Re: alfa-digest V8 #366 - Spider starter

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

In a message dated 01/11/2002 10:36:55 AM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> 
> Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 09:55:47 -0600
> From: "Christopher Sasso" <csasso@domain.elided>
> Subject: Spider starter
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> This morning my starter just made a high pitched whrrr, so I guess I will be
> changing it this weekend.  It made an awful racket yesterday but did engage.
> Any tips on replacing it, the car is an '87 Spider.  The starter was 
> replaced
> 6 years ago by the PO, shouldn't it have lasted longer?
> 

<snip>

> 
> Thanks,
> Chris
> 
> 

       Ducks.org?  Is that a University of Oregon service provider?  If, not, 
where are you located?  How neat if it is.  Ducks.org.  I like it.  I got my 
masters degree from the University of Oregon lo those many years ago.  That 
was even before I owned any Alfas.
       Attached is a text file I wrote about replacing motor mounts.  It 
includes details on the problems with replacing the starter on Bosch injected 
cars.  With any luck, you will have the late model small planetary gear drive 
starter.  These are much easier to replace than the large heavy early 
starters.
       The heavy early starters have a bracket that bolts to the motor mount. 
 They are almost impossible to replace with the intake plenum in place, but 
it can be done.  I have replaced both the large early and the late small 
starters on Bosch spiders without removing the intake.  But you just as well 
remove it.  Unless you can work by Braille, get things out of the way so you 
can see what is happening.
       One trick for the top starter bolt is to get a bunch of extensions so 
that you can get the socket wrench up by the starter where you can get at it. 
 It helps to remove the radiator overflow bottle and the distributor cap and 
rotor so you can get an arm under the intake manifold.


Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
  When this was written, there had been a thread on Alfa Digest
  about tools.  References to Sears / Snap On / Someone Elses
  tools were a tongue in cheek attempt to poke fun at that
  rather heated argument.

  Subject: Motor Mounts

  In Alfa Digest #V6-033, Ralph DeLauretis asks, <I am in the
  process of changing my motor mounts on my 82 Spider and was
  hoping someone can give me some instructions or guidelines.>

  Always remove the negative battery cable first!  Just as well
  put the whole car up in the air on very secure jack stands.
  You might check the exhaust system, transmission and rear end
  fluid levels while it is in the air.

  The exhaust side motor mount is easy to replace.  Remove the
  air cleaner top and unscrew the air cleaner bottom half to
  gain access.  The motor mount attaches to the crossmember in
  two places.  Remove the bolt into the crossmember and remove
  the nut and washer on the underside of the motor mount.  There
  is a stud projecting out of the crossmember and a slot on the
  motor mount that slips over it.  Feel under the mount and you
  will find it.

  Remove the three nuts and washers attaching the mount to the
  engine block.  A 13 mm Sears Craftsmen end wrench is required
  for all the above.

  Place a jack under the drivers side of the bat wing oil pan,
  place a block of wood on the jack, jack it up, pull out the
  old mount and install the new.  Bolt the new part to the
  engine first leaving the nuts loose for the moment, lower the
  engine making sure the slot slides over the stud in the cross
  member.  Put on the washer & nut finger tight.  You might have
  to jack the engine back up just a touch to align the hole for
  the remaining bolt.  Let the engine down and tighten every
  thing.

  On Spica or Weber spiders the passenger side mount is almost
  exactly as described above.  Just make sure to do one side at
  a time!

  As yours is Bosch injected you can start using the F___ word.
  You will have to remove the radiator overflow bottle and the
  distributor cap at a minimum.  Reach your right hand under the
  air plenum while peeking through the plenum wherever an
  opening will let you.  You will find the following:

  Throttle linkage is the first obstruction encountered.  A bell
  crank hangs from the air plenum with a throttle link running
  up to the intake butterfly and another running back to the
  firewall.  The ends of the throttle links will just pop off
  with a Craftsman screwdriver.  There is also a braided wire
  ground strap attached from the block to the plenum.  The bell
  crank is not hard to remove or replace, so do it.  Watch the
  alignment of the spring on the bell crank as you just as well
  take it apart and grease it while it is off.

