Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 Twin Spark - Unseen-ish
Discussion
exgtt said:
OP where do you get these cars from? The OH is handing back her company car soon and I feel she needs a derelict 147 in her life. I've driven the 8v JTD before and really liked it, I've shown her a few pics and she likes it's styling.
Just a certain well known auction site, nobody wants 2.0 Twin sparks it seems as they don't have the mpg of a diesel and the tax is a bit steep - just save 'Alfa 147' in your searches and eventually a goodish one pops up.A lot get shifted for nothing when an EML light and a timing belt is due too
of course, I've probably got a spare one now
stewjohnst said:
Just a certain well known auction site, nobody wants 2.0 Twin sparks it seems as they don't have the mpg of a diesel and the tax is a bit steep - just save 'Alfa 147' in your searches and eventually a goodish one pops up.
A lot get shifted for nothing when an EML light and a timing belt is due too
of course, I've probably got a spare one now
Brilliant, thanks, I'll get searching. Need a JTD due to miles, with a factory set 4.5k rev limit! A lot get shifted for nothing when an EML light and a timing belt is due too
of course, I've probably got a spare one now
RicksAlfas said:
Our 147 (low miles, FSH) ate it's water pump as it was idling on the drive. I'd just shaken hands with the guy who had bought it and was driving it back to some southern outland.
Tell me about it, had a tussle with a E46 M3 cab with 5 lads in it (innit) Went through 1st, then 2nd and I thought hang on I'm doing alright here, the half way through 3rd got the red injector light and limp home mode....
It went away after a minute or two, only time in 4 years I've ever seen it! Lads in the M3 had a chuckle at me.
A return to the car in daylight has not changed my view that this one isn't half bad.
It has been sat under leaves so is a bit green in places but it is in better nick than the one I paid twice this money for...
The engine management light turned out to be a bunch of old codes and a grumble about a lambda preheater but after a reset with the odb it has all gone!
The spring wasn't too bad on the wheel as it was resting rather than sitting. It was more like a playing card in the spokes of a bmx than angle grinder on the tyre as I'd feared so I decided to drive it as is to the garage.
It was here I noticed a schoolboy error in that the 'local' garage that was less than a mile away was actually on the wrong side of the Thames so it necessitated a 4.2 mile journey instead of a five minute one. Squeaky bum time.
I have never been so pleased to crawl around through school run traffic and red lights as I was today.
I pulled over halfway just to check all was ok. It hadn't made any mark at all on the tyre so I plodded on with many a mum wagon up my chuff and delivered the car.
They got the shock delivered yesterday so all being well I should be getting a call some time today to go collect it
I hesitate to say all is good as I'm still 200 miles away from home so I shan't tempted the gods just yet.
It has been sat under leaves so is a bit green in places but it is in better nick than the one I paid twice this money for...
The engine management light turned out to be a bunch of old codes and a grumble about a lambda preheater but after a reset with the odb it has all gone!
The spring wasn't too bad on the wheel as it was resting rather than sitting. It was more like a playing card in the spokes of a bmx than angle grinder on the tyre as I'd feared so I decided to drive it as is to the garage.
It was here I noticed a schoolboy error in that the 'local' garage that was less than a mile away was actually on the wrong side of the Thames so it necessitated a 4.2 mile journey instead of a five minute one. Squeaky bum time.
I have never been so pleased to crawl around through school run traffic and red lights as I was today.
I pulled over halfway just to check all was ok. It hadn't made any mark at all on the tyre so I plodded on with many a mum wagon up my chuff and delivered the car.
They got the shock delivered yesterday so all being well I should be getting a call some time today to go collect it
I hesitate to say all is good as I'm still 200 miles away from home so I shan't tempted the gods just yet.
exgtt said:
Brilliant, thanks, I'll get searching. Need a JTD due to miles, with a factory set 4.5k rev limit!
I'd agree with the advice to just search on eBay and wait. My 156 2.4 estate took about 8 weeks to find. Loads with 200K+ miles, or utterly knackered bodywork. Then my one popped up, 137K, perfect bodywork, got it for £380. I've spent a fair bit on it, most of which has been "optional". Mandatory was new belts, a service, 2 CV joints and some welding. Optional .... Eibach coilovers, ARBs, LSD, remapped ECU, meth injection .....Well...there's no such thing as a cheap car.
