Selespeed info

Sorry to be a botherer, but I have just put a fresh engine in a mates 156 Selespeed. I didn't take the box out when I remove the engine purely so I didn't disturb anything, the engine is fine and when we first used it the gearbox was fine, after leaving it for a couple of hours there was no reverse to be found. A quick run up the road revealed no 5th either.

So I assume this is a solenoid/actuator problem on that selector, the box attempts to change into both gears but can't quite shift. I can't imagine it's a big fault but just wondered if there was an easy way of fault finding.

1st step would be calibrating the system.

As far as solenoids on the actuator are concerned, there are only four and they perform exactly the same functions as your hand would on the gearlever (ie left, right, up, down). The same solenoids are used to go from 2nd to 3rd as 4th to 5th, the only difference is that there is obviously more "right" movement to get to 5th, but it is the same solenoid.

3 more questions:

1) if the car is in city mode, can i still change the gears manually if i need to? especially from 1 to 2? would the mode change?

2) if the car is in manual mode, will the gears change automatically (up and down) if i dont actually do it myself?

3) there seems to be a cracking sort of sound when i change gears, usually when going down. especially from 2 to 1. is that normal?

Originally Posted by wasil

3 more questions:

1) if the car is in city mode, can i still change the gears manually if i need to? especially from 1 to 2? would the mode change?

Yes, but it will exit "City" mode when you do, except for when going slowly in "City" in 2nd gear, manually changing to 1st doesn't take you out of "City" (sometimes!)
Edit: I think some of the later systems may allow manual changes when in "City" without taking it out of "City mode".

Originally Posted by wasil

2) if the car is in manual mode, will the gears change automatically (up and down) if i dont actually do it myself?

In manual mode it will change down on its own when you slow down. How many gears and when will depend on how hard you brake. ie if you suddenly stamp on the brakes at Motorway speeds it will instantly change down one or two gears. However, if you are in 5th and just coast to slow down it will be going quite slowly before it changes down.
It will allways select 1st gear when you come to a stop.
In manual mode it will only change up on its own when you get close to the rev-limit. It doesn't hit the rev-limit, it just changes up.

Originally Posted by wasil

3) there seems to be a cracking sort of sound when i change gears, usually when going down. especially from 2 to 1. is that normal?

As long as it is a "clack" sound and not a grauncing gear sound, then yes it is ok. However, there is a big gep between 1st & 2nd gear ratios, so don't select 1st until the revs in 2nd are close to 1000rpm.

thanks for the detailed reply David C

how to start a selespeed stuck in 2nd gear

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At long last my gremlin has struck, in a traffic jam my 156 stalled and was stuck in 2nd gear... I knew that my clutch was on the way out since a couple of days, but.. pshaww it will last for another couple of days so I thought ! not so... car had to be put on a recovery vehicle (front wheels in the air) and the humbling distinction of standing amidst a million cars with dumb people in Vauxhalls and VW's smiling at you... Alfa yea THEY BREAK DOWN ...

How do I get the car out of gear... ??? HELP

Does anyone know where the 'Clutch Stop Pin' is located?

Can't help gettin' it out of gear i'm afraid. I'm new to the Selespeed thang.

Cheers

Ben

See my thread: how to start a selespeed stuck in 2nd gear !


p.s. but you need the Examiner !!!!

Originally Posted by David C

Yes, but it will exit "City" mode when you do, except for when going slowly in "City" in 2nd gear, manually changing to 1st doesn't take you out of "City" (sometimes!)
Edit: I think some of the later systems may allow manual changes when in "City" without taking it out of "City mode".



In manual mode it will change down on its own when you slow down. How many gears and when will depend on how hard you brake. ie if you suddenly stamp on the brakes at Motorway speeds it will instantly change down one or two gears. However, if you are in 5th and just coast to slow down it will be going quite slowly before it changes down.
It will allways select 1st gear when you come to a stop.
In manual mode it will only change up on its own when you get close to the rev-limit. It doesn't hit the rev-limit, it just changes up.



