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GT Blackline advice - local garages

2K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  richiel_7 
#1 ·
Hi all,

On a whim I've just bought an old 57 plate Blackline JTS for a song. Got it at an unbelievable price due to taking a risk on what all Alfaheads should not take a risk on - lack of service history. It also has an exhaust blow which is kicking off the lambdas. It's on 85k

My first port of call will be the cambelt service. As I've recently moved up to Wellingborough I'm unfamiliar with local 'Alfa' friendly garages and was wondering if you lovely peeps could recommend any nearby who I could trust to do the work competently... or even any local mobile alfaheads.

Once this is done, I'll get the exhaust done and maybe get it terracleaned, then let it steal my wallet of petrol money and enjoy!

Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
Ah yes thanks, I used to live right next to Autolusso! Worried about doing the drive as concerned about what I suspect is a rattly tensioner so even an hour on the motorways is scaring me. Might bite the bullet and give it a go - or get it lifted. Unless there is anyone within 10-15 miles...
 
#5 ·
Hey Ned!

Too many Alfas!

Might be ok to drive it in. Just going through the fault codes. Car jack rabbits when pulling off from first but when in full flow seems to run really well (apart from an exhaust blow!) No tensioner rattle luckily but it hasn't had a cambelt in 60k so I'm surprised it's still alive.

What lovely deals do you have on cambelt and pump for GT JTS? (and variator?)
 
#6 ·
Cam belt price is the same as it has been for the last 10 years even though the part prices have gone up to us, supplied and fitted £300 inc VAT, belt kit & balance belt

Don't ask about variator prices, we charge them at what the cost us plus no extra labour to fit, I remember when they were £25, now more like £125

On the plus side we have finally found a pattern exhaust for the GT JTS that actually fits

Ned
 
#7 · (Edited)
And my car is the guinea pig for the pattern exhaust! Getting it fitted tomorrow I hope. I literally just dropped the car off at Autolusso. (Hi Ned!)

OP - from the description it seems like your car may suffer from the "dirty injector syndrome". Does it not have flat spots around 3 - 4k revs? Could be lots of things really but try some injector cleaner first - if the car runs better than you will need to get the injectors sorted.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Thanks for input guys. You may be right about the injectors - more JTS fun.

Ned, sounds good - but maybe my best port of call would be get the car checked over first - with exhaust issue and potential injector issues I want to have an inkling of the total cost of repair before I decide on repair or whether it is uneconomical and better as spares! Do you still do your surgery thing you used to do?

Having said that, your cambelt price is decent - so all else being not as bad as I suspect it might be, I'll defo get that done. If so, would you recommend waterpump too - I know it wasn't such a prob on the JTS as on other variants?. Also, is it worth doing the variator - it doesn't sound like a diesel at all at the mo!

Codes I've pulled off I'm pretty sure point to injectors? - but unsure if they are at fault for all the codes. There is definite exhaust blow and corrosion.

Fault codes are below if anyone wants to hazard a guess at it being more than one cause.

P1173 Mixture 1 strength (additive) - signal low - stored - light on
P1176 Mixture 2 strength (additive) - signal low - stored - light on
P1172 Mixture 1 strength (multiplicative) - signal high - fatal - light on
p1175 Mixtrue 2 strength (multiplicative) - signal high - fatal - light on
p1141 Preheating resistance 1 below catalyser - invalid signal - stored - light on
p0136 Lambda 1 signal below catalyser - no signal - stored -light on
p0300 misfires detected -(generic) - signal high - stored -light on
p0302 cylinder 2 ignition failures - signal high - stored - light on
p0303 cylinder 3 ignition failures - signal high - stored - light on
p0301 cylinder 1 ignition failures - signal high - stored - light on

Strangely, I cleared them all - went for a mile drive and none of them came back? - but the car still jackrabbits from start and you can hear the exhaust blow. On a 80 mile motorway test the car pulls and seems to run superb - only seems to be from a standing start.

Anyone an advocate of terracleaning as first port of call before the labour cost of removal and refitting injectors? or is it a big con. Heard completely opposite opinions on it.
 
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