The suspension was a b
h to get off with everything rusted up.
Net result a morning of 'effing and jeffing by the garage and three hours of southerners labour rates plus vat to pay out.
So including the shock, the labour and the purchase this £250 car has cost me £520...
Damn good fun though
The suspension was a b
h to get off with everything rusted up.Net result a morning of 'effing and jeffing by the garage and three hours of southerners labour rates plus vat to pay out.
So including the shock, the labour and the purchase this £250 car has cost me £520...
Damn good fun though
rxe said:
I'd agree with the advice to just search on eBay and wait. My 156 2.4 estate took about 8 weeks to find. Loads with 200K+ miles, or utterly knackered bodywork. Then my one popped up, 137K, perfect bodywork, got it for £380. I've spent a fair bit on it, most of which has been "optional". Mandatory was new belts, a service, 2 CV joints and some welding. Optional .... Eibach coilovers, ARBs, LSD, remapped ECU, meth injection .....
Christ that 5pot is going to shift, is it the 20v? Be easy on the drive shafts if it is (you prob already know that) I'm a fan of the 1.9 but that 2.4 is next level.
Almost home...and she has flattered to deceive!
The owner had kindly left me a bottle of DOT4 by the car this morning as yes, you've guessed it, left turns trigger the brake fluid warning.
I didn't get away as fast as I'd like so ended up plodding through the m25 at rush hour. Had a brief panic when I opened her up on joining the M40 as I thought the clutch was slipping in 5th so I eased off and went a bit more gingerly back on the power.
She is struggling to keep engine temp though, it is cold outside and in traffic she was sat at a perfect 90 degrees but in clean air it hovers between 50-60 so I've stopped at Tibshelf to thaw out as the cabin isn't the warmest - There is some heat in the cabin air but not much so I've got a coffee on the go and much alternating of sitting on hands.
The heated seats aren't working either
it may be a fuse as both are out.
I also got an oil pressure warning as I swing into to the bay so I'm just letting the oil settle and will put thatbtruckers tizer I brought to good use as this might be one of those 'thirsty' twinnies.
The glovebox is also haunted and keeps opening, I reached over to shut it and the handle came off in my hand so there's a little job to add to the list.
On the plus side it did reveal an iPod adapter in there so I can finally have something besides classic fm and radio 4 to listen to.
Obligatory bonnet up at Services photo...
The owner had kindly left me a bottle of DOT4 by the car this morning as yes, you've guessed it, left turns trigger the brake fluid warning.
I didn't get away as fast as I'd like so ended up plodding through the m25 at rush hour. Had a brief panic when I opened her up on joining the M40 as I thought the clutch was slipping in 5th so I eased off and went a bit more gingerly back on the power.
She is struggling to keep engine temp though, it is cold outside and in traffic she was sat at a perfect 90 degrees but in clean air it hovers between 50-60 so I've stopped at Tibshelf to thaw out as the cabin isn't the warmest - There is some heat in the cabin air but not much so I've got a coffee on the go and much alternating of sitting on hands.
The heated seats aren't working either
it may be a fuse as both are out.I also got an oil pressure warning as I swing into to the bay so I'm just letting the oil settle and will put thatbtruckers tizer I brought to good use as this might be one of those 'thirsty' twinnies.
The glovebox is also haunted and keeps opening, I reached over to shut it and the handle came off in my hand so there's a little job to add to the list.
On the plus side it did reveal an iPod adapter in there so I can finally have something besides classic fm and radio 4 to listen to.
Obligatory bonnet up at Services photo...
Its common on Alfas of this vintage for the thermostat to seize, but they have a fail safe in that they always stick open. I had the same issue last winter, I bought a 2.0 twinny 156 from Preston and freezed my ass off all the way down to Leicestershire. I love your attitude though, most people scare easily and would be put off by old(ish) alfas by now! Once youve made 1 good car it will all be worth it.
Now that is a final 50 miles I do not wish to repeat.
After I put the 500ml of oil I had on me in the engine it still wasn't on the dipstick so i fired up to drive round to the garage, it rattled like a bag of spanners and I dashed in to buy more oil (and a large peroni for if I made it home) and get back out before the engine cooled down and realised it didn't want to turn anymore.
