Alfa 156 questions

[sports_brah]

As some know from the other thread, I purchased a alfa 156 (twin spark 1.8) very cheaply.

I bought it at 124k miles (cambelt done at 110k) and in no time I'm up to 126k (been a busy couple of weeks).

The engine seems fine enough, and the car drives long distances with no issues but I've noticed a few issues. If they're big, I'll just scrap the car, but there is a chance they're reasonable.

2200 miles divided by 150 euros makes the price per mile cheap enough that the car has paid for itself!


Anyway, I've noticed a sort of squeaking sound occasionally coming from the back of the car which anecdotally I've found starts after going over those speed bumps.

The car starts everytime with no issues, and has never come out of gear. However when sitting in traffic for a long time, I've noticed that sometimes the temperature needle goes up slightly and another fan kicks in for a few seconds? What does this indicate?

A guy at the garage said that the tracking was out slightly. He got it back "within tolerances" but said that he had to blowtorch (wtf?!) something to try and get the tracking back? Said it was seized slightly at the back?


I guess a best way to do all this would be to get a video? Does anyone have any good resources as to how to diagnose things on this car?

Here's the car in question

 

[vanpeebles]

Looks a tidy car The temp thing sounds normal for any car when stood in traffic. The 156 I had, had two fans when stood for a while they would both kick in on fast to cool it.

The squeaking from the back just sounds like the rear suspension/ roll bar bushes need replacing. Which is the norm on any old car

 

[Dr Who]

Sounds like a suspension squeak which could be a bush or a bent shock, neither is serious.

High heat in traffic with no airflow through the radiator, totally normal.

Having to use a torch on a seized track rod end to adjust tracking is also perfectly normal for a car of that age, although when Kwik Fit did my BMW they hadn't undone the compression clamp so it could be a bad mechanic but not the car.

Sounds like bangernomics at it's best.

 

[Third Opinion]

Yeah the temperature is pretty normal on them, on the Alfa forums they say replace the thermostat if the car doesn't sit on 90 the whole time. I never have bothered, both my 156's (2.5 V6 and 2.4 Diesel) move a bit, they go just slightly past 90 then come straight back down.

Suspension squeaks usually come from the front although rear arms have been known to go. I personally would live with it unless it gets worse.

 

[rodenal]

There's quite honestly nothing to worry about in the above.

Guy that some your tracking probably had to heat the track rod ends to free them. Not ideal but worst case is you replace the rods down the line, surprised if the full lot is more than £40 a side parts.

Squeaking at the rear, live with it until it gets worse.

Temperature, depends on what type of gauge the Alfa has but it sounds either absolutely fine or like the stat isn't quite up to the job anymore. Sort it yourself for the cost of the part

 

[Dr Who]

Temperature, depends on what type of gauge the Alfa has but it sounds either absolutely fine or like the stat isn't quite up to the job anymore. Sort it yourself for the cost of the part

Pretty sure the fan temp sensor is in the rad so the thermostat should be working fine if the fans are engaging correctly, so don't change the stat for the sake of it as you could just create a problem with airlocks leaks etc.

 

[233]

sounds like a perfect alfa tbh


normally a couple of thousand miles use would result in at least 51 electrical gremlins rearing their heads and any number of weird and wonderful quirks.


as mentioned already absolutely nothing to worry about in any of the above, the rear squeak is most likely a worn bush which will be fine for now.