Super_Rich_Bernie

Before you spend $$$ with the Weber man why not strip, clean and fit the service kits. It's a kitchen table job (apart from the cleaning) and there is a Weber DCOE service manual that explains what to do. Much easier than you might think. The only slightly tricky bit is setting the float height - but a bit of thought and you will get that. (seem to remember using a drill bit of the right size to measure the float to carb top) You will also be able to see if there are issues such as idle screws that have been wound in hard damaging the seats. I cleaned mine by soaking them in a big can of cellulose thinners - seemed to do the job. Not difficult, and in my case very rewarding since the car went much better afterwards. I did a second set which are on the shelf waiting to go on e-bay. Jonathan

I'd get a foam (AFFF?) extinguisher. My car was extinguished with a powder one, and short of stripping the engine bay out I will never get rid of the powder residue that got baked on. Jonathan

Thanks Lawrence, hope it is useful for you. Jonathan

I'm in after 4, check your e mail for address. Jonathan

Taken now, thx Jonathan

Cabrio fix baby seat plus an isofix base that it clips into. Suits birth to 10kg. Has instructions and other stuff that came with it. Not used very much since we had two of them so in decent condition. 2007 model. Collect from wimbledon only. £30 for seat and base. Jonathan

Maxi cosi priori car seat, forward facing. Well used but not abused. Suits 9 to 18 kg. uses isofix mounts. Collect only, from Wimbledon. Free or donation to NtL or your favoured charity. Jonathan

The programmable distributors (also look at 123 distributors here) are popular with a lot of classic car folks. They either come with a set of curves you can select, or with the ability to program your own. They are 2 dimensional though - the amount of advance is determined by engine speed only. Very easy to fit and set up - the pre-programmed ones don't need a rolling road session. 3d ignitions take a feed of throttle position, or manifold vacuum, so the amount of advance is determined by engine speed and throttle position. Having a vacuum unit on a normal distributor crudely does the same thing. Whilst 2d units are an excellent replacement for a shagged out normal distributor, they won't do all the good things the 3d unit, suggested by Roger King above, will do. (though they would let you select a curve that gives optimal advance for wide open throttle). I don't understand why 123 don't offer a unit that takes an input form a throttle pot. You could ask them if they plan to. I'm sure there would be a worthwhile market for x-flowers. Jonathan

Or the fuel pump is delivering sufficient pressure to overcome the needle valve, in which case you need a regulator (Filter King or similar). Jonathan

Old school temp gauges have a capillary tube to the guage and a sensor bulb filled with mercury (or maybe something else these days). Where is the sensor for your old gauge? The hottest part of the system is going to be where the water comes out of the engine before it goes into the rad (so where the mechanical sensor is now). I have been playing with an old Alfa recently, the water gauge is innaccurate, but with an IR thermometer I have been able to work out whats happening and set the fan up as I want it. I now know that when the gauge says 210 the water goes into the rad at 200, and comes out the bottom with the fan turned on at ~180. If you don't have an IR thermometer it is worth getting one - until you have you won't realise how useful they are... cooling systems, sump temperatures, brakes, which cylinder is misfiring, optimum temp for barbecue etc etc. Jonathan

There are a variety of cheap OBD2 readers on Amazon from as little as £12. Has anyone got one/used one? I'd want it for my wifes BMW. At that price I might as well get one, assuming they work! Any experience of or recomendations for these sub £20 tools? Jonathan

Charlie, I think it had that much in there simply because the dip stick is the wrong one and it was topped up to max mark. The car has a colourful history and the engine has various repalcement bits, including the cylinder block, so its not so surprising. The last owner had two engines let go, the first one spitting bits out when he took the car to Monza, and the second running main bearings. I did a full circuit of a roundabout with no adverse effect. Cornering forces are limited by skinny 145/15 tyres. There were/are other problems too, such as huge venturis in the weber carb (now sorted) and a distributor which if advanced enough to run sweetly at low revs causes pinking under load at higher revs. (Next job on the list). Hopefully when its sorted the engines life expectancy will improve along with performance. Jonathan

Johnty... top marks, and huge thanks. I drained 8 litres out, book spec is 5.5 litres. The right amount barely shows on the dipstick - clearly the wrong one! A short test run saw the pressure rock solid at sustained high revs. I need to give it a longer run to make completely sure, but looks like this was the problem. I think i could notice a bit more urge too. Jonathan

Johnty ... The sump level is at the max on the dipstick. It is conceivable that the dipstick isn't the original or right one, so I will try re filling it with the correct amount and see where it comes too. Inclined to put something like 15/40 castrol in it instead of the thick 20/50, since the original spec called for 40 grade, not a 50. Klunk... Yes there is a relief valve on the oil pump, though getting at it is a sump off job, and sump off looks like engine out. It appears to work as it should when the engine is cold though. I guess if it isn't oil level or grade related I have to face up to the engine being pulled anyway! Thanks Jonathan

This is on an 1300 cc Alfa Twin cam motor in an Alfa, however blatchat tech advice is much better than Alfabb tech advice..... Appreciate any engine gurus thoughts on this. The engine was rebuilt with new pistons and bearings about 15,000miles ago, and runs up to 6500rpm smoothly. Oil is 20w50 Selenia HPX, semi synth - as recommended by Alfa for these engines, and used in my 1750 Alfa with no problems. Oil pressure normally behaves as I would expect, falling as the car warms up, dropping back at low revs, but sitting at >60psi @ 4000revs with hot oil (where the book says it should be). The oil gauge is a capillary one, not electric. However the car is geared to 16mph per 1000revs (4 speed box), so on the motorway I'm typically running beteen 4500 and 5000 revs - with bursts up to 6000 revs. When I do this I see the oil presure start to drop after a few minutes fast (ish) cruising. Oil temp is not increasing dramatically (I have checked with an IR thermometer, as well as the crappy electric guage). e.g... join local A3 in 70 limit with car already warmed up, cruise @ 5000rpm - oil pressure slowly drops away from 70psi bottoming out at 50ish. Go into 50mph limit, cruise @ 3500rpm, oil pressure slowly gets back up to normal. Get to the traffic lights, use 6000 revs through the gears, pressure stays up. Any thoughts? Sustained high revs causing the oil to froth? Crankshaft whipping it up? or Oil pump? I'd expect problems with that to be apparent as soon as revs rise? Bearings? - again I'd expect clearance issues or wear in these to cause an immediate drop Should I swap to a 15w40 oil? Original spec was 40 grade oil in summer and 30 grade in winter or 20w40 if you could get the then new fangled multi grades. many thanks Jonathan