So it has begun!

[powelly999]

Well, the donor car is here!! Can't believe a 2002 156 3.2 GTA is sat on my drive waiting!

[Guy Mayers]

Don't break it until you're happy it's mechanically sound! If it's MOT'd it's probably worth using it for a month or two to make sure it's all ok, it's a shame to break a car only to find it's not as good as first thought and therefore harder to pass on than a complete car.

Guy

[strat24v]

Nice one!

[LPH_UK]

Well, the donor car is here!! Can't believe a 2002 156 3.2 GTA is sat on my drive waiting!

Yeah don't do what I did with my 166. Bought it (spares or repair), drove it about 300 yards and then left ti for 2-3 months. When it came to moving there was a big misfire issue and the gear mech on the box had seized!

[turbonutter]

Well, the donor car is here!! Can't believe a 2002 156 3.2 GTA is sat on my drive waiting!
Nice donor car. Don't drive it too much or you may want to keep it!

[powelly999]

Ahhhhh yes, I have been in it with the owner when I bought it and was impressed immensely. I'm hoping that I can break it and get some funding for the other bits I need to get from the Fiat side. It has the big Brembo brakes, nice black leather interior with the Bose speakers, and 17" Teledials with nearly new tyres so I'm sure the Alfa fraternity will bid happily!
I want to do compression test soon just to make sure it's ok, but at 80,000 miles it should be. I'll then start to remove the engine and box, but was wondering if it's best to get it out on the sub frame as a unit. Not sure if this can be done so I'll look around for the info or someone here may be able to give me some pointers.

[Guy Mayers]

Front wings are GTA specific and no longer available. If they're in good nick that ought to fetch a good price.

Guy

[hedge]

Front wings go for a fortune. They're invariably rusty (mine are) but you could easily get 250 a pop for them, regardless. I might be interested in the leather if/ when you decide to flog it.

Cheers,
Hedge

[powelly999]

Front wings go for a fortune. They're invariably rusty (mine are) but you could easily get 250 a pop for them, regardless. I might be interested in the leather if/ when you decide to flog it.

Cheers,
Hedge
It'll all be available shortly, door cards front and rear etc. Let me know if your interested.

[Guy Mayers]

Try joining AlfaOwner and listing them there. Much bigger audience but some of them might want to do you harm.....

[NoCorseChris]

Try joining AlfaOwner and listing them there. Much bigger audience but some of them might want to do you harm.....

That's a good point Guy. The GTA community are likely to be somewhat unsympathetic to breaking a good car for parts :(

Even the 166 gang are starting to get a bit twitchy about breaking cars now. It's how they become extinct though isn't it. Not many made, fall into an unloved state, then into bangernomics territory...then all but a few special cases expire one way or another. My own 166 is starting to look like rust will do for it before anything significant wears out.

[powelly999]

Its on a well known auction site and I can't keep up with the emails!!!

[hedge]

It'll all be available shortly, door cards front and rear etc. Let me know if your interested. I'm interested. I'll need pics - especially as I'm not going to be able to exactly pop over to see them :-)

Cheers,
Hedge

[Andrew Peterborough]

If you do a deal I would be happy to pick them up and deliver to you. I work in Chepstow all week so its not real deviation on the way home.

Andrew

[hedge]

If you do a deal I would be happy to pick them up and deliver to you. I work in Chepstow all week so its not real deviation on the way home. Andrew Thanks for the offer, appreciate it.

Cheers,
Hedge

[powelly999]

Its all still together at the moment, well I say together, just taken the necessary off to do a 'quick' compression check to see the health of the engine. I sort of had an idea it may not be perfect although it does run smoothly so the results weren't too unexpected.

The results below seem to suggest I'll be taking the heads off looking for head gasket failure I hope, and nothing more sinister lurking around!

Cyl 1 -180 psi
Cyl 2 -150 psi
Cyl 3 -55 psi
Cyl 4 -180 psi
Cyl 5 -150 psi
Cyl 6 -180 psi

So at least it'll be getting the new gaskets, heads skimmed and maybe I'll look a little deeper!

[Spartan]

What kind of tool did you use for the compression check? When I did mine, I had some problems getting a good seal at first (see here (http://www.stratosec.com/Forum/showthread.php/3056-Compression-test?p=24996&viewfull=1#post24996) for details).

I'm no expert but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that something is wrong based on (as you say) a 'quick' check alone. If there is a problem, low compression on one cylinder might not point to head gasket failure (certainly not between two adjacent cylinders anyway).

Here's hoping for the best!

[mel lewis]

If the engine has been standing for quite a long time ,it may be surface rust built up on the valves. Run the engine for as long as possible and do another compressing test and compair results, before stripping it down.

[ChrisCar6]

Or sticking piston rings after inactivity. Leave to sit with a spoonful of oil in the appropriate cylinders?

[powelly999]

Ahhhh good advice, I'll look at doing that sometime. Unfortunately I don't know when though, shortly after I posted the readings I ended up on the Stroke Ward in the local hospital so the strip down will have to wait for a couple of weeks now, but hey ho, lots of time to read and gather more info!!
Andy

[ChrisCar6]

Sorry to hear that Andy - I hope you make a good recovery. As you say, plenty to keep you occupied in the meantime.

[Stratos Fear]

Sounds like you are in the right place anyway. Good luck for a quick recovery.

Peter C

[powelly999]

Hi all, well on the mend now thank god and I should be back driving shortly.
Been tinkering today putting the bits back on the engine that I took off to do the compression test. I used a screw driver to remove all the pipe clips but I don't have one of those tools to clamp those type of clips that are found on the Alfa engine, like the ones that are on the rubber induction pipe joints. What on earth are the clips called and where can I get a tool re-clip them from?
I'm used to Jubilee clips but I need to get with the Italian way!!

Thanks
Andy

[Sando]

Hi Andy
Think they are called Clic or Clic R clamps. And the tool is just called Clic clamp pliers


https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/draper-expert-180mm-clic-and-clic-r-hose-clamp/?da=1&TC=GS-040819791&gclid=CjwKEAjwubK4BRC1xczKrZyj3mkSJAC6ntgr3H0Az4EOVqlmI-gw8J4ZuQ3ACltT55j1MyvDqlmTfBoCUK7w_wcB

[Redline]

See usage here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjujzEywNCs)

[powelly999]

Thanks guys, beats me trying to use a water pump pliers!

[NoCorseChris]

Blunt side cutters or O ring pliers work as well....but you can't beat using the right tool.

[Stratos Fear]

You can also buy the Clic pliers in Halfords - which is where I bought mine a few months back (cant remember the price)

[LPH_UK]

Stacks on ebay for around £5-10 with free P&P

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BERGEN-CLIC-R-COLLAR-HOSE-PLIERS-ANGLE-TYPE-B1707-/141951093624?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

[powelly999]

Been busy the last couple of days stripping the donor. Quite therapeutic stripping the dash after the brakes, body kit, and bumpers etc!

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