The £200 Alfa...

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Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
quotequote all
Update. The cheap MAP sensor failed last week. Other fault codes - 235/236 as well as overboost 238.

Took it apart and checked the VNT actuation. This is free and has about 10mm of travel at the turbo.

Vacuum operation seems fine, when it was flagging 235/236 it would cut out like it had a misfire. Same at the actuator. Responds quickly, but the opposing movement seems slow. 2-3 secs to pull it back?

It has silicone vacuum hoses, checked them, no holes.

But desired boost pressure is mostly less than actual. When the MAP sensor goes out of range at 4.7 volts it triggers MCSF & limp.

So We're back pointing the finger at the turbo and or the alfatune remap.

Starting to pish me off now.

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Sunday 8th May 2016
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MOT is due next month and the floor needed some, um, attention;

IMG_9831 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9832-2 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9833 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9836 by Chris 155, on Flickr

I guess you could say the floor wasn't too bad, front sections were fine. The additional panels in the rear footwells are interesting, not seen them before. All fixed now.

I also took the opportunity to scrub 150k worth of dirt out of the carpet...

IMG_9829-2 by Chris 155, on Flickr

And then pressure wash it and the floor mats.

IMG_9837 by Chris 155, on Flickr

The carpet actually has a blue fleck in it, didn't know that.

My Dad's also been working on a bolster repair method which he's used to repair the drivers seat whilst it was out. I think we have a load of pics for a mini guide.

cat with a hat

1,484 posts

117 months

Sunday 8th May 2016
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looks great!

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Monday 9th May 2016
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cat with a hat said:
looks great!
Thanks smile

rxe

6,700 posts

102 months

Monday 9th May 2016
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I seem to remember suggesting you looked at the floorpans a while back on AO. :-)

I don't think a 156 still exists without rusty floor pans.

maxdb

1,533 posts

156 months

Monday 9th May 2016
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I had the same with mine so just sold it on and replaced it with another car. It was a shame really as they are really good cars to drive.

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Monday 9th May 2016
quotequote all
rxe said:
I seem to remember suggesting you looked at the floorpans a while back on AO. :-)

I don't think a 156 still exists without rusty floor pans.
Yup and I'm well aware of the issue, I was one of the first to find the problem and post about it....



Edited by Zombie on Monday 9th May 22:58

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Monday 9th May 2016
quotequote all
maxdb said:
I had the same with mine so just sold it on and replaced it with another car. It was a shame really as they are really good cars to drive.
The diesel's (i.e. the subject of this thread) ok handling wise (I think it might be on konis) but it's biased toward understeer and if you do give it a bit of a scandinavian, you end up falling over the nannying stability control, which can't be turned off, in theory. The ride is crap though. My brother's 2014 BMW 320d is a limo comparatively speaking. The chocolate suspension bushes are a PITA too.

The GTA is better, but the steering is way too light and doesn't instil confidence when you turn into a corner or feel through it. Think I'm going to change the power steering pump to a 2.5 v6 version.


Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Monday 9th May 2016
quotequote all
Back together, all is good. Apart from some broken clips that hold the sill covers on. censoreding things.

IMG_9840 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9842 by Chris 155, on Flickr

Pics of the repaired bolster;

IMG_9839 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9838 by Chris 155, on Flickr

And given that it I'd washed it, some pics of the car itself, taken on the way home tonight:

IMG_9848 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9847 by Chris 155, on Flickr

IMG_9846 by Chris 155, on Flickr

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
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After spending 2 days scrubbing the interior clean it's decided to thank me with a complete loss of power... That's randomly intermittent.

Great.

Broke out the diagnostic gear, moved the passenger seat back for my dad to come with me on a test drive and popped a bottle of coke that had been well agitated on the way home.

Coke (a cola) ended up spaying all over the whole and previously pristine interior.

censoredcensoredcensoredcensoredcensored

1 hour later... A fault is being logged as a MAF problem that won't clear but isn't bringing the management light on.

