Improving the Resilience of the 3.2 JTS Engine.

[Ascari32]

I guess much of the fondness for the Busso V6 is a subjective mix of both its limited but adequate capabilities for which it was asked, plus its driving characteristics plus the soundtrack. It added up to something beyond just how well the appliance does the task of transporting a seat form point A to point B. I think this is why is has fans way beyond just us Alfa tragics.
I'm not sure that a Ford buyout would have necessarily been good long-term, they would have just flipped the brand in typical corporate style and pocketed the cash anyway: Jaguar now owned by India, Aston Martin majority owned by Arab/China consortium, Volvo owned by China.

You are dead right, they would have "Flipped" Alfa, having got it for a song. However, Ford made a profit simply by putting these companies back on their feet. I could have lived with that. Stellantis will do the same at some time in the future!

[vinsharp]

You would really shed a tear or two for the Alloytec engine if you lived here. I was at a place a few months back where probably 100 of them were going to recycling!
While I've seen dozens of these apart over the years, I fail to see anything that is significantly different to a lot, if not the majority of modern era CAD designed engines which are all very similar in concept. That bottom end structure of webbing and cross-bolting etc has been a common feature for decades now, particularly in V-engines, but also in-line.  A visit to anywhere that has modern engines dismantled will provide variations on the theme. I can't see that the 'Holden' engine is any more a work of art than the average engine of the period when all laid bare. Certainly in Holdens here, it was adequate for the job of moving 4 seats, but the Ford 6 was the pick for any serious application like towing a caravan. In fact, the Ford 6 Barra engine I would say is probably superior in its bottom end design and execution. 

[Ascari32]

You would really shed a tear or two for the Alloytec engine if you lived here. I was at a place a few months back where probably 100 of them were going to recycling!
While I've seen dozens of these apart over the years, I fail to see anything that is significantly different to a lot, if not the majority of modern era CAD designed engines which are all very similar in concept. That bottom end structure of webbing and cross-bolting etc has been a common feature for decades now, particularly in V-engines, but also in-line.  A visit to anywhere that has modern engines dismantled will provide variations on the theme. I can't see that the 'Holden' engine is any more a work of art than the average engine of the period when all laid bare. Certainly in Holdens here, it was adequate for the job of moving 4 seats, but the Ford 6 was the pick for any serious application like towing a caravan. In fact, the Ford 6 Barra engine I would say is probably superior in its bottom end design and execution.

I am afraid I have to work with what I have got. I love my 159 Q4 but this is the engine they fitted. I have got 291ps out of her so far and just looking to make as many improvements as I can.

My 3.0 GTV, 1998 has 30,000 miles from new and I have no intention of touching that. The 159 is a great car for our needs. None of the other variants are to my liking. The 2.4, Q4 is great, but it is a diesel and I would rather not go back to diesel.

But I am aware of the lower timing chain issues and that is the area I would like to modify. Besides, it is a good project to occupy me through the winter, particularly as I can't drive at the mo.