[alfa] 89 Spider Mechanical Issues

[AlfaNeely@xxxxxxx]

    The L Jetronic spiders can and will run just fine if done properly.  I 
regularly turn my 84 L Jetronic race car to 7500 rpm.  Power runs out about 
6300, but on some tracks it is faster to over rev than to upshift and immediately 
shift back down.
    I will send you an article I wrote about waking up the L Jetronic.  If 
anyone else wants a copy, they need to write me off line as I have not read Alfa 
Digest on any regular basis for some months.
    With a 4:10 rear end your spider should run 22 mph per 1000 rpm in fifth 
gear.  With a 4:56 it will be about 20 mph per 1000.
    If the rear end is howling, it was probably run with little or no gear 
lube at some time.  It will never be right.  Swap it out.  Or fill it with gear 
lube and learn to love the noise.  It will probably run a long time the way it 
is.
    If you swap it out, keep the clutch disks from the Limited Slip.  I will 
pay cash for the clutches.
    Make sure the VVT cam is advancing.  Rev it up while you look at the 
space between the solenoid on the front of the passenger side cam shaft.  You 
should see it trigger the VVT.  And make sure the cam timing is correct.
    Replacing the VVT with a normal camshaft is not a good idea.  The large 
single butterfly Bosch does not like to idle with the intake cam advanced.  So 
if you have to buy cams, get an intake cam designed for the VVT.  You can run 
about any camshaft on the exhaust side.
    Tune the car up.  If properly tuned, the 89 spider should run just as 
well as a 76.  It has different rear gear ratio, so downshift more often.
    And finally, get rid of the stock exhaust manifold.  Put on a header or a 
74 and earlier manifold or a 90 and newer manifold.  If you can find a 
Motronic head pipe with a good catalyst, then use that.  Otherwise, get a new 74 
head pipe and an old worn out center muffler.  Cut off the flange at the front of 
the old muffler and weld it to the 74 head pipe after you cut off the 74 
resonator.  Use a bolt in catalyst from about a 1977 spider or Alfetta.  It will 
bolt to the stock center section of you 89 and to the muffler flange you cut 
off.  The rest of the exhaust can be stock 89 or use your imagination.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City



In a message dated 6/7/2004 6:36:24 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 16:31:04 -0700
From: "Christopher " <alfadoctor@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] 89 Spider Mechanical Issues

I have decided that it is time for me to get back on the digest at least for
a little while to work through some issues that I have with this 89 spider
Veloce that I own. The car sat under a tree (haven't we heard that story
before!) for 4 years. The PO put some serious money in to the car but it was
still a gross polluter. The head was replaced with a rebuilt one but the car
still needed some serious work. Other than the issues listed below the car
is nice to drive.

Lets tackle some of these issues:

The speedometer doesn't work. The cable is fine, took it out and lubricated
it. I suspect the electrical sensor that is mounted on the drivers fender.
These go bad? Can they be repaired? Other possiblities? Does the speedometer
head go bad?
How fast would I be driving at 3000 rpm in 5th? 3500? 4000? Since the speedo
doesn't work, I need some sort of references.

The differential is bad. This diff sure makes a howl going down the road at
speed. It seems to me that someone lugged the car around town and the pinion
went out. The pinion is loose and needs to be rebuilt. Since this is a 4:10
rear axle  Swap it out with another one? I have a 4:55 sitting here on the
floor, could I swap that in?


The car passed smog with flying colors after I replaced the air flow meter
and catalytic converter. The performance of this car leaves alot to be
desired. When you put your foot down on the gasm, the rpm's goes up , but
the acceleration being that it is so lean, takes it forever to get up to
speed. Any ideas on how to get more performance out of this car? Can I swap
out the vario cam with something else? I have some 10548 cams I could drop
in.

In comparing the quality of a 76 spider with the 89 is like day and night.
The 89 might be more in tune with what a car would have for buyers, but the
76 with Spica is a far better driving automobile IMHO. This might change
when I get some of these issues resolved.

Thanks for your help.
Christopher Boles
Veloce/SS/SV Register
http://www.veloceregister.net
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