alfa 33 16v fuel consumption issue

[Alfapride]

Hi all, hoping someone out there has some experience with fuel consumption with the alfa 33 16v....i recently had to change over a air flow meter due to the old one giving rough idle problems...since its been changed i've noticed the fuel consumption dramatically increase, i am lucky to get 300km to a tank - previously I was getting approx 400km.

Does anyone know if these need to be adjusted? or is there another adjustment on the car I can do to improve the economy?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[colcol]

Some of the 'change over' fuel flow meters can be rubbish, years go the car i was driving broke down, and the computer codes told me it was a flow meter, so i bought a 'reconditioned' flow meter and it worked ok for a month, then one day going to the G.P. it stumbled and went into limp mode, we took it to the mechanic, and i said it was most likely a crank sensor , he rang later saying it was a flow meter, i said it can't be its only a month old!, he said the brand is no good and he won't use them, so he put in a new non genuine brand and it worked ok for years, so it sounds like yours is telling the computer to give "more fuel", than needed, Colin.

[Alfapride]

thanks for that Colin, this is a second hand one original bosch...it looks just as clean as my original its particularly noticable in the morning when the revs stay much higher than it used to (almost 1500rpm) i am wondering if perhaps there is an idle adjustment to improve the situation?

[Alfapride]

So thought i'd do some preventative checks - cleaned all the relays in the car, removed the top of the air flow meter and cleaned the circuit where the sensor reads across - was full of black carbon - refitted it but still same issue.

Another sign of the car running 'too rich' is that there's heaps of black carbon coming from the exhaust...

[colcol]

You really should do something about it, as the petrol bills will send you broke or your engine will need decarbonising, if the fuel consumption has gone up so much since fitting the flow meter, the flow meter is faulty, if you have a wire in the middle of the meter, see if this is clean, if not, get one of those air flow meter cleaners from Repco, that are spray on and the clean all the rubbish off the wire, the way the air flow meter works is, there is a small charge of power put through the wire and it heats up similar to a electric radiator and there is a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the wire in the airflow meter, and the more air that flows through, the colder the wire gets, and the engine computer can work out how much air is flowing through the engine and adjust the mixture to suit, or in your case too much fuel, and you will suffer from too much fuel washing the oil off the cylinder bore walls, causing engine wear, and you will end up with crankcase dilution, ask any 156 JTS owner what this means, Colin.

[Alfapride]

Hi Colin, thanks for the advice, will try all that..if all else fails i'll take it to a mechanic to have sorted - who would you recommend that has the right diagnostic equipment to solve the problem? many thanks

[colcol]

Have a look at our sponsors page on the forum,they are supporters of the club, and many club members have their cars repaired by them, they work on Alfa Romeo's and know all their little quirks, let us know how you get on, Colin.

[Alfapride]

hi all, taking the car to pursang maranello next week will confirm what the outcome is...bruno says its most likely the mixture settings