Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6
Discussion
davebem said:
Hi, I got the standard mocal thermostatic oil take off SP-1, with matching mocal spacer SPA1, and fitted this where the heat exchanger originally was, it just fits inside the exchanger mount and with the spacer it locates the filter in the same place, although I did trim the mount at the bottom a little to keep the pipes away from the manifold heat shield. I also bought a centre extender bolt (m20 from memory), the extender is not needed but I cut this in half and screwed the end peice over the existing long thread to ensure it all sits centrally. To block off the exchangers old coolant feed you will need a lower rear block blanking plug from a 3.0 or 3.2 and also blank off/remove the metal pipe that runs from the back of the thermostat along the back of the plenum. The 3.0/3.2 one wont do because the coolant tank is on the other side on those and it feeds that instead. However for now on mine ive just run a straight through 15mm ID coolant pipe. I couldnt source the parts and at the time wasnt sure if the 2.5 is plumbed internally any different (im now sure it is not).
Hi, i have an oil filter housing with the pipes and oilcooler from a 166 3.0 V6. Can i use the housing on a 2.5 V6? Or just the part from a 3.2? The pipes will i modify because the length is not the same on the 166. If its not fit, than i will buy the same as yours. 
Lovely car.
I bought a 2.5 from a used car dealer, sold as spares or repair as the engine seemed sick, with the dashboard lit up like Blackpool pleasure beach.
But I'd spotted the maf sensor dangling on its wires, so I paid the man £400, drove it round the corner to pop it back on, whereupon all the warning lights went off and the engine ran beautifully.
It was a T reg (I think), 99000 miles, 6 months MOT, silver with a blue cloth interior, plain wheels, and a huge history file. I was quite surprised by the solid build quality.
The thermostat had failed meaning it wouldn't heat up - this was cured by removing the top hose and inserting a Renault 5 thermostat, which worked beautifully. The car ran faultless until the MOT was due.
Sadly the immenent need for a starter motor, a clutch, cambelt and some welding seemed unviable to me at the time, so it went for scrap. Yes, I know, I know.
I loved the engine, closest I'll get to a Ferrari! Every trip seemed an occasion. But the appalling turning circle, it's tendency to ground itself on every speed bump, and it's thirst didn't seem practical for London.
Still miss it though.
I bought a 2.5 from a used car dealer, sold as spares or repair as the engine seemed sick, with the dashboard lit up like Blackpool pleasure beach.
But I'd spotted the maf sensor dangling on its wires, so I paid the man £400, drove it round the corner to pop it back on, whereupon all the warning lights went off and the engine ran beautifully.
It was a T reg (I think), 99000 miles, 6 months MOT, silver with a blue cloth interior, plain wheels, and a huge history file. I was quite surprised by the solid build quality.
The thermostat had failed meaning it wouldn't heat up - this was cured by removing the top hose and inserting a Renault 5 thermostat, which worked beautifully. The car ran faultless until the MOT was due.
Sadly the immenent need for a starter motor, a clutch, cambelt and some welding seemed unviable to me at the time, so it went for scrap. Yes, I know, I know.
I loved the engine, closest I'll get to a Ferrari! Every trip seemed an occasion. But the appalling turning circle, it's tendency to ground itself on every speed bump, and it's thirst didn't seem practical for London.
Still miss it though.
Its been 3.5 years! Still going strong, the 156 is a keeper so thought it was time for progress update. During the 1st covid lockdown we handed back my wifes lease car as surplus to requirements, so shes been using the Golf and Ive used the 156 as a daily , this includes being used and kept outside during the last 2 winters as my garage was occupied with a Mini I was doing light restoration on. Theres been a few misshaps, but it is a near 25 year old car.
My alternator failed out of the blue around110,000 miles, the AA got me going again with a new battery to get home. I replaced it with a genuine bosch refurbished one. It was a fairly straightforward job, the method I used was to remove the subframe and passenger side drive shaft and pushed the engine forward and lowered it from the drivers side wheel arch.
During the 1st lockdown I removed the rear subframe and replaced the rear suspension arms and gave it all a good clean.
