Getting things done

[0zant]

  Hi all

New to here so hello !

now .... i posted pics here of my new 33 (1.7 twin carb) asked about stuffs to do and someone posted to do the cambelt asap

its booked in to do this in a week no problem but i wanted to ask is there anything extra i should get done while its in bits ... as in those belt tensioner things i read about here or the water pump

also - it does have a small fault - annoying tbh - when i unlock the driver door (central locking) almost instantly the thing locks itself again, and it does the reverse on wanting to close/lock it .... and when i have very quickly opened the door to beat the thing locking again .. i stand there with a door open but the locks going up/down/up/down ...  it does this probably 80% of the time on the drivers side and does not do it at all on the passengers side ... any clues

apologies for sounding out like a nub here btw

regards all

[colcol]

One thing at a time, the belts and tensioners should be done every 4 years or 60,000klms or whatever comes first, [hear that 147-156 owners and weep!], while you are having the belts done, replace the tensioners as they are there, and its easy to change them as they can over the years with wear and heat, become noisy and lock up, due to the grease drying out, and while fiddling around down there, and its accesable, do the water pump, as you would feel like a dill if it failed one week later, mine failed once in the first week of a new job on the way to work, DOH!, Colin.

[AlfaACT]

Hi Ozant,

re: the door lock problem.

It sounds like one of the locks is not actuating fully. i.e. not fully opening and not fully closing - so the system attempts to lock itself again, then unlock, then ... 

It might be the lock on the passenger's door that is sticking, even though it is the driver's door that is behaving strangely.

Is there a lock button on the doors? (I cant remember!) If so, what happens when you operate each lock manually, i.e. while inside the car?

If you lock and unlock one side and it misbehaves, but when locking and unlocking the other side all is well, it is probably the second one that is the problem! By operating it manually you have ensured that it travels through the full path, and therefore it would appear OK.

So it might simply be a sticky lock button or wanting for a bit of lubrication on the push rods inside the  door.

Otherwise I'd be looking at the solenoid (electrical lock actuator) in the door, to see if it is moving the lock mechanism (ie the push rod) through the full travel. If not, you might need a new solenoid.

Good luck,
Peter.

[colcol]

I have always found that the master solenoid for the central locking takes about one second to work, so if you open the door with the key, you have hold it in the unlock position or lock position for about one second or else the master relay tries to do the opposite of what you are trying to do, i have found in my experience that the central locking electrical solenoids are quite reliable, [made in Sweden, no less], its usually all the rods and relays that seize up or bend or get out of whack, give them a good clean and lube with silicone spray and see how you go, Colin.

[AlfaACT]

I have a shoe box of these devices - all U/S! Just keeping 'em in case they come in handy one day (!)
And now that I think about it (I have not checked so I'm just going off a faulty and unreliabe memory!) they aren't "solenoids", not on the 1.7 any way. They are small electic motors with a plastic rack and pinion - the problem is the plastic wears and the push rods dont get pushed any more!
But a bit of lubrication on the rod joints might still do the trick for now.

[0zant]

update on the locks

> pulled the door trim off and cleaned/inspected all the bits - all seems ok
> disconected the little bar from the locking motor thingy - drivers door unlocks/locks no probs now  - rest of the locks operate off the passenger door .... i can live with that
> pushed the motor rack/pinion thing down 'as though a key just locked it' and it bounced straight back up
> left it disconnected for now

so .... any experience with this at all peoples as in ... faulty or a power/wiring issue further up the line from this one

regards
Ant

[colcol]

I have always found its a rod thats rubbing somewhere or a joint thats gone dry, but sometimes where the wires come thru the plastic ferrule on the door, the constant opening and shutting will cause the wire to break, but thats usually on the most used drivers door, it usually means the drivers door won't lock or unlock, check for continuity between the solenoid and the loom where it snakes out of the door in the drivers kickboard, Colin.

[colcol]

If i remember rightly, the master power relay operates from the passenger door and drivers door, as their roles are reversed for left hand drive, try disconnecting the wires from the solenoid and see if you can push it down and pull it up, without it springing back, and those 'triangled' red locking plastic knobs that are at the top of the door, can seize up and cause problems, pull it apart and clean it and lubricate it with silicone spray, Colin.

[Martinsifredi]

Make sure all the EFI hoses are changed , use correct efi hose if it is EFi and correct hose clamps as the cheaper clamps WILL eventually cut into the hoses . Check Fuel pump and replace Fuel filter .

[Martinsifredi]

OK sorry its Twin Carb, all the above still applies . 

[colcol]

Good point Martin, the fuel supply hoses should be replaced every 10 years or sooner if they get hard and brittle, when 33's were about 10 years old, they started turning up at wreckers with burnt out engine bays, a few years ago at the end of my street, i came accross 2 girls standing next to a 33 with a burnt out engine bay, both crying, cause their car had gone up, went home, checked my hoses, went down to Repco and purchased new hoses for the fuel lines and new clamps, the Alfa clamps are good, but are hard to buy, bought some ALBA brand Swedish clamps, that don't 'bite' into the hose, Colin.

[0zant]

hey there

just an update

car goes in tomorrow for the cam belt, water pump and various other small bits and pieces

also washing out the radiator and replacing thermostat and gasket ... HOORAHH

BUT

ive been reading on these forums about the spark plugs and what to use so i bought some B7ES's to replace to replace thisarvo before tomorrows big day ..... thing is i puulled out BPR6ESK's

at the moment i'm in a OMG moment as i dont know which ones are correct now - i suspect the BPR6's are badbadbad tho?? and the difference between them when you compare is sorta MASSIVE

regards

edit: - at supercheap picked up a brand new dizzy cap for $20.90...was right there on the shelf .... thought that was bonus cool !!

[colcol]

If i remember rightly, the NGK BPK6 spark plugs work ok on  suburban trips, but tend to foul up in city driving, mine had to be cleaned every month, the BPK7, runs a bit hotter and don't foul as much, and don't burn out, the Supercheap dizzy cap, is it for Magnetti Marelli, and what brand and part no is it?, Colin.

[0zant]

Dizzy is a Bosch GB739

as for the plugs this was part of my guide ... along with various forum replies



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lots of replies along the lines of ... the B7ES having no resistor and the end not protruding into the cylinder to much causing .... yada yada yada

they are now in the car and i must say its a world of difference .... just seems better

regards
me

[0zant]

hiyas

things done - timing belts, all other belts, water pump, spark plugs, dizzy cap + leads on the way, K&N panel filter on the way, radiator flush and clean, oil filter Z421 + oil change  ... opinions on what is next?

something ive noticed is the 'wet look' on both the carbies (see pic) ... any clues as to what this is .... not quite oil or petrol methinks .... reakon i can just degrease it and hose off?



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thanks all