[ctu]

Hi all. Good to be back in an Alfa after 4 years away ( in an aweful heap of a citroen DS3). My previous experience with a beautiful new 159 2.4 SW company car left me wanting more. Sadly life changes and, as much as I would like to try and justify it, I can't afford to run anything like that on my own now. So I located an 06 plated 147 lusso facelift with huge mileage but a stacked history. It's a lovely thing and i'm very happy with it but... you can't half feel the mileage in it.
So far I've done the gear linkage bushes under the bonnet so I can at least find the gears now :lol:, fitted a Bose system (it so needs Bose) and had both front lower wishbones and all 4 shocks changed (ouch!) It's getting better but it still feels loose and floppy compared to the 159. The upper wishbones were really shiney and obviously recent so I left them in place. I've also changed from the original 15" snowflakes to a set of 16" teledials as they look more 'alfa' and fill the arches better

Any suggestions what else I should do? or are the 147's just less 'together' than the newer 159? The funny thing is both cars were registered new within 3 months of each other so they can't be that different surely?

 

[baxter2308]

Glad to hear that you have come back to the Alfa fraternity, I too have a 147. Give it a good service, filters, fluids, clean the MAF using MAF cleaner as I have a friend who made the mistake of NOT using it. Alfa servicing costs in general seem to be quite reasonable, even more so if you provide some basic parts. See Euro Car Parts who usually have some sort of 25% - 30% reduction on service items, all you need is your registration number and it will filter the results relevant to your car. There are some good discussions on here as to which filters to use. (see links below) Is it a diesel? If so check the timing belts as these should have been done every 50k or so. My history has one change at 49k ish but please correct me if I'm wrong with this.

The diesels tend to be solid from what I've read as long as the maintenance is carried out regularly, which it sounds like yours has. I think some of the 'floppiness' can come from the 147's ridiculously light steering but that's just me. I know what you mean when you say it looks a far cry from the 159 but they were built in the same timeframe.

If you want to go further you could have a re-map. I don't know exactly what results you can expect but I hear people talk about more torque and more power. Very interested in the Bose upgrade, where did you source it if you don't mind me asking?

Hope this helps, congrats with the purchase and the best of luck with it. :thumbs:

Service parts - http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/401873-an-exciting-week-and-its-only-wednesday.html
http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/408217-what-parts-whom-when-did-pagid-become-genuine-alfa-also.html
http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/alfa_romeo_parts.shtml
http://www.gsfcarparts.com/
http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/

 

[gibot123]

It's interesting one of the complaints I heard about the 159 was that it was a bit too firm so could be the 147 is a little softer .
Having said that there are loads of people who have gone for the power flex bushing option which I believe makes a bis difference to the tightness of the car . This also gets round the insatiable appetite the car has for eating its bushes.
As you have done them already this maybe a future thought .
The other thing as mentioned is a induction kit . There is loads of input on here if you fancy a trawl through .
Hope you enjoy your 147

 

[Toso]

Check your ARB bushes, maybe alignment...

 

[ctu]

ARB bushes could be a plan. Anyone know if the steering rack is prone to wear or if has mounting bushes that could be replaced? The servicing side of it is fine. It drives well and has sufficient grunt (ok so it's 100hp less than the 159 but it's actually more economical even thou its a 1.6 ts)
All 4 arb drop links were replaced when the shocks were done so they should be fine.
The Bose came off fleabay and was fitted following the instructions on here. I'm still looking for a decent connect nav as well. I know they aren't great but it does finish the dash off nicely and works well with the Bose kit.
I've also replaced the worn gear know, seized bonnet cable and found a set of chrome kick plates off an old lusso to replace the original black plastics

It's not that it feels soft just less 'together than the 159 and even the DS3.
I'm not worried about going fast, just being more confident about the car, which currently just doesn't feel quite right.

Maybe a full tracking/geometry set-up would help things?

 

[gibot123]

If you've changed the suspension tracking is a must. Take it to somewhere they have proper 4 wheel laser alignment.:thumbs:

 

[mr-mac]

Lower arms, drop links, tre's, tie rods & ARB bushes up front....

At rear; drop links, bushes on all the arms/bars whatever they are called.

If you want it flatter through corners then update the ARB's to gta ones

Did you fit new top mounts with shocks???

 

[ctu]

Top mounts would have been re-cycled. Garage didn't think they needed swapping, and apparently the rears don't have them anyway?
ARB bushes could be a good shout, unless it means dismantling the entire suspension again.
Not looking for upgrades just to return to 'as new' feeling
Any recommendations on tyre pressures for 16's?

 

[Toso]

Think it was front 2.2 rear 2.1 or 2.3 with 2.2

 

[mr-mac]

Arb can be done but rear of subframe needs dropped down to get it out.

Gta arb's are a good idea as they make it flatter through corners but without going hard core. Another good reason is you'll most likely need to clean and paint arb where old bushes were and if pitted badly will need changed or it will chew new bushes.

So if you buy a 2nd hand gta arb set you can clean, paint and have poly bushes fitted ready to go. Saves time and effort. You'll thank me as it makes car corner like you'd want from factory

If any play in rack it may be tie rods (in addition to tre) as tie rod has ball joint and some have a vibration suppression unit in them too (all can cause looseness).