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ZeNiTh-PbArM
Alfa 33


Joined: 14 Mar 2003
Posts: 388
Location: Paris, France

PostPosted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 8:48 pm    Post subject: 33 users beware Reply with quote

Hi all

Getting home from work yesterday night I broke the LHS cv joint. Screws broke (all but one) when the thing seized and the driveshaft ended up rotating around the gearbox flange
Not a single hint of a warning before.

When this happened, the shaft did tear off the fuel filter (conveniently located nearby), the stupid fuel filter support in turn ripped off the brake lines, and the oxygen sensor wiring got caught in the mess as well.
I ended up with no engine, no brakes, and a hell of a noise and vibration (all of this on the highway at rush hour)

Check your shafts and relocate your fuel filter if you don't fancy this kind of situation. Bit of a shame the engineers didn't design that better.

Now I have one question : how on earth do you connect to those rigid plastic fuel lines under the car? Mine got tornn, have shortened it, got a good barb fitting (oem spec) but can't insert this, too tight...and dont' feel like applying heat as I don't want to set the thing on fire. Any ideas?

regards,
zp
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paulhide
P4


Joined: 20 Dec 2003
Posts: 1607
Location: Oh Beautiful Billingham

PostPosted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How can you check your shafts Question
Not sure what you are talking about regarding barb fit. Photo? If you are talking about the fuel line locators (yellow plastic?), just shave them with a sharp knife till they fit Question
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http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188
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eagle3
Alfa 33


Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 402
Location: France

PostPosted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Always thought the fuel filter was in a dodgy place. Much safer nearer the pump if it's feasible.

Do you want my '94 33 ZP? CT just expired. Needs a catalytic converter but otherwise in good mechanical condition. I need to shift it really. 125 Mkm. It would be nice to see it get used, even just for spares.
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Alfa33 QO 1984
Alfa33 1.3i.e. 1994
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RFlower
Alfa 33


Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 432
Location: S of France

PostPosted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you Google "nylon fuel line fitting tool" there are some suggestions (hot water and heat gun) plus videos of the tool required.
It might be possible to improvise something using a pipe flaring tool to hold the fuel line. I think that's what I used to make up teflon brake lines.

As for the joint failure - scary! - is it possible the bolts were overtightened and stretched enough to weaken them? Or did they come loose first?

It's a bit difficult see how one bolt did not shear if they were all tight - the relative movement of the two flanges should have sheared them all simultaneously.

I'll check my CV joints for slack, although I had one sieze on my VW Transporter camper, which shook the whole vehicle but didn't break the bolts.

I did have the bolts come loose after fitting new CV joints on the camper, (bolts were torqued correctly) but they made plenty of noise as warning.

The bolts supplied with the new joints were higher tension rated (12.9), and came loose again when refitted with new Schnorr washers, again torqued to the correct value.

I decided that the higher tension rating bolts (1) did not stretch enough with the specified torque to absorb working stresses, and also, (2) the Schnorr washers didn't bite into the underside of the bolt heads, which were very hard.

I didn't want to increase the torque, as the bolts go into quite short threads in the drive flanges, which I was afraid of stripping, so I replaced the old bolts (rated 10.9) together with more new Schnorr washers.

That was over 5 years (35k Km) ago, and no problems since.
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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)
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lee16v
16 Valve


Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1429
Location: Devon, UK

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not good. Surprised it failed without some kind of warning. Scary.

Re the fuel line. Could you soften the end with boiling water? I have a wooden cone I use for stretching such pipes.
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ZeNiTh-PbArM
Alfa 33


Joined: 14 Mar 2003
Posts: 388
Location: Paris, France

PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2015 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all,

Took me a few minutes to manufacture the custom tool required.
The nylon tube is firmly clamped between the half shells (four screws on the right). The barb fitting is held in place on the pin (central screw on the left)
All it takes is a little oil on the barbs to assist insertion and tightening the two studs until correct insertion is achieved.

regards,
zp

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