Rrascal

Do you have torque settings for bearing fasteners and hub nut?

This has appeared in mine lately too. Pushing the stalk forwards often gets it working, as long as the lights are off. Wondering if it's the switch? Also quite keen to know, where (preferably free ) is an online manual? Just so I'm not searching for every fastener/clamp/bracket/clip/connection, or breaking them because I've failed to do so.

Fair enough, your response just reminded me of the time when I asked my biology teacher where the (missing from the diagram) clitoris was... For your information, the car is outside, (and very immobile...!) Perhaps you could pm me the info, or e-mail me at [email protected]. I'm quite happy to keep it to myself... I also note that there is a removable cap covering a hose type fitting at the right hand end of the fuel rail, can I use this to drain from, when the other conditions are appropriately attended to? I presume it's there to prime the system...

I've done all my own mechanical work since 1982 on every car I've owned, including Austin, Standard, Triumph, Jaguar, BMW and Alfa Romeo, done mechanical maintenance on numerous friends vehicles with no complaints, worked at an auto machinist as a T/A for a couple of years and had some experience on Scania trucks as well. I don't regard myself as a novice. I know enough to understand my own ignorance, hence I am asking you, a recognised Alfa specialist. I believe the fuel relay is one of the diode equipped ones and that the bases for those relays are colour coded. It'd be nice to be able to do it right the first time, but if I have to piss around testing circuits to figure it out for myself, that's what I'll do...! Failing that I'll try disconnecting the starter motor and just hold the key in the start position... If none of that works I'll knock a hole in the fuel tank.

Hi Smaky, please advise how to bridge the fuel relay. Firstly, which one is it, and secondly, which contacts to bridge... Cheers

Useful link re: OBD codes here. http://www.kbmsystems.net/obd_fault_codes_db.asp

Hi Smakey, I don't like having to do this much, but I've written off my 156, :Broken Heart: so I have to strip it for worthwhile parts and need advice about dismantling lots of things... I managed to find the inertia switch for the fuel system and reset it, and ran the engine, so at least I know that is still ok, and the 'box seems to change fine too. My first question is, how the hell do I get the fuel out of it...? There's 3/4 tank of premium in there, but I can't get a syphon working... :Black Eye:

Tapping in the normal sense, not a Haynes bash with a sledgehammer... That technique got me going again several dozen times, until I stopped procrastinating and replaced the brushes. Hopefully that has sorted that particular problem. The accumulator replacement is a 20 minute job and well worth the effort, as it shifts so much better when it's working! Good luck with the 147!

So I've done nearly 10,000 in this car now, and finally got sick of having to tap the pump with a hammer... I really was procrastinating about replacing the pump motor brushes, mostly because I could see it was going to be a frustrating exercise getting tools where they needed to go. I was right, it was frustrating, but I eventually got it done, with the help of some loudly uttered curses... Pump is so far running fine, but I have yet to take it for a test drive. I also fitted a new accumulator a couple of weeks ago, what a difference that made to the shifts...! So, touch wood, all is well with my 156. Thanks, Smaky, for your invaluable input.

If you can make the fault happen again, try tapping the pump with a small hammer or a screwdriver handle. If the pump responds to this the problem will be the brushes in the pump motor. Either fit a second hand pump, or replace the brushes. Smaky has posted a 'how to' showing brush replacement.

I agree...

Yup...! Looks like it was designed by a skateboarder on crack...

Bloody hell...! That looks a bit... salty...!

Or this, I think almost still the all time greatest in mechanical music, 1500cc of V16 supercharged, methanol drinking madness from 1953, the B.R.M.

Or you could set your sights on something a little more realistic, and build up a TWR XJS... Sounds almost as good, perhaps a bit cruder... This is an impressive example of right on the very edge driving, in a car that looks bloody loose by today's standards...!