164 3.0ltr 24 temp gauge

Hi Guys, I have just bought a 1995 super and the temp gauge seems to dance abt. On idle it reads ok and then flicks really fast between normal and full scale with a high frequency, as soon as you open the trottle it seems to read fine on the normal expected reading on the scale. I initially thought voltage regulation but all the other gauges seem to work fine. Any ideas or experience from anyone???

Cheers Chris

Sounds like you need a new sender. Should be able to pick one up and install it youself.

J

Hi J, many thanks for the info,

I thought as much, will just check the connections / wiring and if not successful order one in the morning and then it will be happy days. I note from your site that you had the whole subframe out of your rather nice black 164. I wonder how you found it as I intend to do the same as I want to replace the clutch on mine as well as the timing belt and all the nasty little jobs which are really easy when you can get around anything.

Must be nice to work on it on the bench with room to spare.

Cheers for any advice you can offer.

Chris

Just to let you know that I sorted out the temp gauge problem which turned out to be the wires to the sender had fallen / been removed from the clip on the inner wing. This had enabled them to fall across the airconditioning compressor pulley which caused the flickering of the gauge under braking. I can only assume that the engine was just moving forward on the mounts veryslightly and causing the wires to go to earth in the process.

Aint these cars great, now to repair the heated rear screen, mmmm I wonder why the previous owner removed the relay??

Chris

Probably because it melted! Actually I think the 24v cars are better but both my 12v cars had partly melted the relay housing. Not sure why they do that but I know a guy i the US who lost his 164 to a fire probably caused by a dodgy relay.

On the subframe thing. Defo the best way to go if you have the space/tools and if the job is big enough. I didn't do this myself but the mechanic I go to (ex Alfa for 20 yrs) swears by this method for any large jobs such as my top end rebuild or an engine swap. For anything else you will have to weigh the pros and cons but for sure you have easy access to every part and can give the thing a proper overhall and polish if you're that way inclined!

J

Hi J, well I will find out today as have just bought a donor car last night which will become my spares rescource. Seems a shame to break it really but it will more than save me a fortune in the long run.

I will find out all about the subframe removal soon enough as I will remove the engine and gearbox from this one in that manner as a 'dummy run' and then I will be twice the wiser when I do mine.

Thanks for the tips on the melted relay, I think that there might be some quality issuses with the original relays, I remember this happening to my 1990 twin spark and once I had sourced a relay through work, Omron, I think, it was never a problem after that. Well I was looking forward to a nice long weekend of Alfa Taking apart fun but its a bank holiday and will no doubt be piddling down, anyhow thanks for the tip and have a nice one. Chris