Am I better off driving at high revs (eg: keeping it above 3000 revs and around 4000 at most times) given the make up of the engine and in regard to the engine life? I used to own a Honda and it was better to drive it at high revs rather than at the normal 2-2.5 thousand due to it being a sports model. The 'book' says to change gears as soon as possible and keep the revs low. I have the standard 156, four cylinder, two litre but it's the sports model with the extra 'sports' fittings in regard to the body. Is the engine also 'sports'? (it certainly goes like the clappers!) Thanks
:o Probably not
Why do you think it was better for your sports Honda?
Was advised to drive like that in the Honda because apparently, as it was a sports engine and built for speed and performance, the engine preferred high revs rather than being laboured. Suited me to drive like that! 8) The car was mechanically OK all the time and I never had any issues so maybe I was driving it correctly??? :-\
The 156 Sport Edition had only a few upgrades and add-ons to the interior and body. It eas a really good look as far as I am concerned.
The engine was a standard 2.0 litre Twin Spark (fitted at that time).
Thanks for that John. To others, in regard to the colour of the car, I gave all the numerical codes on the complicance plate to Alfa in Sydney and they have just sent back an email saying that it is a cosmos blue and that they can post a touch up pen. Does anyone know what Alfa Parramatta are like for servicing? My mechanic is just a local mechanic so not a specialist Alfa bloke but will be OK for a general safety check etc.
Please take your Alfa to an Alfa specialist, not KMart Auto, I would recommend Rob Panetta at Manning Motors. Sorry don't know Sydney area much.
Anyone can change oil and check your brake lights are working but it is the finer points which are important and critical.
Not really sure why you would need to drive the daylights out of your engine, it is a standard engine, not a race motor, so I personally think driving normally would be ideal.
Hope it helps.
Neil
Quote from: Bellbird on July 23, 2012, 06:33:04 AM
Was advised to drive like that in the Honda because apparently, as it was a sports engine and built for speed and performance, the engine preferred high revs rather than being laboured. Suited me to drive like that! 8) The car was mechanically OK all the time and I never had any issues so maybe I was driving it correctly??? :-\
Was it a 2-stroke Honda? If not, whoever gave you that advice owes you some petrol money. I would suggest you never had any issues because the engine was made by Honda.
As Neil says, if it's not a race-tuned engine (or a 60s Ferrari or Lamborghini), driving normally is fine. Just make sure to give it the occasional rev to over 5, to hear the noise if for nothing else... ;)
Even BMW and Porsche program their dual clutch cars to shift up in normal mode as soon as they can to save fuel these days. Drive an M3 with DCT without touching anything in the way of shift settings and you'll find yourself using no more than 2000 rpm all day long. Same in a 911 or Boxster with PDK. It's not fun apart from the days you need to clean the thing out....... ;)
Thanks for all of this! Seems that I need to abide by the book! (most of the time! ;)) Don't want to kill my pride and joy.
Have got in contact with Zoo Autocraft (thanks Rick and Peter ;) ) in the Southern Highlands and the bloke, Tim, is right on to the job! Have asked him to give it a proper once over.
My local mechanic did so just recently and said that all was fine. - Didn't charge me: Maybe he thinks all is NOT fine and that I am up for some work so best to keep me on the good side and give me a freebie this time!
Am replacing the Tacho to fix the tail light and battery problem. :)
Bellbird, a good habit with twin sparks and JTS's, is to check the oil level once a week, its easy to do, the dipstick is at the front of the car, do it on level ground, if these engines get low on oil, then when the low oil pressure light comes on, that means you are up for a new engine, as for what revs to use, i was told for maximum acceleration, change up so that when you go into the next highest gear, it drops the revs into the torque zone, and for normal driving, lowest engine revs you can get away with, without labouring the motor, ie when you put it into the next gear, it doesn't go, but just vibrates a lot, that can cause bearing damage, Colin.
After talking to the Canberra Alfisti, I am suspecting that it is actually a Monza and not a Twin Spark (as it has the four leaf clover on it). Will find out for sure of course when I see Zoo Autocraft!