I also replaced the cambelt during lockdown, I used the full cambelt kit from SKF, SKF waterpump, new cam cover gaskets, aux belt, aux belt tensioner and aux belt idler. I also did a full oil/filter service. I thought about writing a guide on cambelt change, would it be useful to anyone? I found the job to be so much easier with the right tools, e.g. extra long hex keys to remove the belt cover/idlers due to the tight space. Also the correct cam locking blocks, and tensioning adjustment tool.
Last winter I hit a pothole in lincolnshire and the rear anti roll bar mount sheared off on the shock body, i just swapped the shock round the other side and used the opposite side mount. The drop links are equal length and the bar sits perfectly in middle so not sure how this happened.
The continued use and driving on UK winter roads has had its toll though. I had sprayed the front subframe, petrol tank mounts, wheel arches and rear arms/roll bar with lanoguard.
Per earlier posts I did the floor pans and spare wheel well with layer of bilthamber + grey dinotrol underseal a few years ago, filled the vent holes and relayed the internal sound insulation correctly. This has protected the floor just fine.
|https://thumbsnap.com/KSjNEeJ3[/url]
But the bottom of the drivers side front wing is perforating badly, this must have started happening quite suddenly as didnt notice this until the beginning of the year. I dont think its too late to save it? If anyone knows a bodyshop in Leicestershire that could sort this please let me know, the paint is bubbling.
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The other side is holding up really well though!
My alternator failed out of the blue around110,000 miles, the AA got me going again with a new battery to get home. I replaced it with a genuine bosch refurbished one. It was a fairly straightforward job, the method I used was to remove the subframe and passenger side drive shaft and pushed the engine forward and lowered it from the drivers side wheel arch.
During the 1st lockdown I removed the rear subframe and replaced the rear suspension arms and gave it all a good clean.
I also replaced the cambelt during lockdown, I used the full cambelt kit from SKF, SKF waterpump, new cam cover gaskets, aux belt, aux belt tensioner and aux belt idler. I also did a full oil/filter service. I thought about writing a guide on cambelt change, would it be useful to anyone? I found the job to be so much easier with the right tools, e.g. extra long hex keys to remove the belt cover/idlers due to the tight space. Also the correct cam locking blocks, and tensioning adjustment tool.
Last winter I hit a pothole in lincolnshire and the rear anti roll bar mount sheared off on the shock body, i just swapped the shock round the other side and used the opposite side mount. The drop links are equal length and the bar sits perfectly in middle so not sure how this happened.
The continued use and driving on UK winter roads has had its toll though. I had sprayed the front subframe, petrol tank mounts, wheel arches and rear arms/roll bar with lanoguard.
Per earlier posts I did the floor pans and spare wheel well with layer of bilthamber + grey dinotrol underseal a few years ago, filled the vent holes and relayed the internal sound insulation correctly. This has protected the floor just fine.
|https://thumbsnap.com/KSjNEeJ3[/url]But the bottom of the drivers side front wing is perforating badly, this must have started happening quite suddenly as didnt notice this until the beginning of the year. I dont think its too late to save it? If anyone knows a bodyshop in Leicestershire that could sort this please let me know, the paint is bubbling.
[url]The other side is holding up really well though!
Edited by davebem on Friday 26th May 12:02
Bad luck on the paint
Always loved these since swapping keys with a friend for a spirited drive one night to see what each others cars were like
They do make a fantastic sound and the steering was so quick
Often looked for a nice black one on the telephone dials with the hoop spoiler, a/c and a sunroof but never found a decent one
Well done on keeping yours ticking along
Love reading the updates
Always loved these since swapping keys with a friend for a spirited drive one night to see what each others cars were like
They do make a fantastic sound and the steering was so quick
Often looked for a nice black one on the telephone dials with the hoop spoiler, a/c and a sunroof but never found a decent one
Well done on keeping yours ticking along
Love reading the updates
davebem said:
I forgot to mention, been decorating and after a spirited drive home from B&Q I now found I need a new boot interior. Wanted if anyone is breaking?
Aren't most household paints water based these days? I reckon hitting that with a cheap wet and dry hoover (that you don't care about) to suck up the majority then stripping it out and jetwashing the carpets will probably get rid of most of the mess if so.
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