ask are there different makes, i would say they are different between the inline 4 and the V-6, i know with the Suds and 33's you can end up with a Bosch, Magnetti Marreli or a Ducellior, luckily i have never seen a Lucas!, the car makers tend to use whatever is in stock and who was the most cost effective on the last batch, if i was replacing the alternator in my 156, i would remove the current one and get it reconditioned by an auto electrician, with new bearings, armature, brushes and voltage regulator, just get the best job you can so you only replace it once, Colin.

[ozchips]

ok after all the flood worries (I ma located in Lowood which got smashed) and we are still cleaning
I have gotten my 156 back, it has a brand new alternator and front lower control arms .
It certainly runs like a dream now. I was also happy to learn that at some stage early in the life of the car the actuator shagged itself and there is the updated one in there .
There is still a clunking coming form the suspension, god knows how they missed it ? it sounds like the top and it looks like it is simply the roll bar connector arm thingies. So could be an afternoon job at home for that one

[colcol]

I have been told that the top control arms wear out before the bottom ones, but they are not too expensive on ebay at the moment, the cost will be in labour replacing it, and the sway bar links that have a ball joint on either end can become rattly and noisy, once again easily available off ebay, and the sway bar bushes can also wear out and become noisy, in Victoria in a few months we are having a workshop night at Marranello motors for the 932 series Alfa's, maybe you could drive down for that one!, Colin.

[ozchips]

Colin
firstly thanks for all the advice. I would love to go to the info night, but vic is a little too far to justify to the 'better half'
Looks like it is the swaybar connectors, the top control arms seem fine