ALFAGTV6.COM

[MD]

On the surface of it, you got 4 choices:-

1 Longer injectors
2 Longer tube connectors on the fuel rail
3 Shorter fuel rail mounts by 10mm
4 Convert the fuel rail stand offs so they are adjustable for height

[Giuliettaevo2]

You could cut off the 'legs' in the middle and make a set of longer legs. then you make a slot in the new legs and attach them with bolt and nut to the remaining half of the old legs, this way you made them adjustable.

[ar4me]

Huh - this is a bit of a dilemma. Fitting the cam locks caused the marks not to align perfectly for this particular cam - the others were almost spot-on the marks. I went with the positioning imposed by the cam lock since this is what the manual called for. You think I should use the mark in preference?

Are you sure you have stock cams? If the cams are not stock you cannot expect factory cam-locks to fit.

I ran some tests to check that the fuel system did not leak - and it did - like a sieve.

Wasn't engine on dyno in SA? If it was then you would think it wasn't leaking then, and perhaps something has gone wrong/changed since then.
Jes

[kevin]

Michael, as its normally the intake cams that get 'modified' they stlii fit in the cam blocks. Even the wildest ones I got here on the 3.7 fit BUT there is room for movement in the cam block. Did you check the cam cant rotate in cam block if it is a cut cam. Having said all this I have just changed my idler bearings on my 164 based GTA motor and I put the motor on TDC and somehow I found that the marks wernt perfect either and I know I set it up with cam blocks three years agoe By the way the motor has done less than 5000km and the top idler bearing is shot(this motor came straight from the factory).
So what I can conclude is that race car motor(3.0 24v wild intake) marks are spot on with blocks, the 3.7 24v motor also wild cams spot on but something not right on my 3.2 24v in my road car. I will get cam blocks from dealer and go double check for you.
With regards to injectors I also bought GTA injectors(2008) like yours which cost alot more than the standard ones and found the same problem. The GTA fuel rail has a bigger cap and clip which goes over the injector. So I was also faced with same problem of fuel spraying everywhere. Luckily I had the origionals which I put back. I would prefer to have the GTA injectors in as I am pretty close on the max duration. A friend of mine has these GTA injectors in on his TT with standard rail, I will check what he did to solve that problem. Hang fire for two days.

[kevin]

Have you got a pic of intake cam in cam block showing its profile.

[Zamani]

Mike,

I take the problem is you have GTA injectors but 164 rail? If this is the case, I think the cheapest way to do it is get 164 style injectors. To custom fabricate anything is $$$$$. Your best bet is to try to find the flow rate for the GTA injectors, then sell them off. Get 164 style injectors from http://www.fiveomotorsport.com/Injector_SetsBMW.asp.

[Michael]

Wasn't engine on dyno in SA? If it was then you would think it wasn't leaking then, and perhaps something has gone wrong/changed since then.
Jes

Nothing changed - I had not touched the fuel rail (nor removed the intake runners) until I had the engine in the car and performed this pressure test. This is when I noticed the leaks. It was difficult not to notice given the size of the leak - I'm lucky there were no flames/sources of combustion near the car. I cannot see how the engine could have been dyno tested in this configuration. At this point, I have given up making any assumptions on the engine's condition, what was done during its 'rebuild' or even where that work was performed. I'm just testing everything as best I can.

[Michael]

Thanks MD, Giuliettaevo2, Jes, Kevin & Zamani for your input - very helpful to have some other ideas and experiences.
I'm off on a business trip this week so will not be able to look at this again until next week - in the interim, I have sent some emails to a few guys (including Greg) who might be able to help with proper injectors. That is likely the direction I will take given the potential for disaster should a leak occur.

Thanks,

[Mats]

Wasn't engine on dyno in SA? If it was then you would think it wasn't leaking then, and perhaps something has gone wrong/changed since then.
Jes

Nothing changed - I had not touched the fuel rail (nor removed the intake runners) until I had the engine in the car and performed this pressure test. This is when I noticed the leaks. It was difficult not to notice given the size of the leak - I'm lucky there were no flames/sources of combustion near the car. I cannot see how the engine could have been dyno tested in this configuration. At this point, I have given up making any assumptions on the engine's condition, what was done during its 'rebuild' or even where that work was performed. I'm just testing everything as best I can.

Wow, this is incredible. Obviously someone cut some corners when "rebuilding" this engine.
I assume you are now thinking about tearing it all down and check if there are even bearings or oil pump in there?

[Micke]

You can still feel lucky.
The engine I bought was slightly worse. Previous owner had forgotten a rag in the water jacket. Found it out as the water came into the oil. Heads were torqued to 60 Nm. He didn't spare on the assembly sand either

[kevin]

Michael, I checked with cam blocks today and you definately can move the intake cam if it has been cut in the cam block. Not sure which cam you got but im sure it could be the gta spec. Mine i set on the marks to be sure . I have not done any testing in this area on altering cam timing slightly thats why my 3.7 makes 30 kw less than a Glenwood 3.7. I just stick to the basics probably because its all I know.
Still checking on fuel rails.

[Michael]

Michael, I checked with cam blocks today and you definately can move the intake cam if it has been cut in the cam block. Not sure which cam you got but im sure it could be the gta spec. Mine i set on the marks to be sure . I have not done any testing in this area on altering cam timing slightly thats why my 3.7 makes 30 kw less than a Glenwood 3.7. I just stick to the basics probably because its all I know.
Still checking on fuel rails.

Thanks for the info - the intake cam on my engine does not move much when I fit the cam blocks - the top of the cam lobe has been cut off but this did not seem to detract from the cam blocks ability to fix its position.
I will check this out more when I get home.

By the way, can someone please measure the length of a stock Alfa 164 LS fuel injector?
I think I have found a place to buy some nice fuel injectors but do not know if they are exactly correct for the engine.

[kevin]

Thats the same cam I have ,GTA spec. Will measure Friday unless some else can get it for you earlier.

[kevin]

Michael, just a note. Reason why my cam marks were off(2mm) when it was on tdc was because the belt Jumped a tooth on the bottom pulley. The bolt on tensioner 'loosened'. If I rotated the engine I could put all four cams on marks and it would be 10mm past tdc. Contact your "engine builder "to confirm your set up as valves can touch.

[Michael]

Thanks for the info Kevin. I made note of the how my cams were set up when I received the engine so will replicate that (basically, the timing marks are used in preference to the cam blocks).

Quick update on the status of my project....

The leaking fuel injectors seem to be caused by missing clips which attach the injectors to the fuel rail. I have not been able to verify this but it seems that the clips lift the injectors just far enough that the o-ring seals correctly on the top and the bottom. It is very difficult to get the right fuel injector clips, they are NLA - I finally ordered a set of them from Alfa Parts Exchange and they are on the way (actually, I bought the entire fuel rail with injectors just to be on the safe side - cannot afford to burn more time on this issue).

While waiting for the clips, I tested the GoTech and found that using Chuck's config (timing Mode 4), I was not getting spark from all 3 ignition coils when cranking the engine.
Louis at GoTech diagnosed this as too large of an air gap between the crank position sensor and the toothed ring. I think this is caused by the general poor condition of the CPS - the sensor side is pretty mangled apparently from prior contact with the toothed wheel...



Another indication that this engine has not been run in its present configuration.