  The air plenum is supported by an upside down L shaped brace
  that bolts to the passenger side motor mount, runs up to the
  plenum and in toward the engine.  The engine end of the brace
  bolts to the underside of the intake manifold while the center
  attaches to the air plenum with two 10 mm bolts (which
  requires a 17 mm wrench).  The lower end of the brace bolts to
  the motor mount with a 10 mm bolt requiring a 17 mm wrench on
  the head and 19 mm on the nut.  On earlier spiders a bracket
  supporting the end of the starter is held with this same bolt.
  86 and later spiders with the smaller diameter high torque
  starter do not have this bracket (at least, mine do not).

  The end of the cable from the battery terminates at the
  starter.  The end is exposed and anxiously awaiting its
  opportunity to weld itself to any wrenches you put under the
  plenum.  Make sure the battery is disconnected.

  At this point, consider making shims to fit between the
  passenger motor mount and crossmember.  You can reach the bolt
  and the stud holding the motor mount to the crossmember
  without removing the air plenum (not easy, but they can be
  reached). Jack up the engine, slip in a shim, lower the engine
  and check to see if the shim has raised the engine enough to
  give the air conditioner belt room to operate without shoving
  the engine up through the hood.  Adjust the thickness of the
  shim as appropriate and tighten everything back up.  You will
  not find this in the Alfa Romeo repair manual and certain
  purists may scream, but it works.

  It is marginally possible to change the motor mount with out
  removing the plenum.  This will require much contortion,
  bloody knuckles and the F___ word.

  I suggest removing the air plenum.  Which means removing all
  the air injection hoses from the top of the engine.  There are
  four hoses connecting the plenum to the intake manifold with 8
  hose clamps.

  The two 10 mm bolts in the middle of the L shaped bracket are
  a pain to remove and even harder to replace.  Replacement
  seems easiest from under the car with a very long socket
  extension with a end that allows the 17 mm socket to rock
  sideways allowing the extension to project below the oil pan.

  Remove the plenum, the L brace and the rest is just like the
  driver's side.

  If you are going this far, you just as well pull the radiator,
  shroud and fan, which you have to do anyway to replace the air
  conditioner belt.  Plan to replace at least half the
  antifreeze, and flush the system.

  Remove the valve cover and suck the pint of dirty oil out of
  the cam galleys with a turkey baster and finish with paper
  towels. (I pull the valve cover every other oil change).
  Check the valve clearance and chain tension while you are
  here.  Be careful to align the plunger from the electric
  solenoid on the valve cover to the variable intake cam when
  replacing the valve cover.

  Before putting things together, scrape all grease deposits,
  put plastic bags on the distributor and intake ports, apply
  Gunk or other engine cleaner and wash the engine, cross member
  and everything.  Wash all rubber parts with soap and water and
  apply Armor All inside and outside all rubber hoses.  Just as
  well make everything pretty!  Plus I do not mind getting dirty
  taking things apart, but feel I have not done a good job if I
  get dirty putting things back together.

  I washed all parts removed in petroleum naphtha in my parts
  washer.  I also loaded the spider on my car trailer and took
  it to the car wash.  Using Gunk and high pressure water, I
  managed to give my transmission an overhaul as well.  Laying
  under the car trailer to wash the transmission got me a bit
  dirty and wet, but everything is clean.  Hot Rod Magazine once
  described the cleaning and painting of the engine as a Krylon
  overhaul.

  My 87 Graduate is currently in exactly the condition above,
  clean with new parts awaiting assembly.  I originally pulled
  the air plenum for access to the starter and injectors.  It
  turns out the starter is ok, but the ignition switch is bad.
  I also had a leak in one of the hoses between the fuel block
  and injector.  When installing the air conditioner belt, I
  discovered the motor mounts had sagged.  When I pulled the
  spider out of storage, I expected to replace the battery,
  change the oil and drive it.

  Russ Neely
  Oklahoma City
  4 Spiders (91, 87, 84, & 82)
  2 87 Milano Gold
  2 75 Alfetta Sedans (one purchased new)
  2 Giulia Spiders
  1 GM tow vehicle
  and a few more Alfas for parts.

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