no the selespeed system doesn't have a snow mode, it is not a fully automatic transmission, it is a manual gearbox with an electrohydrolic selector mechanism.

Unless you have so e sort of OBD diagnostic software an the right lead I would say you are fumbling in the dark but I would start with the basics......
Does the sele pump run when the door is open, it should run for about 7-10 seconds, is there sele oil in the resevior?

 

Now lets see where you went wrong...lets start with the thread title...it should read "Owners are a problem by coincidence it's Selespeed gearbox"

If I read what you said, your mate bought a problem car cheap because it was a bomb, and tried to make money out of it - it had heaps of problems (no surprise) then you the genius in the team bought it for nothing (250) and have problems. Mate you should strip the car and sell the bits, you'd easily make back the 250 and get that car off the road that has been f%#*ed so much I'm surprised it isn't pregnant!

Personally I would take it to the scrap yard and have it crushed...with the previous and current owner still in it:wow:

 

let Oddjob do it :thumbs:

 

Why be so harsh cuorealfa! From my basic knowledge of alfas and the selespeed system it is a cheap fix. I cannot fault you for buying this car as i would come and you £250 for it. YOu will find that you need alfadiag, cable and a laptop to find out which sensor you friend has blown. If i am right you friend has tried to start the car whilst the battery charger was on and blew the fuse in this. Chances are he has shorted the system out and hopefully just blown a sensor. Best case a £30 sensor worst case a new ecu. I have the alfadiag setup and would gladly read the ecu for you if you can get the car to me in doncaster. I could come over and read it for you for a drink to cover fuel. Certainly cheaper than a garage. Did you re-calibrate the actuator when you fitted the gearbox as it could also be this.

 

Cheers Matt
At least some on here have some good advice.Although I did find the other replies funny. Thanks for the offer Matt. Took the battery off to no avail. so took it to my garage guy accross the road he has the dianostic gismos. Said worst case if it was terminal he would only charge £20 which I thought was really good of him. So will keep you all posted on how things pan out .

 

Nothing wrong in owning a selespeed, the fixes as said can be relatively cheap as long as you get the right help in diagnosing the problem. To often selespeeds get condemned with frightening statements "actuator replacement" required when it all to often it is as Matt said can be fixed cheaply.
That is what the AO forum should be about help one another with knowledge. I am lucky that in Wiltshire I have all the help I need and if you lived closer you would experience the hands on help I have received in the past from AO members.
Matt kindly offerred to help, use it as he has ALFA Diag and hopefully another Alfa can be saved from the scrap heap.

 

Hi matt & Romek (and thanks rarebear I could do with that bowler hat now!), guys I am certainly not against Selespeed indeed, quite the opposite, if you see the link below I try and help out genuine naturally occuring issues. But what I have grown tired of is those that stuff around with a car, then patch it up with secondhand parts or underlying problems and flog it off cheap (to a friend...that knows about it!!!)...worse than that is the one that buys an Alfa "bargain" and then shouts "My Selespeed has problems". As if it is Selespeed that's the problem (I am tired of it getting bad publicity for many things it isn't to blame for, a few yes but most no)...maybe it wouldn't be a problem if someone didn't try to fry it and/or paid someone specialised in Alfa to fix it properly.

So I admire your helping hands matt and Romek...but with time, as I did you will realise that rarebear got it right. Cheers.

http://http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/59454-selespeed-info.html#post3201421

 

i agree to a degree, however if somebody is willing to purchase an alfa at a ''bargain'' price, but then is looking to repair it to make it good again, then what difference does it make if they do this by way of dealer or cheap parts. With alfadiag you can see problems and service the selespeed unit so as to remedy any underlying problems straightaway. I do not believe in using the dealers as all they say is ''actuator stuffed'' all because half of them havent got a clue about it and ignore it like its the plague. (this is not based on all deaers just my personal experience) i think if you were offered it for £250 you would have bought it with the problems as it cannot be anything major just looks like it was setup incorrectly when fitted and then his mate blew a fuse big deal. He only wanted help finding it out and that is what this forum is about. I received my help on this forum and so i will offer it back to anybody who i can help.

 

Hey Guys its great that we all bother to help each other out with whatever knowledge you have for an Alfa.
It is commendable that you share your knowledge and even best practice within the "enthsiastic amatuer mechanic" group within this forum. It is a pity that an area is allocated for Selespeed on the AO forum that would allow owners of Selespeeds to focus feedback and assistance to one another.It would also be very helpfull if some of the "Professional members" where a little more visible with their support in the diagnosis .

 

It would also be very helpfull if some of the "Professional members" where a little more visible with their support in the diagnosis .