I put another 2 litres of oil in to get it to the top of the dipstick so than god I stopped or I'd have probably detonated on the motorway fairly soon.
It really didn't want to start when I got back in but rattled into life after a couple of lumpy cranks as long as it had revs it still felt ok. It pulling away in first it felt like the engine was going to wobble itself to bits, above 2k revs it was fine so I've spent the rest of the way home with the radio off being paranoid.
I hit a lane closure for roadworks and had to stop and restart for a bit as 4 went into 2 lanes - I thought I was a goner, the car shook like buggery and the EML came on and stayed on for the rest of the way.
Out of the roadworks all was good, I shat myself at some weird whistling noise and thought I'd blown up until I realised it was a plane landing at Robin Hood airport next to me,
I ended up behind a traffic plod hoping I wouldn't get an ANPR ping for insurance and pulled as I doubted it would restart again if asked (I have tempcover but who knows what askmid ever thinks?).
Basically tldr, I have shat myself all the way home, nobody died but I think the engine has.
And more importantly than that...
...and more importantly than that...
Cheers
After I put the 500ml of oil I had on me in the engine it still wasn't on the dipstick so i fired up to drive round to the garage, it rattled like a bag of spanners and I dashed in to buy more oil (and a large peroni for if I made it home) and get back out before the engine cooled down and realised it didn't want to turn anymore.
I put another 2 litres of oil in to get it to the top of the dipstick so than god I stopped or I'd have probably detonated on the motorway fairly soon.
It really didn't want to start when I got back in but rattled into life after a couple of lumpy cranks as long as it had revs it still felt ok. It pulling away in first it felt like the engine was going to wobble itself to bits, above 2k revs it was fine so I've spent the rest of the way home with the radio off being paranoid.
I hit a lane closure for roadworks and had to stop and restart for a bit as 4 went into 2 lanes - I thought I was a goner, the car shook like buggery and the EML came on and stayed on for the rest of the way.
Out of the roadworks all was good, I shat myself at some weird whistling noise and thought I'd blown up until I realised it was a plane landing at Robin Hood airport next to me,
I ended up behind a traffic plod hoping I wouldn't get an ANPR ping for insurance and pulled as I doubted it would restart again if asked (I have tempcover but who knows what askmid ever thinks?).
Basically tldr, I have shat myself all the way home, nobody died but I think the engine has.
And more importantly than that...
...and more importantly than that...
Cheers
exgtt said:
Christ that 5pot is going to shift, is it the 20v? Be easy on the drive shafts if it is (you prob already know that)
I'm a fan of the 1.9 but that 2.4 is next level.
Nope, 10v, much tougher drive shafts. :-) Nice simple engine, easy belt changes etc. It does indeed shift in a most undignified manner - I have a 156 GTA, and the diesel is not a lot slower point to point. I'm a fan of the 1.9 but that 2.4 is next level.
OP - your trip sounds like a shocker. Assuming that the oil was full when you started, 3+ liters in 200 miles is er, too much. A litre every 500 is "normal" and that's the problem with twinnies, you have to suspect that the average previous owner has neglected them.
rxe said:
Nope, 10v, much tougher drive shafts. :-) Nice simple engine, easy belt changes etc. It does indeed shift in a most undignified manner - I have a 156 GTA, and the diesel is not a lot slower point to point.
OP - your trip sounds like a shocker. Assuming that the oil was full when you started, 3+ liters in 200 miles is er, too much. A litre every 500 is "normal" and that's the problem with twinnies, you have to suspect that the average previous owner has neglected them.
Now I'm 2/3 of the way through that Peroni and can feel my toes again it's a good thing the engine is clearly borked on the way out.OP - your trip sounds like a shocker. Assuming that the oil was full when you started, 3+ liters in 200 miles is er, too much. A litre every 500 is "normal" and that's the problem with twinnies, you have to suspect that the average previous owner has neglected them.
It makes it easier for me to rip all the bits off and ditch it instead of ending up with two of them on the drive and not wanting to let them go or break them up.
The second one is quite rusty in spots - it's lived under trees and has only done short runs here and there so is a bit knackered.
I'll cannibalise it as planned for things like the new battery, headlight and boot locks and then scrap the rusty shell.
Interior is all nicer than mine so I'll be swapping all that over if/when I get chance.
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