Kirk Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 (edited) This week I had an Alfa 156 2.0 Tspark come to me for an oil service, a little bit of a clicking noise fired up from cold and the engine warning light on (although the book says its the injector light), anyway plugged it into my diagnostic scanner and it came back with the cam position sensor cylinder 1 reference broken circuit. So I started off with removing the timing cover to see where it was located but whilst I was looking I found the balance shaft belt had let go and was stuck behind the exhaust cam pulley where the sensor was located. Took a bit of a gamble with this one and figured that maybe that was causing the light to be on so I changed the cam belt/balance belt with all new tensioners etc. Timed the engine up to specs using all the correct locking tools, turned the engine over, car ran fine, no abnormal rattles or noises but the light was still on so I plugged it back in, cleared the code but it instantly came back on so I figured I better fit a new sensor which involved me de-tensioning the timing belt, slipping it off the cam pulleys and taking the pulleys off. The exhaust pulley is on a key way and fits where it fits but the intake cam has elongated holes giving about a 10 degree's of movement. The actual pulley bolts to something called the variator which from what ive been told alters the timing of the intake cam. Anyway fitted the new sensor and replaced the pulleys and re-timed the engine. Turned it over by hand at first and then fired it up this time resulting in a horrible loud knocking noise on the top end, making it sound like a diesel. Now before you say it yes the engine is timed correctly, I checked that 3 times before even thinking of starting it so its not valves hitting pistons, the engine revs fine and doesn't hesitate at all which has baffled me completely. I had a quick read on the Alfa forums and according to some of there 'master techs' it was a tooth out which causes the noise so I immediately checked the timing it was fine and dead on so this wasn't the cause. Then I spoke to my old mentor who mentioned it could be the variator which has a tendency to just fail and make a god awful noise associated with a very loud diesel. The car originally had this clicking noise but it was always off a cold start and asoon as the engine warmed up it went away so now im stumped on this one. I don't want to go and replace this thing only to find it isn't that but currently everything is pointing towards this and the fact the engine only started making this noise since removing the pulley one can only assume its this. Thoughts? Edited September 27, 2011 by Kirk (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignum Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 1st lesson, don`t mess with alfa`s:), sorry can`t help bud but good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I bought an Alfa a few months ago to give them the benefit of the doubt. It lasted a week, I should never have bothered, they are sh!t. Does the noise sound like a heavy internal knock, or like the cam pulley could possibly be fouling something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakey Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 It sounds more like the cam isnt getting oil to it. Its bloody horrible! This reply is from m_life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjy Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Symptoms are a slight loss of performance and a diesel type rattle from the top of the engine, which appears at startup and gradually lasts for longer..... Wikipedia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted September 26, 2011 Author Share Posted September 26, 2011 This is just the thing though. The car drives great its just noisy as hell although it has quietened down a bit since its been driven a bit. Its all pointing towards the variator at the minute from the symptoms. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 From the variator bit i had on my VVTi, i'm sure Michel Lane just squirted some oil inside it and all was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Those LHD Fiat Coupe things have a similar set up and sound like that when they fail. They are both total POS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ugp Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 It's the variator. I've got a spare cylinder head in my shed with a fairly new variator if you want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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