Alfa Pages

[Brit01]

Just changed my plugs for NGK B7ES (from Bosch) and the idling has fallen a little. To around 550-650. Just not enough to stay stable when coldish.

Is this an easy process to increase the idling just a little?

Can't afford the mechanics fees

It's a 33 1.7 8v.

Cheers

[paulhide]

Yes, there's an idle adjust screw pointing horizontally onto the throttle bar on the linkage by one of the carburettors.
_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[Brit01]

[paulhide]

If you don't know what you're doing and you just want to change things a tiny bit I would simply adjust the horizontal screw in the diagram on the right and you will hear the revs change. The lower vertical one adjust only that carb instead of both together so leave that one alone.
_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[Brit01]

Got some work to do on these carbs.

I've taken out the pump diaphragm, old and stiff, will buy a new pair tomorrow.

Will also buy a timing light tomorrow as I feel the timing is off. It was retarded a little during our very hot summer.

Change of spark plug make and arrival of winter has changed how it feels.

Will make sure its 8 degrees at 900 rpm.

Diaphragms had traces of petrol outside and below the pump housing!!!
It wasn't starting properly after pumping the throttle and was nosediving when accelerating hard and fast.

I'll be viewing the squirt of petrol down the chamber once I get the new diaphragms in tomorrow.

Cheers

[Brit01]

Issue was solved by ignition timing.

It was too retarded. Advanced it to 8 degrees at ~850 rpm and runs so smooth now, even when cold.

Also cleaned all parts of the carbs. see other thread.

[Brit01]

ah yes one thing.

I couldn't move the flywheel to paint the timing marks clearly.

In 5th gear, jacked up the front wheel and tried turning it. wouldn't budge. put the car down, tried pushing it. Nothing.

I assume the engine has so much compression. (It does brake very well when changing down gears!)

It was rebuilt about 8000 kms ago.

Any suggestions on how to move the flywheel by hand to paint the timing marks?

[BigAl]

Turn the crank via the crank pulley, also did you try turning the wheels whilst in 1st gear?
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

[Brit01]

[BigAl]

Hey Brit,
The crank pulley is right at the front of the enging in the middle, its a large nut that is on FT!! and should turn the engine ok. I had to use this method when checking the timing on my 16 v after i repaired it from a broken belt, I can't rember the size

The way i make the timing marks visible is by having the engine running and use a flat screwdriver put it in the inspection hole so it scraps off the rust, you could then just use tippex i guess.
WARNING, make sure that the screw driver is plased on the moving flywheel in sush a way that IT WILL NOT CATCH!! the flywheel should be rotating AWAY from the screwdriver
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

[paulhide]

Sounds scary Al.
Just put the car in 2nd gear and rock the car to and fro. This works.
_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[Brit01]

[BigAl]

Ha ha you big chickens, i got that tipform an alfa mechanic, easy peezy
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

[Brit01]

Maybe I'd feel safer doing that with a plastic spatula or something that can still scrape off the oxidation rather then a heavy metal object.

Call me a whimp!

[eagle3]

You can turn the engine quite easily by jacking up one side, putting it in a fairly high gear and turning the wheel that's off the ground in a forward motion. Removing the spark plugs magically makes the compression problem disappear.

Otherwise a 30mm socket on the crank and turning clockwise viewed from the front of the car, but it's not easy to get to with the radiator in place, especially if the crank pulley is a deep one with three grooves for alternator, power-assisted steering and air-con. Removing the radiator fan gives you a bit more room.
_________________
Alfa33 QO 1984
Alfa33 1.3i.e. 1994

[Brit01]

[BigAl]

Brit,
Seriously the screwdriver method is the easiest and quickest way, note the direction of rotation of the flywheel and face the screwdriver in the same direction. IE, if the flywheel turns anti-clockwise “left” as you look at the engine from the front, then the screwdriver should face from right to left, as in handle on the right and tip on the left. No mater how hard you press the screwdriver down it will be fine, you can even use the viewing hole as leverage.
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

[RFlower]

I think removing three plugs should reduce the compression enough to enable the engine to be turned more easily.

Actually I find it rather strange that you can't turn it over via a front wheel in 5th gear (it is easier to turn in a high gear than in a lower one, the engine makes more turns per wheel revolution in a low gear), are you sure there is no other problem? Brakes dragging badly? Engine tight for some reason?

If my engine seemed that tight I would remove the plugs, however difficult that is, and make sure I could turn it freely via the crankshaft pulley retaining nut. Better safe than sorry.

If you use a torque wrench for the plugs, it is important to have the threads clean and free turning, otherwise the torque value is meaningless.

If I find plugs are stiff when I remove them, I carefully clean the thread in the head with a tap coated in grease (so that any dirt removed doesn't fall into the cylinder), and run them all the way in by hand before finally tightening them.
_________________
Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

[Brit01]

[RFlower]

I must admit I rarely use a torque wrench for spark plugs.

I have never damaged the threads in a cylinder head, nor had problems with a plug leaking or overheating, but I have been doing it for a very long time and did use a torque wrench when I first came across aluminium heads.
_________________
Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

[Brit01]

[Brit01]

I'm practicing with the idle mixture screws now.

Had them 2 1/4 turns out and seemed too lean as it struggled to keep going.

Now I'm testing it with 2 3/4 turns out. Idles better. Will test on the road later today.

In general what have the Dellorto (DRLA 40/32 venturi) 1.7 owners got their idle screws set at??

[paulhide]

About 3 turns, but needs to be lower to pass emissions tests.
_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[Brit01]

[Brit01]

mm... i set it to 3 turns out, all seemed fine until out on the road.

when stopping at lights the idling had increased somewhat and seemed to take a while to slow down.




is this due to an unbalanced carb or a rich mixture?

Have to play with this tomorrow - it's chugging away