The engine you have is a 2 litre twin spark, the model of your 156 is a Monza, that was made about 2001, a 4 leaf clover is meant to be a lucky symbol, as most clovers are 3 leafs, always makes me wonder why a manufacturer would give a car a symbol meaning 'good luck', Colin.
Our 2000 156 was a Monza - it was an Australian-market styling kit. Side skirts (below the doors), pepper-pot alloy wheels, Momo leather seats, carbon fibre-look inserts in the centre console, red-on-black gauges, and the little stick-on green cloverleafs (from which the green fades quickly in the sun). As Col says - the engine is the 2-litre twinspark.
From memory, they also had cruise control?, is that correct, car company's bring out these special eddition models to move the cars out the door, it was just before the series 2, JTS model 156 came out in 2002, nice looking car too, the Monza, Colin.
Is just like your Monza, Evan, but doesn't have the red on black gauges- just normal black gauges. I prefer that. BEAUTIFUL tan leather interior. Have seen another local one with red seats (not so nice). Seats are SOOO comfy! As soon as I took it for a test drive, I said to my son after a minute "we're buying this!"
Should be OK, Colin, re the oil because I bought some recently (we had great discussion about oils on my other post which is now in the technical section) and am aware of checking it regularly - something I can actually do! And yes, it is a nice looking car!!
I like having the 'good luck' symbol in the side! Makes me know I've done the right thing buying it!
The green clover leaf has special meaning for an Alfa Romeo. It's always been associated with performance models (like Veloce). I've seen gold clover leafs for hi-spec trim (Lusso). Alfa seems to go in cycles using Cloverleafs, Veloce or Ti (when it's both). I honestly dont know the why's, it's just what I've noticed/read over the decades. Somebody adenoidal will be along in a moment to clarify I'm sure ;D
Pretty sure Monza was an Australian made up name for a Veloce with some nice trim (early Ti?)
GTA or GTAm are something very special yet again.
Wikipedia has more info (and if right about the white triangle, then I learnt something tonight) ;D
Quadrifoglio
The Quadrifoglio emblem (also called 'Cloverleaf') is the symbol of Alfa Romeo racing cars since 1923. Since WWII It's also used for the higher trim models of the range (comparable to BMW M Performance or Volkswagen GTI models), the cloverleaf being placed at the side panels of the car behind the front wheels. The symbol consists of a White triangle including a 4-leaves cloverleaf.
History of the symbol
In the early '20s there were three famous pilots and friends successfully racing for Alfa Romeo's racing team Alfa Corse. Enzo Ferrari, Antonio Ascari and Ugo Sivocci. The latter was, however very talented, often unlucky and seen as the eternal runner-up. Being tired of his lack of good fortune, he painted a white square with a 4-leaves cloverleaf at the start of the Targa Florio 1923; thus creating the legendary symbol. Guess what, Sivocci won the race. It was a glorious day for Alfa Corse with their racers ending 1st, 2nd and 4th in a mythical rally. This is why Alfa made it is's racing team emblem. A Few months later Sivocci died in a crash at the European Grand Prix in Monza. The car, the Alfa Romeo P1, did not carry the lucky charm.
In memory of the deceased driver, Alfa replaced the square with a triangle. The greatest pilots of history raced under the Quadrifoglio symbol. Drivers like Enzo Ferrari, Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio achieved great succes with Alfa Romeo racing cars.
Like this:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Alfa_Romeo_RL_Targa_Florio.jpg/800px-Alfa_Romeo_RL_Targa_Florio.jpg)
I seem to remember that TI stood for Turismo Internazionale (or something close), a touring car race classification in the 1960s in Europe.
Pardon my adenoids (long since gone in an attack of surgical enthusiasm).
Bonkfrog
OMG!!! Too much technical information! :o (but interesting never the less!)
Been down to the car shop. Got a DEAD flat battery (due to tacho issue). Which battery charger should I buy? I think the $99 one is the go:
1 - Projecta PC 800 Charger: 12V 2-8A $99 (on special for the "Suck up to the Old Man" (REALLY bad title) Father's Day catalogue. Imagine if they wrote "Suck up to the Old Lady" for Mother's Day!!!!!!! Lawyer's field day!