As long as it is a "clack" sound and not a grauncing gear sound, then yes it is ok. However, there is a big gep between 1st & 2nd gear ratios, so don't select 1st until the revs in 2nd are close to 1000rpm.

is it possible to get rid of the sound when i change gears?? im talking about "city' mode not "manual".

Originally Posted by wasil

is it possible to get rid of the sound when i change gears?? im talking about "city' mode not "manual".

When was it last calibrated?
If you don't know, start there.
Get the clutch pushrod adjusted at the same time.

Originally Posted by David C

When was it last calibrated?
If you don't know, start there.
Get the clutch pushrod adjusted at the same time.

well, i have no idea about what this calibration is... the car was second hand so i have no clue.

can you please shed some light on this??

My local car supermarket (David James, North Shields) has 3 x 08 GT 2.0 JTS Selespeed each for £15,499 with delivery mileage.

So I'm wondering why so cheap and I'm considering taking a look, however I'm unsure of the Selespeed gearbox.

Are they bound to give a lifetime of problems and do Alfa still offer the GT with Selespeed as I couldn't find it on the website ?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated

Steve

I think Alfa UK may have stopped importing the GT Selespeed, so they are probably unofficial imports.
Nothing wrong with that providing they are the right spec.

The cars are listed here David James Limited - North Sheilds - Tyne and Wear | Quality, Cheap New and Used Vehicles, Car Sales

It states £7K off list price the spec looks like a standard JTS, even if its a non-official import I've never seen a such a big saving. I would have expected £3K off list.

I'm not one to turn down a bargain, but I have misgivings over the Selespeed gearbox.

Hi i am new to AO just bought 147 selespeed with broken cambelt was told was running fine .Have fixed cambelt valves/guides variator tensioner. Now when i drive it sometimes changes from 2nd to 5th with no warning lights .switch off restart its ok couple for couple days any clues .i Am a jaguar mechanic.

I own a 2002 Sportswagon Selespeed with 180.000km now. Never had any problems but since a couple of months the car has great difficulties to start rolling when the engine temperature becomes above 80 °C. When pushing the throttle the car jumps very rude, sometimes resulting in an engine stop. It looks like the clutch engages and the disengages a couple of times. Once the car is rolling a bit faster everything works file. After that, if I drive for five minutes on the highway with higher speed, the temperature goes down and the selespeeds acts normal again, until the temperature rises again.
Anyone has any idea what could be the cause of this? The examinator didn't show anything special.

I had this problem with my 2001 156 Selespeed. Alfa dealers told me it was the actuators which I paid to have replaced and then on their report I saw that the problem you are talking about still existed, so the last thing they did was replace a faulty Rev sensor. This fixed it. My gear box would play up when the temperature got up to running speed but sitting at lights etc. Sometimes it would hit 4000 RPM before engaging the clutch. Don't replace the actuators. Just get a new rev sensor which is a $100 NZ part.

I have this exact same problem with my GTA sele will suggest this to the mechanic, also paul denyers site is asking me for a password, and I can't access the sele info, any thoughts ?

Originally Posted by gbernard

I have this exact same problem with my GTA sele will suggest this to the mechanic, also paul denyers site is asking me for a password, and I can't access the sele info, any thoughts ?

Yeah.... this is a strange new development... went on it before when i read David C's post replies after buying my selespeed GTA... luckily i printed every bloomin page of the website.. Its a shame though, cos it seemed very well put together, and unfortunately the guy never answers his emails either..

hey stephen, do you have a soft copy of the info you can email to me by any chance ?

Hello Buddy?
And the password?

Hello people
which password I use to download about select speed??

Originally Posted by Jeremy S

I had this problem with my 2001 156 Selespeed. Alfa dealers told me it was the actuators which I paid to have replaced and then on t