BigMac 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2017 Dear All: My first post since discovering this great web site! I recently purchased a 156, made in 1999, with a selespeed box (I also bought a 147, manual). Both are 2 litre TS. I've read many of the threads here, but none that match my problem... At low speed, the revs reduce to tickover, and no gear is selectable, neither can the car be revved. This happens in City mode as well as 'manual' mode. The only cure is to switch off, and start the motor anew. The garage I use over here (I'm in Rwanda; there are probably no more than six Alfas in the whole country - and I have two of them!) says I need a new rpm sensor, which I have bought, and also some other part, which I have yet to identify : GEAR SELECTOR STICK(CHECK THIS 606 587 470 SELECTOR SWITCH IS INSIDE THE GEAR SELECTOR STICK-----1P). Any idea what part that is, and will it be necessary to get the gearbox functioning well again? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMac 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2017 Engine and gearbox fault codes were: P1691 - Control Unit faulty, intermittent, control unit faulty (microprocessor 2) P0335 - RPM sensor, intermittent, requested, signal not feasible. according to the garage notes when they put on their $10,000 diagnostic machine... But I still don't know what the "selector switch inside the gear selector stick" is mentioned above. There were six other engine error codes for the 147, but it drives like a dream! I am worried that I will need this unidentified switch to fix the selespeed... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMac 0 Report post Posted April 12, 2017 Hah! Stumped everyone, not just me! I can only pray that the rpm sensor does enough to stop the car from switching off the gearbox every time you slow down... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMac 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2017 Well, got the 156 back today. Car no longer stalls, which is a relief! However, the selespeed change does feel slow and clunky compared to the rapid changes on my 147 manual. I have to say as well, the 147 feels mightily quicker than the 156, even though they have the same engine...is this normal? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyblo5 17 Report post Posted April 29, 2017 Well the 147 is smaller and lighter than the 156 and if the Selespeed Gearbox isn't set up correctly it can take an age yo change gear which may explain the difference. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigMac 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2017 OK...so how do I know if the gearbox is set up properly? To me, the gear changes when in City mode are s l o w...certainly way behind changing manually on my 147. At least I've now discovered that with my right foot planted, the gearbox brain realises not to change up until we hit near maximum revs...which is a relief! But still, even though the 147 is smaller and lighter, it out-performs the 156 with ease... I guess the wife can have the 156 and I'll just have to "make do" with the smaller 147 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites