[916paul]

My 1996 Alfa Spider needs a new engine.
With the clattering and knocking it sounds like a diesel. My mechanic informs me that they tend to do that when a rod is sticking out the side.
The problem is that the 916 was not sold in Canada and the US so I'm looking overseas, primarily in the UK, for a replacement engine.
I've found a few engines on eBay.co.uk but most appear to be 2's.
Does anyone know if the CF2 is a relatively simply bolt in replacement for the CF1?
Thanks

 

[David C]

Assuming this is a 2.0TS
It will fit, but needs a few sensor changes.
It has been covered before, so a search may find something, but I think the camshaft sensor and pulley are different and may be other minor issues, but it will fit and anything you need will probably be on your old engine.
The temperature sensor setup is different too, the CF1 has two separate sensors (one on the end of the cylinder head and the other on the thermostat), on the CF2 those two sensors are combined into a single unit mounted in the thermostat housing.

Hopefully you'll get a reply from someone that has actually done the swap.

 

[spankdanny]

Might be worth investigating what is wrong with your old engine first to see if it's rebuildable. No guarantee with a secondhand engine and difficult to send it back if there's a problem after fitting. Someone else from Canada had the same issues.

 

[rgwm]

As David has said, essentially the TS engines are interchangeable, but certain of the anciliary items need to be changed if they are a different "CF" spec. Another point to bear in mind is that engines from other than the GTV or spider - for example from a 145, 146, 155, and even the 156, have differences in the pipework for the heater and expansion tank for example.....none of it is insurmountable, but you'll just need to sit the two engines side-by-side to compare all of the connections, pipes etc.

 

[Pud237]

What rgwm said. A CF2 engine will be fine, you'll just have some bits to swap over.

 

[Paddy OPlastic]

I'm no expert but wouldn't a TS sounding like a diesel suggest a knackered variator?

 

[Pud237]

I'm no expert but wouldn't a TS sounding like a diesel suggest a knackered variator?

From the first post, it reads to me that his mechanic has looked at it and found a conrod has come through the block:

With the clattering and knocking it sounds like a diesel. My mechanic informs me that they tend to do that when a rod is sticking out the side.

But normally a diesel-y sounding start-up is a worn inlet cam variator.

 

[Paddy OPlastic]

Ah, you're probably right. Seems my sarcasm detector is kaput.

 

[916paul]

What rgwm said. A CF2 engine will be fine, you'll just have some bits to swap over.

Oops, missed saying that it was a 2.0 TS. Sorry about that.
Thanks to all that responded, you helped me eliminate the use of a CF2 or CF3 for that matter.
The problem with the CF2's requiring additional bits and pieces is that the 916 was originally never sold in Canada or the US so parts have to be sourced and obtained from overseas. Expensive and time consuming.
On the other hand the reactions to the car from people here are great. Most people have never seen one and compliments are heard every time I drive it. In Canada any car over 15 years of age can be imported regardless of whether or not it was built to Auto Pact specifications which the 916 is not. In the US they have to wait 25 years to import from what I've been led to believe. When I was down south other drivers would ask about the car at stop lights. In parking lots people would detour over to see what the heck it was. It really gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
So anyway, I found several CF1's and am having one shipped over. It is costing me almost as much to ship the engine as to purchase it but still a lot less than sourcing another left hand drive car and having it shipped over.
Thanks again.
Paul

 

[Pud237]

Oops, missed saying that it was a 2.0 TS. Sorry about that.
Thanks to all that responded, you helped me eliminate the use of a CF2 or CF3 for that matter.
The problem with the CF2's requiring additional bits and pieces is that the 916 was originally never sold in Canada or the US so parts have to be sourced and obtained from overseas. Expensive and time consuming.
On the other hand the reactions to the car from people here are great. Most people have never seen one and compliments are heard every time I drive it. In Canada any car over 15 years of age can be imported regardless of whether or not it was built to Auto Pact specifications which the 916 is not. In the US they have to wait 25 years to import from what I've been led to believe. When I was down south other drivers would ask about the car at stop lights. In parking lots people would detour over to see what the heck it was. It really gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
So anyway, I found several CF1's and am having one shipped over. It is costing me almost as much to ship the engine as to purchase it but still a lot less than sourcing another left hand drive car and having it shipped over.
Thanks again.
Paul

You already have the parts you need, they're attached to your dead CF1 engine. So you can buy a 2.0 TS CF2 engine or even a 2.0 TS CF3 engine and effectively turn it into a CF1 by switching over the ancillaries and external bits & bobs that are different from your old, dead engine. But anyway, if you have sourced a CF1 then no problem, at least you can be sure it'll go straight in.