In article >, catman@cuore-
rustsportivo.co.uk spouted forth into alt.autos.alfa-romeo...
> MeatballTurbo wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >> On Tue, 8 Jun 2004 12:07:41 +0100, MeatballTurbo
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >> >In article >,
> >> says...
> >> >> On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 09:33:46 +0200, Gordon
> >> >> > wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> >Correct: it turns, but no indication of spark at all.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >The frustating part is that it seems to run flawless at some point
> >> >> >but then the next morning.....
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >> Definitely check that the coil is being energised. ours used to do
> >> >> something simlar. You;d be driving along, and it would just die. You
> >> >> could re-start it immediately, but you had no idea how long it would
> >> >> be......
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >Does this sound like a grounding issue?
> >> >
> >> >I thought that when I first read it, but not been mentioned yet.
> >>
> >> Could be I guess. Ground strap to the engine may well have that kind
> >> of effect.
> >>
> >>
> > I know I don't yet own an Alfa, and that while never as bad as portrayed
> > Alfa electricals are stuff of legend, but I've only ever owned older
> > cars, and I'm amazed at how some of them have kept running with the main
> > ground strap from the engine to the chassis being about 3 strands of
> > left of the original inch wide strap.
>
> They only carry large current when actually cranking though, don't they?
Yep, normally, but it only takes a bit of engine rocking when cranking
to seperate the ground, and some cars have multiple one on the engine
and another on the transmission (especially if the starter motor is in
the trans (Skoda estelle transaxle had the engine on one side of the
trans, and the starter on the other you could just about change it from
inside the car through the slave cylinder/gearbox fluid topup port in
the floor ebhind the back seat).
> > And the Saab has it's own problems with heat from the turbo reducing
> > wiring insulation close by to the consistency of candle wax after 20
> > years of being slowly grilled everyday.
>
> heh. Quite fancy one of them one day
Oh they really are fun, and I know a couple of guys who have the road
legal and running 300+bhp through gearboxes that have trouble with much
more than 200 when the engines produce 185 tops standard. They each go
through about 3 boxes a year. Couple of swedish and american guys have
close to 400, but they use ericsonn 4 speed dog boxes for racing (drag
or classic rallycross) which cost about £1500 a pop+ about £2-400 labour
depending where you go, are stronger, not so great on the road and can
still break if you aren't careful.
But, push them hard and you can be down to low 20's MPG. Had a week off,
and never left town, and not even driving hard I managed 24MPG. Did a
190mile return journey, Motorway not dropping below 80 for more than 5
minutes, averaging 80-90 with quick bursts over the tonne on the M62
over the pennines at 7.30AM on a Sunday, fantastic real "Vanishing
Point" stuff with the mist just starting to clear on the hills arround
the motorway, and as you are climbing the engine is just loaded enough
for the turbo to be spooling constantly and whistling up not fully
boosting, but just enough to sound nice, and pass smaller cars, and some
big german ones as the thinner atmosphere slows them down and got 32-
33MPG. On my usual 180-190 weekly commute returns between 29-30
depending on the traffic mixed A road and Motorway much slower than my
nice Sunday run.
--
Carl Robson
(The poster formerly known as Skodapilot)
http://www.bouncing-czechs.com