156 lack of power after cambelt change (2002 2.4 jtd)

[chrisga]

Hi all, sorry, havent posted in a while. I had my cambelt changed earlier this week. A good idea. Until i got the car back and it now has a distinct lack of power. I have previously had an issue on another car after having a cambelt changed where the garage forgot to put a turbo hose back on but this is different. The car "seems" fine when driving below 2k revs. In first and second gear it revs right round, but slightly slower than usual. In 3rd gear or above it just doesnt accelerate quickly above 2000rpm. The turbo is whistling as it would normally. At the same time the garage serviced the car, new oil, filter, air filter etc. It was also meant to have a new thermostat but they couldnt for some reason get the right part so that may have been played with. As well as a lack of power when you ease off the power the car doesnt seem to decelerate as quickly under engine braking as it used to, however how differently its hard to say.
One other strange symptom is that in the cabin it really smells of burning oil or diesel. When i got home we removed the top engine cover and with the engine running there is visible smoke coming from around the thing on top of the right hand most cylinder as you look at the engine from the front of the car. This thing has a small circlip and a little pipe on top as well as an electrical connection. Now im not really sure what this is but it looks a bit like a fuel return or something. Its not the injector or glowplug which seems to be round the back of the engine. Could this be causing a lack of compression? Is it just bad luck that this has happened while at the garage or is this something that may have been fiddled with while it was in.

Is flat power delivery symptom of anything in particular? It might be my imagination in overdrive but could the new cambelt be a tooth out without doing any massive damage? Thats what I'm most worried about.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[V6Alfisti]

Did you take the car to an Alfa Specialist? Any good specialist will use the proper cam locks and TDC gauge.

I'm wondering if the timing hasn't been set correctly?

Oil smells can just be excess oil left around the sump/oil filler which then heats up as the engine warms, although it sounds like you have already located the leak, perhaps post pictures on here with an arrow pointing to the offending part.

EDIT: I would be tempted to loosen the clip, ensure the pipe is fully pushed on and then re-tighten

Edited by V6Alfisti on Thursday 8th April 22:31

[chrisga]

Hmm, unfortunately no. We dont have any specialists close by it seems. Bugger, i was hoping someone would say no the cambelts definitely ok....

It seems to be below the circlip, more like the join between this part which has a big kind of hex head round it and the engine, as though its not seated properly.

Edited by chrisga on Thursday 8th April 22:33

[V6Alfisti]

chrisga said:

Hmm, unfortunately no. We dont have any specialists close by it seems. Bugger, i was hoping someone would say no the cambelts definitely ok....

It seems to be below the circlip, more like the join between this part which has a big kind of hex head round it and the engine, as though its not seated properly.

Edited by chrisga on Thursday 8th April 22:33

If it wouldn't have been straight after a belt change, I would have suggested the MAF, but seems more than a coincidence.

Where are you based?

[V6Alfisti]

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-33-sud-and-spr...

List of specialists in Midlands

[chrisga]

Thanks, not close by but worth it in hindsight.

[wrinx]

V6Alfisti said:

Did you take the car to an Alfa Specialist? Any good specialist will use the proper cam locks and TDC gauge.

I'm wondering if the timing hasn't been set correctly?

Trouble is, this is the JTD engine so it was probably just marked up with Tippex like many other engines. Timing could well be out a little but I'm not convinced.

I can't work out where this leak is coming from, from the description typed.

OP...can you post a picture up?

wrinx

Edited by wrinx on Thursday 8th April 23:28

[neiljohnson]

Officially this is an engine out job to do the belt on these engines so if they did remove the engine then lots of parts have been disturbed so need to be rechecked. From your description it sounds like the injector leak off pipe is leaking. Get it back to the garage that replaced the belt asap

[chrisga]

Thanks I have been looking a little more an it looks like it leaks where the injector actually seats not from the return pipe. It leaks between the hex part and the engine not up higher by the clip. It is going back again today. Can't take a photos as the car has just gone back.

Edited by chrisga on Friday 9th April 07:51

[RicksAlfas]

chrisga said:

On a side note does anyone know where I can get the radio code from...

Alfa dealer. Take in your V5 and for about £20 you will get a document with all your codes (radio, keys, immobiliser etc). Well worth doing if you ever need new/spare keys programming.

Hope you get your engine sorted Chris!

[chrisga]

Thanks I have found the slip of paper now.

[chrisga]

It appears to be this part from which its smoking. From the top of the engine I can only see the large metal hex part at the top (as well as the wiring connector and the pipe coming from the top of it). How does this bit attach to the engine? Does it screw in? I can't seem to see any threads? Would this bit have been removed when the cambelt was done to check timing perhaps?

[wrinx]

neiljohnson said:

Officially this is an engine out job to do the belt on these engines

Really...why? As far as I know they are done in situ.

wrinx

[wrinx]

chrisga said:

It appears to be this part from which its smoking. From the top of the engine I can only see the large metal hex part at the top (as well as the wiring connector and the pipe coming from the top of it). How does this bit attach to the engine? Does it screw in? I can't seem to see any threads? Would this bit have been removed when the cambelt was done to check timing perhaps?

Not 100% sure but I think they are a push fit. Timing, if it was checked, would have been done on number one cylinder (the belt end)...the other end of where you described this fitting.

wrinx

Edited by wrinx on Friday 9th April 10:53

Edited by wrinx on Friday 9th April 10:58

[neiljohnson]

wrinx said:

neiljohnson said:

Officially this is an engine out job to do the belt on these engines

Really...why? As far as I know they are done in situ.

wrinx

The 2.4jtd is a 5 cylinder & Alfa say it can only be done this way. It can just about be done in situ but its a pita as its so tight.

[chrisga]

wrinx said:

chrisga said:

It appears to be this part from which its smoking. From the top of the engine I can only see the large metal hex part at the top (as well as the wiring connector and the pipe coming from the top of it). How does this bit attach to the engine? Does it screw in? I can't seem to see any threads? Would this bit have been removed when the cambelt was done to check timing perhaps?

Not 100% sure but I think they are a push fit. Timing, if it was checked, would have been done on number one cylinder (the belt end)...the other end of where you described this fitting.

wrinx

Edited by wrinx on Friday 9th April 10:53

Edited by wrinx on Friday 9th April 10:58

Push fit? Really? Is this the injector? Wouldnt this be under pressure? I'm sure you're right but I can't get my head around how it would stay in when the piston arrives at the top of its stroke, or am i misunderstanding something?

[wrinx]

chrisga said:

Push fit? Really?

I may be talking out of my orifice....this thread mentions metal clips, looks they just slide in to lock the injector in place.

wrinx

Edited by wrinx on Friday 9th April 12:21

[chrisga]

If the timing was out would the engine know by the cam and crank sensors?

[chrisga]

Woohoo car is fixed. Took it to Autolusso who diagnosed the prob to be a faulty maf thingy. Changed it on the spot and car running fine again now. Thanks Ned and Nick!