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What have you done to your 159/Brera/Spider today?

855K views 11K replies 922 participants last post by  gtv6sa 
#1 ·
Hi all,

This kind of thread works well on several other forums I use and often sparks some great discussions / ideas. Just post up what it is you've done and feel free to comment on others posts, but be nice :lol:

Today - tracking set to zero toe as recommended on here. Needed doing as it's taken the inside edges off the fronts.
 
#5,487 ·
Voting now open for the previous entries http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/poll-room/1086930-june-2017-ao-detailing-competition-vote.html

Vote for whoever you think deserves to win :thumbs:



And July Detailing competition now open for entries http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/car-detailing/1086938-july-2017-detailing-competition-entries.html

Don't let the title put you off, it doesn't have to be a full detail, a wash & a clean will do, if the car looks good take some pics & submit them, please include some info on what you have done to the car :thumbs:

Check out the updated rules here http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/car-detailing/745785-monthly-detailing-competition-rules.html
 
#5,488 ·
Not been done today but here's my story.

Bought a 159 2.2 JTS back in March. I'd been driving a 916 Spider but decided I wanted a bit more comfort owing to my advancing years. After looking around at 147's, 156's and 159's found a 2.2 JTS going cheap (at least I thought it was after knocking dealer down by 30%). The car had obviously been given minimum maintenance for a few years but had service history. It was full of damp as it must have been sitting around at dealers over winter. However, I like a bit of a bargain and can do lots of bits and pieces on cars so chanced it.

It had the dreaded oil temp light on and engine management light which I thought may be the timing chain so that is why I got a massive discount.

First jobs were straightforward (but not cheap) got oil sensor from Germany that sorted out oil temp. After talking to an Alfa mechanic I asked local garage to replace the two phaser sensors (under engine cover at left). Trusting they had done the job it didn't fix EML light so off it went for new timing chain etc. At this point I had just about used up the discount I had got off car. After timing chain was done the EML light was still on so now I'm getting a bit anxious. Took it to Alfa expert who determined that the first garage had only replaced one of the sensors so replaced other and lo and behold no EML light. Probably didn't need timing chain. Went back to original garage to ream out mechanic but apparently he had left so no joy there.

Then window regulator on drivers side went. Got after sales off the bay and fitted then realised that central locking wasn't working on one of my rear doors. Got one off a scrapper and sorted that.

At last I have my 159 running perfectly and everything working fine. If it hadn't been for the wally at first garage I would have been quids in but somehow that experience has taken the shine off owning the car.

Still, I now have the joy of running the 159, it's comfortable, bags of power for what I need, full of gizmo's and stunning looks.
 
#5,491 ·
10 year service!

Over the last two weeks replaced all four coil springs, fitted new discs/pads all round, new drop links and steering track rod ends, cleaned and painted front and rear subframes and associated suspension parts and cavity waxed where I couldn't reach with a brush. Had the wheels refurbished, and a full service so now hopefully she will be good for another 10 years!
 
#5,494 ·
Ha! I used to do both mine weekly, but last winter it just seemed so pointless, so I gave up. Washed it before its MOT a few weeks ago though and having a broken leg and bored to tears, I decided to wash it today. Not an easy job on crutches!
 
#5,497 ·
Dropped her off at NJS in Pershore for an alarmingly long list of annoying niggles. And some window tinting next door at Pershore bodyshop.

Get her all sweet and sexy for my roadtrip through France end of August.
 
#5,499 ·
Wow, really interesting! I was considering doing the same with interior panels but getting the rear clips and such would be a mess. I have some basic experience with laying out fiberglass and figured this'd be a nice way to try make my own moulds.


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#5,501 ·
news from the garage says;

new OSF upper wishbone, new NSR anti-roll bar bush, new hand brake cables, new rear engine mount bush.

None of them critical, but all giving annoying niggly symptons.

Combined fixes should make for a much more refined and quiet drive :)

and apparantly my main rattle is somewhere in the dash. woopie. time for some digging when I get her back....funsies!
 
#5,502 ·
Last week I broke down. I was running on 3 cylinders. AA got me to my independent who diagnosed it as an ignition rail issue. Got the oil and oil filter changed at the same time.

Then wasn't in work today so dropped it off to the garage to fiiiiinally get the lower wishbone changed. God that squeak was horrendous!

Finally did the timing belt too. Apparently my water pump was leaking? It was late by a year and losing coolant so again, something that definitely needed doing.


