GT 1300 Junior up in smoke

I now have something in common with ex F1 driver Eddie Irvine - we have both 'smoked' the engine of a GT 1300 Junior

What is the problem with my Alfa GT 1300 Junior and car shows – the last one I brought it to was cancelled just as I was arriving and yesterday on my way to Citywest classic car & bike sale I decide to pull off the motorway to get some petrol at Naas whereupon the GT promptly blows a valve – with a dramatic plume of smoke out the back that would match anything Jensen Button’s BAR car could achieve. So near and yet so far. This Junior simply refuses to be sold and perhaps after this I will keep it.
I had to get it towed to some garage in the countryside innards of Kildare leaving me 130 euros poorer.
The damage is being diagnosed in the morning - I do hope its not terminal - if it is what is the best course of action - repair the engine or as I have always been thinking sticking in a reconditioned two litre engine in it. Are they easy to get and at what cost

I was going to make a smart-aleckycomment about the car objecting to its potential sale, but you beat me to the punch.

It's a shame to hear about your engine. I've got no useful advice since I don't know what is available in the local market. I am of the firm beliefe that most things, however are repairable -- as long as you're willing to spend the money. Let us know how it turns out.
--Toronto

Ahh - relief relief - got a call from George Fraine (garage man in Naas) (very Alfa Romeo friendly garage ) today and he told me my Alfa will live to fight another day - it was not half as serious as I first thought - apparently two of the spark plugs got 'fouled up' and the car was only on two cylinders.
Can some one explain how sush a thing could happen - I was cruising along at 60 - car driving as good as any BMW and just after turning off it goes funny. I had been travelling at a constant 60 for quite a while. He put a new set of plugs in and now it works fine - collecting my baby in the morning - won't chance selling it again - it could throw an even worse tantrum

Sounds like a mixture problem to me, but I am no expert. Mine seems to run very rich, the Plugs are quite black, but it's never done anything serious.

Is there anyone around you who still knows how to tune carbs?.

My Giulia received 10k km service last week and I saw the remains of the Golden Lodge Spark plugs that came out of the engine and I was amazed that they were at the end of their life already (guess I am used to Twin Spark plugs)

Hi Alfaguy - if 2 plugs gets fouled up aften some distance at 60 mbh you have a serious mixture problem. If the mec i Naas know how to ballance and ajust twin Webers/Del'otos let him have a look at them. Otherwise drive it to an Alfa Specialist in the know.
A rich mixture not only foules the plus it will drain the cylinders of oil, as well.

Since the engine mechanicals appear to be OK, plumes of smoke that would match Jenson's BAR would seem to me that coolant got into one or more cylinders (I'm assuming white smoke here). Bad head gasket perhaps. Were the effected cylinders next to each other?

How much were you hoping to sell it for ALfaguy?

Originally Posted by selespeed

My Giulia received 10k km service last week and I saw the remains of the Golden Lodge Spark plugs that came out of the engine and I was amazed that they were at the end of their life already (guess I am used to Twin Spark plugs)

The only good thing to do with a Golden Lodge Spark plug is....
Through the bloody thing in the bin

All my previous Alfa Romeo all alloy Twin cams from the early 1980's absolutely hated them... always fouling them up.

I ended up using Splitfire spark plugs which the engines seemed to like really like and they gave a very smooth idle.

Another thing that might be of interest is the Gunson Colourtune spark plug.(which may or may not be available these days)

After balancing the air flow of the twin carbs, I used to use a Colourtune spark plug whilst adjusting each cylinder to the correct mixture...worked a treat on 1983 Alfetta GTV 2.0

When I sold the car in 2002, the fellow who bought it, was surprised at how smooth this car idled.