hi, please help my new alfa is dead

i bought a 156 today, 2000 2.0 76000m for £1300. the bodywork was slightly tatty but i work in a bodyshop so i could respray it quite cheap. unfortunately on the way back the car seemed to lose power (not accelerating at all) and exhaust smoked heavily then exhaust cleared up and engine noise very bad like, (when i picked up the car it just sounded like my bm that has a slight tappets noise), then the car broke down , the recovery guy said the noise sounded like the cam. on a good note the interior is lovely so when the missus makes me sleep in it after wasting 1300 notes at least ill be comfortable!!! i'm now past the point of crying and need to sort it out. any advise would be very grateful, cheers

sorry to hear this. Hope you get her sorted.

welcome to AO

moved to 156 lounge

Try pulling back the cam cover, and checking that the cambelt is still in place and is tight. It sounds to me like one of the cam tensioners may have failed allowing the belt to go slack and maybe jumping a few teeth.

cambelt and tensioners supposedly just changed dont think the variator was though dont know if that could have caused it, it still starts but very noisy and, i don't really want to do any further damage, does anyone know of any good alfa mechanics that aren't extortionate in hertfordshire? i found veloces of londons no:, but not too sure how good/expensive they are?

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune... It doesn't sound like the variator to me...more like slipped timing / worn cams / valve lifters as was suggested above.

Give these guys a call. I wouldn't try starting the car again until someone has taken a look at it....

Alfa Workshop Contact Details

Cheers,

Iain

Originally Posted by l.smith633@ntlw

cambelt and tensioners supposedly just changed dont think the variator was though dont know if that could have caused it, it still starts but very noisy and, i don't really want to do any further damage

Unfortunately a recent belt change mean nothing and in fact may well be the cause. The belt on mine slipped requiring a top end overhaul less than 2k after the belts were changed because the incompetent spanner monkeys that did the belt change failed to set the correct tension on the automatic tentioner (this was the obvious cause once the covers were removed). The result was that the belt has jumped a few teeth and valve collision had occurred. I was surprised the car had managed to do and much as 2k before the failure actually occurred.

Mine started and ran although it was very rough like it was only running on 3 cylinders. Investigation revealed that the timing was out (cam blocks wouldn't go on with the engine set at TDC) and after removing the head I found a single bent exhaust valve. I was very lucky not to have suffered any more bent valves.

It sounds like yours may have unfortunately suffered a similar fate.

When I bought my TS the cam belt had just been changed (by a main dealer) ... but they obviously did a botch job because the cam belt managed to jump and pretty much destroy the engine. Luckily for me I bought it from a dealer so had a lot of come back ... they actually put a whole new engine in for me for free!!!!