Classic Alfa Forums

Bluesuit wrote:Minevals, maxevals and Tacevals, all a bit different in the 80s and 90s, I usually spent 12 hours locked in a HAS with a rubber face on for most of it.

Things only livened up when we had some scrap F-4s to practice ac recovery on, by then I used to set up the engineering 'injects' and the troops used to like a bigger challenge each time. Last one ended up with one flat on its belly and only a small a crane to recover it, so it required some ingenuity to get it back on its undercarriage without overloading the crane. But the guys loved it and learned some useful techniques - much better than doing nothing!

I'm partly to blame for your happy days spent in a HAS, I was the Project Coordinator for the ASM project at Coningsby so - sorry !!!!

I was usually on BDR as well and to be fair, like you, I enjoyed some of the BDR tasks, a bit of fun to break the routine. As a bodger by nature it suited me fine ! I did enjoy setting up some of the injects too, the more devious and challenging the better !

Once the ASM project was virtually completed I then became the CANDE man sitting around in either the WOC or AWOC, not quite so much fun although one of my assistants was a Comcen WRAF, pretty glamorous even in cabbage kit. Sadly she was also one of the most miserable buggers I've ever met, I'd have swapped her for any old ugly but cheerful sod on the Station !!!

Some pics of us setting up an aircraft recovery exercise inject:

That all looks fun

it was, especially when we did the full belly landing scenario with all wheels retracted and it just sat there on the tanks, kept the guys going all night in the pouring rain getting it back on its wheels and back on the taxiway - the rain just added that vital extra bit of challenge

slave driver , I bet they loved you
Great story's tho, keep them coming

It certainly beat sitting in a concrete box with a rubber face on for 12 hours.....

Bluesuit wrote:It certainly beat sitting in a concrete box with a rubber face on for 12 hours.....

Some used to enjoy this........

go to a re-enactment show and you will find that some still do - each to their own!

I still miss the smell and taste of CS in a morning........

But not much !

now you're getting weird!

Bluesuit wrote:now you're getting weird!

No, not getting - I always was !

Just waved goodbye to my 12th Alfa today as I handed over the keys to my Project 916 GTV to the new owner, the cash will come in handy getting a few things sorted on the GT.

Hi
What's up with the gt?

Recently had an injector problem - was running on 3 cylinders, had that fixed, but starting it, it always sounds like a tractor, so as many other GT owners have identified problems with inlet manifolds and EGR valves getting clogged with carbon I think mine needs the inlet manifold de-coking and the EGR valve replacing along with a new modified gasket. I hope it might then start better and also return better MPG. The other task needing to be done is to repair the driver's seat bolster which was torn by the previous owner. Not show stoppers but things that have needed to be done, and now without a distraction they might well get done

Hi
egr you can clean yourself chap not a hard job, plus clean the map sensor on the back of the inlet too I would recommend Gutting the main cat and buying the precat pipe to . Makes a difference to performance and mpg !!

Thanks Johnboy,

I've read the EGR actuator can seize, but I guess it's worth a look, certainly to install the modified gasket. Must do more research on the inlet manifold, I gather swirl vanes can seize, need to check out diagnosis for that. I usually prefer to have all parts to hand, but that can be expensive, might have to do some exploration first and order bits later.

What's the best substance for cleaning? carb cleaner or soak it in something like kerosene?

Cheers Ian

On my old 156 2.4jtd 10v I cleaned egr and it worked but my old 156 2.4jtd 20v I had to replace egr valveas cleaning it didn't work

Bluesuit wrote:Thanks Johnboy,



What's the best substance for cleaning? carb cleaner or soak it in something like kerosene?

Cheers Ian

Hi Ian

I used carb - brake cleaner. On the gt it was fine but the sportwagon when had it . It had seized . But it did free it up. With the semi blanking plate for the egr.i made one up. Need to make a new one tho as the hole can be smaller than what I have. I read that it can be as small as 9 mm .good luck chap

I heard a few stories of the solenoid in the EGR valve seizing up, so may just go for a new EGR with the new restrictor gasket.

The inlet manifold is the one I need to do more research on, mainly on what needs removing to get at it, how easy it it is to clean out, and what parts/gaskets I'll likely need to re-assemble it - I've seen a few pictures from some that look almost total coked up and it seems touch and go whether the swirl valves are seized or not - definitely something for me to do this year, that and get the driver's seat bolster repaired.

thanks for the inputs guys, cheers Ian

i have heard, but have no personal experience of, that if you get a new manifold for a vauxhall (same engine, fiat sold them to vauxhall for the vectra etc) then it's way cheaper than the alfa labelled one.
don't know if it's exactly the same, swirl flaps etc, but wouldn't be at all surprised if that's true. stick an alfa badge on the bag and the prices tend to double for new parts

some good deals on new egr valves on ebay at the moment, not tried the motor factors of late. they're now getting down to the price where it's a viable thing to change, rather than selling a kidney

As kev said get one listed for a vauxhall as its alot cheaper worked on my old 156 2.4 20v jtd

Aha! Hadn't realised that, must do some more digging

Anything to make the project fund go further. Does anyone know if someone has done a part number cross-reference Alfa vs Vauxhall?

Cheers, Ian

Bluesuit wrote:Aha! Hadn't realised that, must do some more digging

Anything to make the project fund go further. Does anyone know if someone has done a part number cross-reference Alfa vs Vauxhall?

Cheers, Ian

Leave it with me I'll find it out

this one seems to cover most models, pix show the swirl flaps within the manifold so should do the job

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Saab- ... 35c6a0947e

Wow! that's cheap - I see they also do a pack containing manifold, gasket and actuator for £256 - about half the price of just the manifold from some sources. Has anyone on here used NTL Parts before? If so what was the service and quality of parts like?

However, there seems to be quite a variation in prices, quality and compatibility when it comes to the EGR valve - might go for the Alfa workshop one to be sure and also because they offer the modified restrictor gasket, its a few quid more but worth the piece of mind.

I'll need to have a good look and my current installation to make sure these look like the right parts.

thanks for the steers guys

cheers, Ian

Morning Ian
Found this on my phone. Mite be of use to you

http://download1023.mediafire.com/6p4ac ... 1.9JTD.pdf

Cheers JB that looks handy to know.
Keith

Thanks JB, very useful.

I plan to remove, examine and clean the EGR first to see how bad things look, so that will come in handy, I will also order the revised restrictor gaskets too - start cheap and work up no doubt, given it's an Alfa!

Happy new year guys!

No problem chaps
Good plan Ian and happy new year to you