Before you spend the best part of £400 (and that will be with a specialist,
not dealer ... nearer £650! ... try putting an engine oil flush in your car
and after a couple of hundred miles, getting the oil changed. I know a 156
owner that had you problem and did this and his variator is as quiet as a
mouse and the car feel better/more responsive.

It's oil starvation. The oil doesn't get up to the variator. By flushing the
oilways you give it a better chance.

If you do end up getting it repaired, get the cam belts and tensioners all
changed ... they should be checked/replaced every 3 years or 36K (although
Alfa still sat 72k). Check on some of the other Alfa Forums to see the sob
stories of owners where the belts didn't last....

good luck
Gazza

"Tony Rickard" > wrote in message
k...
> rickp101 wrote:
>
> > Basically before I fork out all this cash is there any way I can tell
> > myself if it actually needs doing. Both garages have mentioned that it
> > is a big job as you have to remove this and that (I’m no car
> > mechanic!) but basically they just said that it is making a noise and
> > that is how they can tell it needs replacing.
> >
> > Can I check this noise for myself? What am I listening for and when?
> > The 2nd garage said the engine needed to be cold for them to tell how
> > long it makes a noise for.
>
> The noise sounds something like this:
>
> http://www.alfa156.net/tech/badvariator-alfa156-net.mp3
>
> It sounds a bit like a diesel for a few secs after start up
>
> Hope this helps
> Tony