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#5,503 ·
If you can fibreglass you can work with carbon fibre. You'll also be aware of how critical the mould is. Just getting the former or positive ready for these took ages, but that should mean I can make many carbon versions that just pop out perfect. Well that's the plan! [emoji6]


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#5,504 · (Edited)
I've had the 2 ltr 159 Lusso Sportwagon for just over 2 weeks, so I thought I'd share my views.

Loads of kit to discover; and it all works! Driving, when compared to the 156 it's a cruiser, the weight gives it a more settled ride at the cost of lacking dynamism, mind you I do have a GTA at this time so it's a bit unfair as a comparison but having owned various 156's I feel the comment is justified. The car gets unsettled on bumpy bends and I have a suspicion that shocks may be required; I will see if a complete kit is justified. Any suggestions - I don't want to go down the KW route, possibly Koni STR.T kit or Bilstein?? Getting used to a diesel again, although the engine is "useless" compared to my 20v (remapped with CAT delete) which would behave more like a petrol than diesel.

So what have I done?
Health check @ Autolusso South and gearbox oil change.
New front and rear badges as the originals were in a bad state and good badges are important to me.
Changed sidelights and all headlight bulbs - Dip now HID.
New rear wiper, the original's blade was completely gone.
Set of mats.
New pollen filter and fuel filter.
A new rear box has previously been fitted with a rusty pipe (stainless tip on it's way).
Bottle of Forte diesel juice.
Drained 2" of water from the spare wheel well (!)

Planned work.
Shocks (possibly with springs).
Wheel refurb.
Minor bodywork paint (rear arches).
Remap and hybrid turbo (joking about the turbo).

That's about all, I'm sure with time I'll get to like the car, the bonus is the wife likes it and it seems to attract lots of positive comments.

Rob
 
#5,505 ·
I decided I still seriously like the TI sport wagon. I was dropped off yesterday and got to see the car pull away up the road. It's freshly cleaned and really looked awesome pulling away up the road. The morning sun making it glow in Carbonio black, the gunmetal Prodrive wheels filling out the muscular wheel arches and allowing highlights of a yellow KW coilover with a red brake calliper. The Wizard back boxes with their enlarged chrome tips finishing off the purposeful stance and flexing their husky voice to say 'check me out, I'm much sexier than your estate aren't I? and I didn't need a facelift or 3'.
My Wife driving at 15 mph makes my blood boil when I'm in the car, but watching the car pull away, I've found it gives me great joy?
Might as well throw a piccy in.
 

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#5,506 ·
just picked my car up. every last little knock and rattle it went in for has been eradicated :D which is good news!

did mean new osf upperwishbone. nsr antiroll bar bush. rear engine mout bush. new brake pin things. and a brakes strip and tidy up. but hey ho.

also some new aircon gas for the summer and south of france road trip so ill be feeling cool as well as looking cool.

just got my perennial steering issue now. No matter what I do I have to steer right a tick to keep her going straight (most obvious on open roads). letting the wheel self centre centres the steering wheel but then I drift off the left. It's not normal road camber because my dads S-class doesnt do it, hire cars for work dont do it, and the courtesy car from the garage didnt do it. very perplexing :(
 
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#5,517 ·
Brake Pedal Switch

Today the brake lights were stuck on again, with the usual errors, no cruise control, stability control disabled steering lock disabled etc.

Solution:

Take out the brake pedal switch, clue a suitably shaped bit of plastic to the end of the rod so it makes contact with the pedal when not pressed, problem fix. The end of a air wheel valve cover cut off works great.
 
#5,520 ·
First impressions of the hybrid and map vs the previous map, is far less smoke and unburnt fuel. Lag doesn't seem too bad, and power grows smoothly (and rapidly) from around 1800 to just under 5000. Although it doesn't 'feel' as quick accelerating, a self stopwatch test indicates a 0-60 in about 5.5 secs, whereas I was getting about 5.8 to 6.0 before. Probably just because the surge was harsh before, and then running quickly out of available air above 3800.....now power delivery is a lot more linear. Does feel like there is a lot more potential still left to be unleashed in the mapping too. I just need to monitor over the next couple of weeks, work out exactly where the BHP and Torque curve is for optimum gear changing and then see if we can squeeze a little more out of the mapping etc. Big thanks to Ned and the boys at Autolusso.
 
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