Wishfull thinking Romek, no profit in it for them. Unless they could sell half a Brembo kit into the bargain

 

Hi Cuorealfa ! the bowler hat would not be sufficient in this case but as been said by many members, Selespeed got the reputation by dealers who just fitted a new actuator and then discovering that there was
something else wrong, diagnosis is the first step ! I have a 99 156 sele with 150k on the meter and apart from a broken release bearing nothing wrong with the Selespeed....I drive it every day... and love it !
take care of the battery and the Tutella level.. thats all there is to it !
I wish you all the luck you can handle and believe me .. you will love the car (and that for 250 quid !!!!)

 

Well said rarbear! I completely agree! Today i have just fitted the part to my selespeed and guess what it works a treat!! What a car!! Just to make you aware jimbo9 as it is in safe mode you will probably find that it isone of the three position sensors. These are the same as the throttle position sensor on many cars and that is what i have just had t replace. I bought one off a 106 gti and guess what it works perfectly. The problem with the selespeed is a design fault i come accross. on the position sensor at the rear of the actuator there is a 2ml gap on the underside of the sensor which allows crap in and prevents it from working. This is what was wrong with mine and it cost £3 from a scrappy!!! The only way you can find anything out is ALFADIAG!!!

 

oh and if ya want your £250 back i will have it!!! hehe:lol:

 

blimey I am causing a riot, well it's still in the garage with no word yet. 2 days now but no news is good news I hope!! if the garage can't do anything with it I am sure there are other options beside sending it to the little yard in the sky and besides it looks to nice to do that.

 

if your garage was any good mate and had the diagnostics he would have given you a rough idea at least by now. If it takes them a few days i would be careful of the outcome as alfadiag gives you an idea in 2 minutes. Naturally this is only an idea but at least you know if it is a sensor or completely knackered. Just be careful as if they dont know whart they are doing and are changing bits by guessing they could make it worse for ya!

 

they are pretty good with me matt to be honest. he knows I do not need the car for work I have 2 transits and a car so think he is just doing a bit when he has the time plus he would ring me if he was doing anything expensive to it. hoping it is a sensor and he is waiting for a part. went round this morning(sunday) but only young guy there he does not know anything about it so will find out a bit more tomorrow.

 

Thats the best way when you know them and they are doing it in their spare time at least there shouldnt be ab ig bill at the end of it. Hope it cures it for ya mate as sounds like a nice car when it is done.

 

Oh dear monday morning blues. No joy at the garage he aint getting involve with it he just said his computer pumped out a load of garbage. so does anyone know of anybody with this alfa diag that lives pretty close and how much it costs to have it run through?

 

Hi, i am in doncaster, i can come and do it for you but wont be till the weekend (20quid to cover fuel) unless you can fetch it to me and then i can do it after work. I wouldnt have thought it will be much and sounds very much like the problem i have just cured on mine. See my previous threads.

 

hhmmm cheers matt
may take you up on that at some stage. I'm now on plan b. on the way back to the yard that i keep it at there is a auto electrics garage. popped in there today see if he could do anything. he says he got a top notch diagnosis machine it should be able to pinpoint any faults but may not be able to rectify some of the problems. garage across the road had car for 2 days got a print out of codes but basicaly it dont specify anything he didn't charge me for it which is a bonus as well. auto electrics guy aint charging me either if he cant do anything £20 if he can pin point the problem. matt have you got the alfa diag and can that calibrate the gearbox. is it all fixable from the laptop once parts have been replaced?

 

Hi, yes i have alfadiag, to be fair that is what you need, its ok having different readers on it but if they read the selespeed ecu incorrectly you are wasting money, also they cannot calibrate the selespeed system, if you write the list of the fault codes we can have a look and see if that helps

 

cheers matt
all the codes are still in the car. hopefully have a better idea tomorrow i'll keep you informed

 

looked on your other threads where did you get the alfa diagnosis program & cable from?

 

cable from ebay, and alfa diag from the website, type alfa diag into google, only costs £53 and is well worth it

 

right!! been to diagnostic place, he's sorted a multitude of things but whats left is code 1742 selection control/sensor faulty anyone have any ideas. been on to alfa twice now first time I rang but didn't have the code at the time but said it was coming up with the selection control faulty. they skirted round things to say the least. First it could be the pump but it is fine second it was the actuator( no surprise there) I said the guy had used his computer to select gears and all the solinoids where working then he said it could be the steering wheel. hhmm they either don't have a clue or want me to take it straight to them so they can fleece me. Anyway got the exact code so went back to them with that and now waiting upon a call. As i said does anyone on here have a clue what this code is and anyone know how to fix it.

 

This is one of the black potentiometers on the actuator. There was a thread about changing it a couple of days ago. I'll post a link in a mo....

 

Link to fault/fix:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa...om/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/205564-p1742-selespeed-fault-code-please-help.html

How to fix it on the cheap

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-147-156-and-gt/205948-p1742-fix-on-the-cheap.html