ALFAGTV6.COM

[Michael]

What will I need at minimum as regards tools? Shop manual?
What is a good place to buy them? Any opinions on alfissimo.com?
I'm planning to replace the belt, rollers, tensioner and double check the timing.

[Zamani]

I bought my 24V from Alfissimo. He is good and can get parts which others can't.

BTW, why do you want to change out parts which came on your new engine??? I can understand the belt, but the bearings?

[Michael]

Hi Zamani:
I was considering it as cheap insurance... I dont know if the rollers & pulleys have been replaced with new components - they dont look especially new & the tensioner assembly itself is not in good condition.
I have to get the tools to set the tension on the belt anyway - that is > $400.
Cheers,

[kevin]

Dont forget to buy the cam blocks as well if you are going the whole route.

[Michael]

Good point - for the record, here is what I'm looking at getting:

Weighted arm for timing belt
Timing insert for timing belt
Timing cam dies
Pin for tension(er).
The above kit is > US$400

The tensioner body (no pulley) is US$280.

I'll remove & inspect the timing pulleys and rollers this weekend to refresh my memory of their condition and then decide whether to replace them.

Cheers,

[kevin]

Michael, as the shops are all close over weekend I could not borrow any tools so you can do all of the service with no Alfa tools. All that you must make sure of is you rotate the motor twice and check your belt tension after you set up timing. All the marks are on the cams. The first time i did a belt chainge on my 24v motor with new standard tensioner I was so paranoid I got all the tools including the weighted arm and did the job. Now that i know what the tension should feel like inthe belt I dont even borrow the weighted arm anymore. The one dealer down the road from does not even have a weighted arm. Regarding new pulley bearings, they corrode(the outside) very quickly so a new one can look pretty old but the blue seal insde should still look new. Two pics to follow showing cam timing set up by loosening the pulley then rotating cam until its on the marks cut onto the back of it. you can just make out this mark in the second pic as it lines up with the head. There is more detail to this of which lobes face where while the engine is on tdc but that can be explained.
If you get cam blocks buy a set of longer cam bolts or any other seven mm bolts(just for timing set up) as the thread on a standard cam bolt through a cam block is just to short and can sometimes strip.Difficult to explain this until you see the force the cam exerts on the cam blocks as you tighten it down..
Following pics of todays work

[kevin]

See tiny cut mark on back of exhaust cam.