Desired boost and actual boost roughly correlate

Desired and actual fuel pressure are about right

The maf voltage reading look a little suspect though.

So I'm going to leave it with my Dad tomorrow and go to work in the GTA. I'm sure I'll break that too, the way this week is going.


cheddar

4,637 posts

173 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
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Great thread, keep it coming thumbup

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
quotequote all
And to add to my general frustrations, my new, expensive fleece that was also covered in coke, has gone through the wash with my shure headphones in one of the pockets.


Edited by Zombie on Wednesday 18th May 23:23


Edited by Zombie on Wednesday 18th May 23:26

Evoluzione

10,345 posts

242 months

Thursday 19th May 2016
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Zombie said:
MOT is due next month and the floor needed some, um, attention.
The floor isn't part of the MOT (unless it's gone all Fred Flintstone). Fiat Coupes which have the same floor pan parts rust out exactly where yours has. At least it's an easy fix!

rxe

6,700 posts

102 months

Thursday 19th May 2016
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Unfortunately the rust points are well within 12" or whatever it is of a structural component - the seat belt mounts. So they do fail on floors very easily.

_Superleggera_

2,003 posts

196 months

Thursday 19th May 2016
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Great thread Chris. Hope you are well mate. wink

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Thursday 19th May 2016
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_Superleggera_ said:
Great thread Chris. Hope you are well mate. wink
Cheers OA smile

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
quotequote all
So following on from the last problem, my Dad has removed the egr delete which takes a feed from the MAF and tested the wiring continuity from the MAF to the engine ecu. Removing the EGR delete solved the lack of power issue but it's still over boosting on occasion.

But we went to Birmingham today with the diagnostic computer plugged in with a view to logging conditions when the over boost fault is triggered.

It all went pear shaped when it started acting up with a stutter. Feels like a misfire and is the same stutter that developed into a total loss of power.

This time it is different. It only occurs between 2k and 2.75k at around 30% throttle. Outside of either range, its fine.

We think it could be egr related but there's nothing in e-learn (alfa's workshop manual) that details the operating conditions for the EGR. It's also not present from a cold start up or after its warm and been left to stand for 15min.

The overboots issue also occurs on part throttle opening, as well as 100% and boost pressure where it should be full boost feels low on occasion.

Nearly every part of the boost control system has been changed as have the MAF and MAP sensors.

Consequently the only thing left is the ECU. Which has the added advantage of taking the Remap out of the equation of suspected causes.

A replacement has been ordered for £60.

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
Dan (autolusso penrith) has suggested that the overbootst issue may by resulting from the inlet manifold being filled with soot.

But think the Inlet manifold may have been cleaned out as part of the work the PO had undertaken. Nonetheless, Father has suggested taking the TB off it and sticking the endoscope camera in it.

May try that tomorrow.

Also had another look at the wiring connections.

Nothing untoward found here - the connector by the side has a connection through to the maf so we were checking that.



This was a bit more suspect:



But the wire that had been soldered is for the FBW throttle.

The air filter has been replaced too;



Kev_Mk3

2,739 posts

94 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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bloody alfas hey lol good read so far

Zombie

Original Poster:

1,587 posts

194 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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I checked the suspension weeks ago, I checked the lights, I fixed the floor, I looked for leaks, I... My Dad checked the tyres... We bloody cleaned it with menzurma, waxed it and hoovered it.

I even left the windows down so MOT man wouldn't be jumping into a black car with a black leather interior that would've been as hot as dante's inferno after being left in the sun.

Did it pass it's MOT?

See thread title.

Yes it failed.

Upper wishbone.

It's now been replaced along with ARB drop links. Retest tomorrow.

Note to self, make a note of MOT day and don't plan a weekend 200miles away camping on same said weekend.

Yes there's pics. No, I can't be arsed posting them.