2 - Projecta 12 volt 4 amp 6 stage switch mode $86.00
Hopefully, when I get the tacho fixed, I won't be getting any more dead flat batteries. The man in the shop said that these chargers are for batteries that still have some charge left. Which one do you all recommend? :)
BTW, got ArmorAll Clay bar system. Is this one Ok Colin?
What model 156 is it (sele, manual, 2.0L)
Post a picture of the tacho (black, silver or white?), I'll buy you it myself !! ;D
A battery charger is just good money after bad - fix the root cause, or take out the offending bulb in the rear right taillight which is draining the battery until you can. A second hand replacement tacho from Autolusso is probably no more than $60./ delivered. I'd consider a new battery if the one you have is greater than three years old.
:)
Is it this one ? >> http://www.autolusso.co.uk/parts/used-alfa-parts.html#ecwid:category=1382048&mode=product&product=5518943
Thanks Craig. Yes it is that Tacho and it's OK - you don't need to buy it for me yourself! ;D ;D ;D
Mr Tim at Zoo Autocraft has sent me a similar pic and he is sourcing it for me and putting it in hopefully in two weekends time (have to go to the snow first and that will be in son's Honda. NOT putting snow chains and roof racks on the Alfa!)
It's a 156 manual Monza.
Am going to jump start it tomorrow and drive it around this week (will garage the Getz) because it has been flat for 5 days now and Tim says that a week is too long to leave it flat. Just don't want to have to punch in all the codes again! :(
Take out the brake light bulb which is remaining dimly lit, you'll still have the middle and other brakes lamps if you drive it. Battery shouldn't drain then.
An Alfa in the snow is fun, the little hatch in the back seat is to stick you skis through!
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/craig_m5/snowinginlondon.jpg)
Wandsworth Common, London
Bellbird, if you jump start it, then it will most likely go flat again, don't temp fate, wait until you get a new rev counter, then find out if you need a new battery, and while you are waiting on your new rev counter, you could try out your clay bar cleaning system, Armorall is a good brand, tell us how you go, battery chargers, where do we start?, i would get one that has a boost on it, that is, connect it up and press boost, and it puts a big fat charge in, and you will be able to start your car in 30 minutes, and for normal charging, flick to normal , and your battery will be right to go in the morning, Colin.
BEAUTIFLUL photo Craig! Two very happy campers there! I can see my wheels!!!!! There is hope to get it to the snow yet! :D I am also getting premium NSW European personalised plates shortly so it will look just like yours!
Took bulb out.
Colin - I agree re jump starting but Housten, we have a problem. I am just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO over the battery. One of the very experienced Canberra Chapters had a look at the battery and thinks it could even be the original! For $100, I'm just going to buy a new one and sort it!
I think the $99 on special charger has a boost so will get it on the 15th when it comes on special.
PS - Contacted the NSW club yesterday about membership! Want to go to their ten pin bowling night but more importantly, I think it is the right thing to do seeing as I have received so much valuable info from all you great people! :)
I think I am honoured. ;D (Have heard about this on the grapevine)
Mr Alpine Chapter is reading my posts!
Hey Bellbird,
Now that you are a true Alfista, you will just have to make time for one of MAC's tours!
ACE ;D
I always thought that the green cloverleafs fading was just my luck with the car running out! ;D
Quote from: Evan Bottcher on August 03, 2012, 10:38:35 AM
Our 2000 156 was a Monza - it was an Australian-market styling kit. Side skirts (below the doors), pepper-pot alloy wheels, Momo leather seats, carbon fibre-look inserts in the centre console, red-on-black gauges, and the little stick-on green cloverleafs (from which the green fades quickly in the sun). As Col says - the engine is the 2-litre twinspark.
William looks WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY too scary!!! Just don't think I could manage to get past him. Went to the ten pin night. Good fun! Am seriously thinking about one of your trips as well. :)