2002 166 3.0 advice

[rjayzloose]

hi,

i've just purchased a 02 166 3.0l v6. got it at a steal but for good reason.

i've bought this car knowing that it doesnt start, it turns over but doesnt fire up. i automatically assume crank sensor and after searching alfaowner.com the symptom seems pretty common in this model. the guy i bought it off said it just died as his wife was driving it - i assume it heated up cut out and that the sensor coil is fried. i have ordered a ne sensor and will put it in once it arrives. the vehicle has full service history cam changed etc etc but i am just looking for any ones opinion if a) i should change anything else before i start using it b) if there is any other little tricks that could be making it not run. im aware of this model having dodgy coils, the button cut off under passenger seat, possible fuel relays and a few others but i appreciate anyones opinion. the car is at 118000km and obviously ready for 120 service

[colcol]

Take it to Marranello Pursang Motors for the heater modification to stop the 166 heater leaking onto the computer, causing the computer to fail, a new one costing more than a 166 is worth, the Alfa 166 has the worst resale value of any Luxury cars, according to Top Gear, they did a test on it, have a look at youtube.
Mostly with a crank sensor its fails when hot and comes good when the engine cools down or they completely fail, also make sure the water pump has been replaced with a metal impellor blade, the original water pumps  had plastic blades and were prone to failure.
It could also be a fuel pump failure, when you switch it on get close to the fuel tank and listen to if the fuel pump is running, Colin.

[rjayzloose]

yeah i've heard of people bagging there box so that if the heater leaks it stops this but i would rather it done properly as you say. i pick the car up next week so will check the water pump has been changed and i will check fuel is pumping properly through the filter. there just seems to be small little problems but for what i paid and what the resell at it is worth me spending a few bucks. thanks

[rjayzloose]

would you think it be worth doing a manual ECM re-boot??

[orgigeorgie]

yeah i've heard of people bagging there box so that if the heater leaks it stops this but i would rather it done properly as you say. i pick the car up next week so will check the water pump has been changed and i will check fuel is pumping properly through the filter. there just seems to be small little problems but for what i paid and what the resell at it is worth me spending a few bucks. thanks

Hey mate, I went and inspected the car too. The owner said that he's already protected the ECU and the Transmission Control Unit.

Car was very nice, congrats. I steered clear because I feared broken cambelt- but it sounds like its all ok on that front?

[John Hanslow]

I suggest you want to check what has been done and when.  Remember cam belt requires changing every 3 years or 60,000kms so it may after 10 years, its a bit hit and miss without records.

You really want to get it looked at property and I am a big fan of prepurchase inspections or getting a car fully diagnosed by an Alfa Analyser.  For $150 or so the best you can spend on a car.

Colin is on the money with this as it will save you plenty and a cheap buy can become an overpriced liability.

[colcol]

The 3 years 50,000 kilometer cam belt change is for the 4 cylinder Fiat based motors, for the V-6 Alfa romeo motor its more like 5 years or 80,000 kilometers, but check your owners manual before listening to me, if you have no record of a recent cam belt change then have it done now, also the engine oil filters are notoriously hard to change on the V-6, apparantly the power steering pump has to be moved, therefor the filter sometimes doesn't get changed.
Someone should come up with a remote filter for these to make them easier to change, like they do with some 4 wheel drives, Colin.

[rjayzloose]

cam belt was done last service @ 110k so im not worried re that...

where the hell is the crank sensor - for a job that they say takes 30mins its taken me 2 days so far. im unable to find it underneath so if someone can give me a easy way to find it please help.
the oil filter was a little loose so i assume it has been changed somewherre along the line as if it wasnt i think it wouldve been tighter than a nuns nasty but i will change it again now whilst im there as its at 118k so i may aswell do it.
i also pulled out another sensor by mistake thinking i had the crank sensor but i didnt and i believe that the sensor is stuffed to as there is no metal pin at the tip, could it possibly be the cam sensor?? had 3 prongs to the plug?

[colcol]

I don't know where the crank sensor is on a V-6, but it is always around the flywheel or timing case, have a look on some of the Alfa Owners Forums or have a look at one of the places in the UK, such as EB Spares or The Alfa Workshop, they have a technical part on their website, usually titled 'how to.....', Colin.

[colcol]

Buy one of those $20 workshop manual discs for your computer, and as you need things, just print off a hard copy and take it too your car for reference, all cars eventually suffer from crank sensor failure, Colin.

[Craig_m67]

Mounted on sump, under an alloy cover (?) pointed rearwards facing the flywheel ie. at 6pm.