Classic Alfa Forums

Thanks chaps much appreciated.

That is why I use this forum, , well and for a bit of the knowledge that is so willingly given. Talking of which ..........

Throttle return springs. Where should I have them ? I need an easy job to work back into this car lark !

Well finally got my hose to the rad on, but it looks like a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Now getting to the point where I just want it to work so I can fire it up. You can see from this angle how close the hose is to the tensioner.
Two questions here chaps. How many springs do I need on the carbs as I do not want a sticky throttle, but this small one seems to be doing fine at the moment.

Should there be one on the pedal ?

Secondly the breather coming off the oil filer how have people piped it away with out the pipe interfering with the carb set up. Rather not reinvent the wheel at this point so any pointers would be gratefully received.

Hi Junior

My breather pipe is routed across the front of the engine into a catch tank fixed to the offside inner wing.
The oil filler cap is strapped down because it can come off with considerable force when racing.
Brgds
Simon

Hi Simon.

Thanks for posting those photo's, very interesting esp with your throttle linkage being so different. I like the way the hose follows the top rad hose and so keeps it well out of the way. Sensible.

Bell mouths look great. After years of having them on motor bikes they are pure nostalgia to me.

Hi Junior

I used the std hose initially and plumbed that into some oil cooler hose which leads to a catch tank in the same place as Marlows.

The only difference is mine goes across the back of the engine bay and down the chassis brace leg rather than across the engine.

I would be concerned about the hose and pulley it seems very close. Could the rad hose be shortened to pull the hose away or what about a brace to do the same thing and give a bit of clearance?

rsfruitbat

Later cars had plastic covers over the belts/tensioners.
Maybe one or a pair of those would be an idea.

I just run the breather to ground using one of the original L shaped breather pipes with an extension on it. Misses the carb linkages ok.
Never bothered the MoT man

Dave

Hi Chaps. Yes your both right it is a very close hose esp from that angle.

I was thinking about a thick wire guide to push it away but the later cover may be a better idea.

I do not think the hose will cut back further with out it not clamping properly , or am I wrong ?

If I cut the stub on the rad I lose the lip that helps hold it on.

Will keep looking at it whilst I rework the front skirt as not happy with some of the fit and the old fibreglass repairs.

Thanks for the comments. All helps keep me at it. Just dodging the queen wasps at the moment as there have been 3 in the hibernating in the car so far ! Mind you as they have no subjects at this point are they just princesses ?

Looking at the ginormous U tube set up you've got....
Would it be better to ditch your 33 rad, and fit a sud one?
Seem to remember you would need some sort of support at the bottom of a sud rad, but not difficult to do?

Dave

Sorry James , but I agree with Dave.
In standard form a sud can run on the warm side , and you have a hot motor in your car. Reduce any restriction to coolant flow as much as possible. I appreciate it is more work but it would be a shame to cook your motor.

Hi Chaps.

Firstly thanks for your comments and concerns, much appreciated esp as this bit is getting frustrating.

John at just Suds was certain that the out let from the rad on the sud radiator was lower still and so the problem would be worse and the VW one that came with it is even worse.

I was looking at a custom one the other day just on the same principal that what I have is a poor set up and I do not want to wreck the engine.

Good news is that the copper strips that I tore off the back off the speedo pod can be modified and made to work again and one of my old friends
is set to do it.

So much of this game is contacts isn't it!

My catch tank is behind the bulk head, the pipe feeds through the hole in the bulkhead just off centre, everything clear of linkages.

The distance from the top of my sud rad, to the centre of the bottom hose is approx 170mm.

If you mount a sud rad, so the top is bolted under the slam panel as normal, a standard bottom hose should clear your cam wheel/ tensioner.

Dave

Like the route to the catch tank and will go and do some measuring later. Good idea indeed. Many thanks again.

Just measured it and the distance is 230mm so Sud rad should do it. You are correct Dave.

So aside from being a bit close it may well solve that problem.

Just have to find a good one now.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NRF-58701-295 ... SwnDxUfdY7



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-Al ... SwHQ9WYBKV



Any help ?

Is your car for race or road use?
It seems that for racing you must have a catch tank.

I have found the original breather arrangement a tangle of pipes......if a pipe splits you end up pulling air, and it affects the carb/s.And they block with mayo.

But for road use you can vent the breather to ground.

If you look at P6 of your thread,Kev JTD's post of Mar 05, 2006.
The second pic clearly shows the L shaped pipe coming off the filler tube.
If you use this pipe, turned outwards behind the carb, you can extend it downwards by connecting another pipe to it.

Misses the carb linkage ok on mine.

Then ,blank off the 4 carb stub pipes with a cap.......I used the rubber feet off our drying rack!

Dave

ps
if you have the air horns,blank them off with a cut off bolt with a screwdriver slot sawn across the top.
Dave

pps
you can also see the bottom hose,sitting nicely over the cambelt cover!

Dave

Hi Dave. Ah yes, not looked at that photo in a while but has proved useful many times, (thanks Kev.)

The breather pipe is dead right, of course , and as you say it just needs extending.

Car is going to be for road use at this point. I shall get it reliable and settled and then decide if I want to do more.

Found an e bay rad for the right era and for the money is worth trying. Have a range of hoses already from my messing about

but thanks for the links Kegsti66.

I had to find a way to bleed the back brakes which are mini ones and very awkward to my mind. Reading Laurens post on setting up I realised I had to do it gently to avoid mishaps so I devised the following.

The yellow device is a stomach or fluids pump ( not telling where that came from ) The cap is off a Guyson easy bleed if I recall correctly and with some gentle vacuum pumping and a pipe/filled jar on the nipple at the rear brake is seems to have filled them.

Will know some more when I do the front calipers.



Also length of silicon hose I had bought late at night (doh) when I confused internal with external dia has finally come in handy.

[attachment=1]IMG_4648 (2).JPG[/attachment

Anyone ever wishes to loan the pump for a tricky job just get in touch and I will post it.

Car has got so bored of my slow progress it has started to restore itself. Bit of warm weather and the drivers door seals that did not fit as they were too

fat have settled down and the door now fits well. Glad I did not strip them back out and chuck them.

Now just how to induce the passenger door to do the same.

Never underestimate the power of prayer.

rsfruitbat

Fantastic,

Hi Chaps. Is there much difference between an early 1.2 rad which I now know will fit and do the job and a later 1.7 Sud rad.

Concerned about over heating later ! Thanks for your thoughts as always.

Ebay item
291896436794
is listed as a rad for a 1.7

Seems the same physical size as one listed for a 1.5.....but maybe the cores are different.

Worth fitting a manual switch for the rad fan.
Switch it on as soon as you get in a potential overheating situation.

Or, open the bonnet, and connect a metal paperclip between the fan switch connections....fan runs constantly then.

Dave

alfadave wrote:Or, open the bonnet, and connect a metal paperclip between the fan switch connections....fan runs constantly then

I have used this trick after diagnosing a thermoswitch failure - was actually at the shops and blagged a couple of paperclips to short across the fan switch. Worked a treat, engine stayed nice and cool, but I did replace the thermoswitch in the end

I also do this every now and again after the fan motor refused to spin after a winter of inactivity - got so hot it made the light come on in the dash'

Great, thanks for the advice will make sure my thermoswitch and fan work well and take it from there.

Just going back through my brake pipes as have a couple of persistent leaks which is annoying as I was very careful.

I guess a lack of experience may be to blame.