164 12v Not Running Right

[guy mayers]

Hi all, after all these years you'd think I'd know what is wrong when it doesn't go as well as it ought to. I have my suspicions but some extra thought and input would be appreciated!

Ok, the car starts readily enough and usually idles evenly but occaisionally just cuts out at tick over. I've thought it might be me dragging the clutch but it's not something I really believe. Also the car just doesn't like being driven on a light throttle, coughing and spluttering some of the time. Most recently it feels as if it can't accelerate well above 50. It does but no faster than the Euroboxes around me. Basically it feels down on power.

I've always changed fuel filters and had blocked injectors before so I know what that feels like. The plugs, dizzy and rotor arm have been replaced recently so they are all new.

What I did notice when changing the rotor arm was play in it, rotating about the end of the cam. Now I've never looked into how the Alfa allows for ignition advance, is it electronic and should there be no play on the rotor arm? How is it fixed to the end of the cam? Anyone know?

The cure may be drastic as I have a Cloverleaf motor to go in but that needs a rebuild first... What to do? :confused: :confused:

Cheers
Guy

[strat6v]

No question Guy, It's almost the end of the season so switch it out for the clover.

Have you swapped the water temp sender?

[roger001]

definately sound injection related - ? AFM problem - with regard the rotor this is driven by a slot on the end of the cam - has no advance retard function, purly sends the spark to the correct cylinder, ECU does the advance retard.
best option is to swap injection components one at a time for known good ones if poss.

[guy mayers]

Thanks Roger, if the rotor is slot driven would you expect play in it? (In the direction of rotation that is) I think I have more than a few degrees.

If anyone can confirm that the rotor arm should have play then I'll start looking at AFMs, injectors and the suchlike but I just want to find out if the obvious is the culprit by comparison to other engines.

The cloverleaf will go in one day but it really needs a rebuild and the loom is different to the 12V in addition to some of the plumbing. It's not a straight swap unfortunately!

Cheers

Guy

[roger001]

Guy

Can't remember exactly but there was a few degrees I think, but this shold not affect perfomance, Is the centre contact on the distributor cap moving on its spring roperly? I had one that stuck in the in position so made poor contact with the rotor arm.

[guy mayers]

I'll check that this weekend Roger but it was a new Alfa cap just before we went to Turin a year ago.
Cheers
Guy

[CorseChris]

Normally lots of play in the rotor drive Guy - forget that one as a possible. There aren't many bits to go wrong by way of sensors, so check the water temp sender as has been suggested (the blue Bosch one), and also the AMP connector that goes to it - they can have a hard time in the donor car. AFM as suggested, CPS, or possibly fuel pressure. That model of ECU has been know to suffer breakdown of the coil driver so that's another possibility. Plenty of spares out there to try!

[Arthur]

Guy,

Close to me, so not too far from you - try Peter Hignett at Astmoor Bridge Garage in Runcorn. 01928 564030.
Used to be an official Bosch specialist. Not official now, but still has all the kit, plus computerised rollers, and knows what he's doing. He does less and less garage work, and more and more race prep and support now, but well worth a visit if you can get him. Even worth a chat on the phone. He's high on my list of "people worth knowing". (most of the racing machinery in Geoff Turton's shop at any one time is his supported motors).

Arthur.