[paul.o]

The spider is my fourth alfa, two 166 and a 159 previously. I took my spider for a shake down to night after all the work completed to bring it back to land of the living and it performed very well. The only thing was the amount of creaks from the interior so I need the the knowledge from the long term owners as to any tips to reduce these or is it something which I will have to live with.

Thanks in advance.

 

[alexGS]

Yes!

Have a look at http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa...r-dash-creak-solved-by-tightening-a-bolt.html first - it's a thread I started to share the discovery of a simple solution for dashboard creaks. That was for my newest V6 Spider, which creaked worse than either of the older Spiders that I had.

Another success I have had is with silicone grease. This is sold in a tube and is usually food-grade lubricant for production equipment etc., so you will find it at an engineering supply store, rather than an automotive or hardware shop. Don't be tempted to substitute vegetable-base rubber grease (brake assembly lube), as I have found out the hard way about the embrittlement of ABS plastics.

With silicone grease on hand, try applying it under the plastic sill covers where they touch the clips, inside the car (these are the carpet holder trims), especially where they overlap the rear side trim. Also, apply some to the edge of the door trim at the corner where it might contact the outer plastic sill trim (the one with the bumped texture). They often rub at the corner.

Next I recommend taking the door trim off and removing the armrest pad - it comes off once you straighten its metal tabs. Clean all around where it goes on the door trim, and apply silicone grease liberally where it touches the trim. You wouldn't believe the difference getting rid of that creak will achieve.

Apply grease under any screwed-on fixing, particularly the pull handle and the door pocket. Apply grease right around the sides and bottom of the trim where it contacts the door, and even on the front surface where it may contact the dashboard. Then, of course, do it all again for the other door

The centre console is another area where large benefits are noticeable. Again, the screwed-on mountings are the main culprit, but also the surround for the gear lever gaiter and the covered box under the centre armrest (for phase-2 cars).

I'm delighted to report that after careful attention, my Gtv is creak-free, and it makes a huge difference to the refinement of the car.

-Alex

 

[brispencer]

My Spider creaked quite badly and I could never trace where it came from. Last week I had to pick up some bags of gravel and, as I had no other vehicle that day, took the Spider. Not something I would normally do. 8 bags pushed car down but luckily it was only about 3/4 mile home. Once I unloaded the gravel the squeaks had gone so I have to assume it was something in rear suspension that was squeaking and giving it a bit of exercise has solved it.

 

[paul.o]

Thanks I will look at the suggested fixes at weekend.

I also replaced both B-pillar door seals which looked like they have been fitted for years. I then found out they were both for the right door. So now my car has the correct left and right ones fitted.

 

[alexGS]

My Spider creaked quite badly and I could never trace where it came from. Last week I had to pick up some bags of gravel and, as I had no other vehicle that day, took the Spider. Not something I would normally do. 8 bags pushed car down but luckily it was only about 3/4 mile home. Once I unloaded the gravel the squeaks had gone so I have to assume it was something in rear suspension that was squeaking and giving it a bit of exercise has solved it.

Lol - 'exercise'!
The rear springs are relatively soft and almost coil-bound on these cars even when unloaded, so with a load like that, it would be running on the bumpstops. Chances are, the bumpstops have now broken off

-Alex