Re: [alfa] Hello & Help - 164L trans

[hagen_jason@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Al is a pretty well-known Alfa tech in the Chicago area.  You should be fine with him.

My advice is, if the tranny is the problem, don't pay him to open it up.  Source a used, known good tranny, reseal it and have it put in (after ensuring that it has the "updated" input shaft bearing).

Total labor for the tranny (and you should probably put in a clutch too) should be around 8 hours-ish...

Does anyone out there have a tranny available for Jeremy?  There are several used sources available.  APE (Alfa Parts Exchange) in CA should have one.  You may want to give them a call.  DiFatta Brothers in MD may have one too and they have great prices on parts (for the most part).

The net:  definitely not worth a rebuild of your current trans.  Get a swap unit.

--
Jason Hagen 
Chicago, IL 
'73 Spider 
'95 164Q 
'91 164S

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> Buon giorno Alfisti, 
> 
> I've been reading the postings for a while now and appreciate the wealth of 
> knowledge and enthusiasm that you all have for Alfas. I'm an Alfa fan and a 
> relatively new Alfa owner, but my enthusiasm runs a little deeper - my mom's 
> family is Milanese and my one grandparent who is still living tells me 
> stories of growing up in Milan, driving around in my great grandfather's Alfa 
> Romeos. That being said, about the only thing I know about the cars is what 
> I've 
> picked up reading these postings (thanks!) and I'm probably one of those 
> annoying Alfa owners who really just shouldn't own one. 
> 
> I have a 1991 164L that was originally purchased by an Italian here and 
> therefore apparently ordered with a 5 speed, which I'm told was rare. It has 
> 62000 meticulously kept original miles and runs beautifully. I bravely decided 
> to take it out of town a couple weeks ago, and after coming off the highway, 
> I slowed for a red light and then shifted to second as the light turned green 
> while rolling up. The engine stalled, and then the gear shifter was stuck 
> in second. I paid a large amount of money to have it towed to the closest 
> Alfa mechanic who could be found from a cell phone, Al Promisco at Italia 
> Automobili in Northbrook, IL. The towing co. left a note saying that they 
> initially couldn't even get the car to roll, but upon arrival at Italia the 
> shifter 
> was somehow free. The car will move in first but when the clutch is engaged 
> it makes a pretty loud grinding/clanking noise (like "click-click-click" etc). 
> We didn't try taking it past first. The mechanic, Al, said that when he 
> drained the fluid, metal pieces were hanging on the magnetic plug. He now has 
> the tranny out and says at least the differential is fine. I just gave him 
> the OK to take the box apart and look for what's wrong. 
> 
> I guess my questions are: 1) has anyone ever heard of this mechanic? He 
> seems to know what he's talking about but I'm concerned about how many hours 
> are going to be spent. He's not cheap and he says it will be 2-3 hours just to 
> find out what's wrong once he has the box apart. 2) Does it seem reasonable 
> that I'm probably going to need a new transmission? (Al says when he finds 
> out what's wrong, replacement parts will probably be more costly and 
> inconvenient than a refinished transmission?) 
> 
> Sorry to make my first posting a desperate "help me" question... but I'm 
> hoping someone out there can offer some comfort. Although I know an Alfa owner 
> should expect these things, It's a bad time of the year for me to have to 
> worry about this expense. Thanks and keep up the good work! 
> 
> Jeremy 
> _jeremy815@domain.elided_ (mailto:jeremy815@domain.elided) 
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