12 or 24v

[GMC]

Can anyone advise me ?, for rallying use, 12 or 24v engine, I have been advised by an Alfa specialist to go for the 12v engine because of reliability. That the 24v engine gives lots of belt trouble and crankshaft is also under pressue because of the extra 1000 rpm ?? I know there is a power difference but I will ignore that for the moment.
Anyone know different ? please.


Gerard. :confused:

[chris.richard]

You have to be careful of belt tension on 24v - otherwise the rear bank outlet cam skips a tooth, particularly if revved when cold. (The belts are looser until the whole engine expands as it warms up). There are 2 different cambelt tensioners with their respective enthusiasts.
I understand the 24v is a bit freer revving, and needs to be used at higher revs to get the benefit.
24v is the newer, more "advanced" engine.
I've not read of any crankshaft problems with either engine.
An alfa dealer should be better placed than punters to comment on the relative reliability of the two engines. Try asking at alfa digest 164 website (http://www.digest.net/alfa/FAQ/164/bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi)
There are some other issues for UK rallying - e.g. the 24v needs a more complex id & logbooking procedure (I've got spare forms if you need them), and is subject to a 1060kg minimum weight, the 12v can be lighter - I forget the exact figure, it's in the Blue Book.
The 24v sounds nicer!

[David May]

Its usually a sticky belt-tenioner which causes 24V belt problems. They might feel a bit cammy, but most 24Vs have a 7250 rev limit and produce just as much torque as a 12V up to about 4500, then whooom..... It's another story! If you can get a good cheap 24V, why spend loads of cash on making a 12V go no faster?

[SUSIT]

If you can get a good cheap 24V, why spend loads of cash on making a 12V go no faster?


Hi Dave
Now you tell me, could you not have said before I paid huge wads of cash for a highly tuned 12Valve!
How you keeping anyway?
Regards
Stephen Struthers

[David May]

Stephen,
Isn't it time you got that engine on the road so we can compare acceleration times? As a matter of fact, I don't recall anybody publishing real road test figures for any replicas! (Everybody seems to say "around 5Sec 0->60" which sounds too much like a quote from the brochure than a real time!) I've done several drag-races with mine, although I'm the first to admit to having too much respect for my transmission to be fast off the line.

[CorseChris]

Hasn't Arthur got a table for this?? :)

[Arthur]

Yep.

Kitchen table, wind-up Dinky toy, and Fisher-Price stopwatch.

Back to work Monday for another 6-week stint out of sunny Lerwick. Talk again early November.

[John]

Arthur,
have a good voyage. We all look forward to your contributions in November.
John

[CorseChris]

Yep.

Kitchen table, wind-up Dinky toy, and Fisher-Price stopwatch.

Back to work Monday for another 6-week stint out of sunny Lerwick. Talk again early November.

:D :D

Have a safe trip