Classic Alfa Forums

Yes, guess they may have been for sound deadening but really tempted to bin them.
I'll certainly try it up the road with, then without them to see if there's a discernible difference as if not I can't see why to keep them,
I'll check the water flow first of course, make sure it gets away OK.

Don’t bin them but keep them safe in a box in the shed

Never knowingly thrown anything away yet Lou

Stripped the valves etc out of the head which reared the usual issue, a heavy yet delicate enough not to want to drop it cylinder head that you need to be able to get to the top and bottom of to lap the valves in, decoke the ports etc then be able to build the valves back up which needs to be accessed above and below.
My workbenches are wooden so as not to damage the faces but with shiny alloy pieces and a bit of oil about things soon get slippy.
The thought of the head sliding off the workbench and dropping onto the concrete floor gave me the shivers.
So a plan was made, a better and safer way to do things.

A couple of lengths of angle were cut and drilled to suit the inlet and exhaust studs, 3 each side to spread the load then a flat piece welded to each end.
Fit like this to the head.
When attached to the engine stand it makes access to the upper and lower really simple and safe, I'll lap the valves in then take it off for cleaning.
Then back on so I can easily fit the valves back in without any fear of slipping and damaging it.

Bit excessive maybe but for an hour or so tonight and a few bits of scrap it's well worth the effort to me.

Looks wise to me having dropped a fine expensive chisel on the concrete floor heard it bounce and took two hours to find it.

Inside a work boot. Doh !

Valve seats lapped in, hardly took anything doing as in great condition.
Gave the head a clean up with some fine paper on a block but although I'm sure it's flat enough to be perfectly useable there's enough pitting for me to go the extra mile while apart and get it lightly skimmed.
Local guy who did my Delta head says he's still working being pretty much a one man band so I will drop it off to him Monday.
No real rush to get it all back together, not like we can go anywhere much yet is it!

Looking good Kev

Hi Kev. When I did a 147 head I found the aluminium to be really soft. I had to be really careful with the spring compressor. Have you had any problems?

no issues so far mate....

Keeping busy Kev, nothing new there !!
Handy bit if kit making there. As you say keeps things safe while working on it.

Got 3 weeks off on this furlough lark now mate, sure I won't be getting bored!

Fitted the oil separator back in the underside of the rocker cover tonight, was bonded in with sealant so want it to have a good few days to dry fully before it goes back on.
Also attended to an annoying oil leak from the oil/water heat exchanger where the rubber seal that goes on the engine side of the exchanger had gone hard. I've been saving all the large "O" rings from the plastic oil filter cartridges on oil changes at work for ages, got myself a bag full with probably 50 or so to go at, hoped one would be the right size to fit in the grove, luckily there was one!
Another annoyance with the car has been its' habit of draining the battery after a couple weeks standing, someone mentioned that the alternator can drain the battery a while back. Pig of a job to get at normally but with the head off it makes sense to take it off and get it checked out, even if not the source of the battery drain it's the right opportunity to futureproof it so an overhaul buy the local guy should see it right, hoping he'll be home. Like the guy who is going to skim the head he's a one man band and within a couple of miles of each other so Monday morning I'll drop both off.

The 145 is a cracking little car, this one in very good condition too especially underneath so it's well worth making the effort to keep it in tip top condition, may even get around to sorting the damaged drivers door one day!

Got the head back from the machine shop this afternoon.
Turns out one corner had warped a little, guy couldn't recall which corner but no prizes for which bit I d guess, so at least it was worth taking!
Pressure washed again ready to be built back up.

For those like me that do the occasional rebuild this tool set is handy to have.
It's a valve seal removal and install tool set.
The top pliers looking tool is for removing the old seal, jaws are curved and serated so they grip the old seal to make removal effortless even in deep recesses like on this head.

For installing the new seals you select the correct size attachment to suit the size of the valve guide you're dealing with, so the tool will slide in the top of the guide and centralise the new seal, like this...

Seals and tool ready for fitting.
Put a new seal onto the tool with a little fresh oil for lubrication..

Slide it up I to the recess which protects the new seal and means you drive the seal onto the guide on the correct part of the seal to prevent damage.
Slide the tool into the valve guide again which lines the seal up correctly and squarely, a few hammer taps and the seal is driven home.

All back together and running well happy to report, leak free and silent. Guess the cambelt change will be remembered even by me, 2020 virus will be remembered as the 145 head gasket change... So 2023 the next time to do the belts.
Treated it to a much needed wash.

I thought it was blue ?

Think that was the parts car Lou had Tim.

Kev, great work on getting the twinnie back together.
I have been changing a front caliper on the Sud today. What a PITA that was. Helpful advise , again from Lou.

Yes, Keith is correct, on both scores! The donor car of Lou was the blue one, and Sud front calipers are a PITA!

The front arches on the 145 remind me of the integrale, maybe one day I'll get to drive it again....

KevJTD wrote: ↑

Sat May 09, 2020 10:12 pm

The front arches on the 145 remind me of the integrale,

I see what you mean, they should have blown the rears out a bit as well.

Ahhh gee shucks Guys. Your too kind re my Giving advice. I don't profess to Have all the answers For every problem but if I can help I will.
That’s the fantastic thing about the Forum we’re all passionate about our cars and The experience and knowledge contained by the “Hive Mind”. That is the membership means that as a almost any Question will find an answer .

Been taking the carport roof off today for a much needed bit of maintenance, the sheets have long since faded to white with the UV bleaching them, came from my Dad used about 20 years ago so as I say, well overdue!

Meant the 145 needed moving so instead of just parking up again tonight I took it for a 10 mile or so blast, never fails to impress me this car, strong engine and fantastic handling.

Thought it must be MoT time soon, although there's been this 6 month extension thing. Due end of the month but what shocked me was how many miles it has, or more accurately hasn't done in the last 12 months......just 430 miles since last MoT mid May 2019.
Really must make more of an effort to use it, taxed and insured all year round...that's about £1 a mile !