Okay, the nitpickers are out tonight Looking from the cab/cabin/cockpit/interior forward (that would be towards the FRONT of the car), I was looking for an engine that would CLOSELY RESEMBLE the Frontenac DOHC conversion with the exhaust ON THE RIGHT, as in the pics below. Being a teacher on a very limited budget, I jumped at the chance to purchase a 1997 Olds Achieva with the 2.4l Quad4, since it was only $180 (rearended). This gave me all the electronics,harnesses, etc that I might need. If I had the money, I probably (in hindsight) would have gone with the Duratec, part ly because the 2.4l has a boil growing on the driver's side of the block (that would be the LEFT... oh forget it) that is used as a oil/air separater, but mostly because it would be a good bit easier to convert the Duratec to RWD. I am hoping, however, to find a more cost-effective (translate as cheaper) way to adapt the Quad4 to a Camaro (or Mustang) T5. Sorry for the rant- but the last couple of responses gave me the opportunity to let loose a little "end-of-the-schoolyear" stress.
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but there seems to be a fair amount of interest in these DOHC Alfa engines. So in the public interest... Here are some measurements: length from back of block to tip of waterpump snout 23.25" - which makes it shorter by about 1" than the stock Willys L134 4 banger I am planning on replacing. This means no screwing with the stock firewall - yippee. Width is 24" with all the Spica injection pumps and smog crap which you are going to jettison in favor of the side draft Weber DCOE's or throttle bodies (ask me about these). 20" without the injection/smog crap but I do not have a header on my engine. The header would take the width back to around 24". Height is 26" from bottom of sump to top of valve cover. Also remember that these came with a rear mounted aluminum transaxle on Alfetta models, which has the clutch and flywheel in the transaxle, inboard mounted disc brakes, cv style half shafts. Also a two piece driveshaft. My transaxle has a 3.55 posi and came out of a 1988 Alfa Milano Green Cloverleaf with a 2.5 l V6 but will work with the DOHC four equally well.
Yeah, and their toilets flush "backwards", too No problem Weasel! Hey, anyone have thoughts on my "stupid question" in post #123???
I signed up, but can't post (don't know why) and have no way to contact anyone... geez, sounds like no one likes me on there- think I'm gonna eat worms (anyone know that kids song?)...
Q in Post #123. I dunno, the quad I have (the remains of) is the older 2.3 H.O. It's neutral balance. I was unaware that the newer engines were external balance (it got a couterwight on the flexplate?). If it's the factory flywheel for that year range and you plan to keep it to the factory redline I wouldn't bother with a rebalance (IIRC that's what you were saying you planed on). FWIW the one I have the flywheel bolts are torque to yield throw aways. Last I priced a set ARP was only a few dollars more (3 or 4 IIRC) than the throw aways from the local GM dealer. FWIW the older (88 ish) quads had some wires that went from one of the computer plugs to another if it was a stick, they went to the shift selector switch if an auto. Mine had the stick harness from go and I was running a 4 speed VW swingaxle box so I lucked out. I have no idea if yours would be the same. I guess it desn't matter if you aren't planning on running the factory EFI. MSD used to sell a stand alone ignition controller for those (don't know the year cutoff though). If you do run the factory injection, the 88 would fire on starting fluid with power to the ign unit (I missed one of the power junctions in the factory harness when I was paring it down ). I have looked for a 'cheap' adapter for these, they all run $380 + (it's been a while, I don't imagine it's any cheaper now). I have been toying with going to the local machine shop and checking what it would cost to have them make me one (lets see, flat plate, gotta be cheaper than $100 worth, + how many hours of machine work before it = what some are asking for these?). Are you planing on running it straight up or keeping the 20 degree engine layover? Pops and I made a baffled sump (with kickouts) for ours (with the layover intact) so we will probably keep ours that way. Damn, I didn't set out to post an encyclopedia , hope at least some of this helps you.
Weasel, I'll certainly defer to your Alfa expertise... but I did run my 1300 "Euro Spec" 1970 coupe to 8K anytime I wanted with no worries. As I recall, the tach was red only the last 1000 revs or so. In Euro spec, it was rated at 105 hp with dual Webers and would run 110 mph all day long on the Autobahn (level ground and no headwind!). The fastest it ever went was 120 indicated, with a slight tail wind. I still got passed by a lot of old men in their Benz limos, hot dogs and their Porsches / BMWs, however. My other favorite little super car / motor of that era was the NSU TTS. It looked like a 2/3 scale early Corvair, boxy with a high roof. I think they were also in the 1100-1300cc range and the carbs were so big they couldn't get the hood closed!!! Great little autocrossers! Gary
Umm yeah, but I don't normally fess up to it. When I signed up at some of the Q-4 forums there was a fairly long delay before they sent me the email that let me in.
Why not just put a heat shield(chromed steel punch full of holes) over the part of the exhaust pipe your likely to come in contact with. I have seen that on old MGs and other race cars from the 1930s.
Big thanks for that info. So, I've never had a hot rod running a 4, and I'm wondering how they get around with 130 h.p. or less. Say, you get one of these Alfa motors or a Zetec hopped up real nasty. Is that going to kill the mileage? 20 to even 25 m.p.g. and over 200 h.p. can be expected from a mild (or stock) V-8. I love the look of the engines that are on this thread. Is it mainly a style/preference thing, or can a real world hot rod be built with a 4 that's fast PLUS gets way better mileage than an 8?
Rusty Karz- Make sure you read all the posts- the passenger side (uh, I mean the right side...) has NOTHING TO DO WITH MY PERSONAL SAFETY! I need the engine to have the same exhaust as the early Frontenac DOHC in all those pics I've repeatedly post... and where the thread title comes from...
I apologize if this is too far off topic, but I'm wondering if any of you have experience with the 1991-1996 1.9 L CVH I4? They came in Ford Escorts and made 88 hp and 108 ft-lbs of torque. I wouldn't ordinarily consider one, but I happen to have one already. -Dave
So, Birkin08, who is Dunnell (can't read the rest of the label)? Is that brake (& clutch) setup with a balance bar?
Dunnell is a British supplier of Zetec and Duratec engine packages, the setup on mine works well but the product support is very poor, nothing on the web site and only one of three emails I sent got a response (was troubleshooting a EFI problem, turned out to be a bad Ford TPS)....so I can't recommend them...but there is a site at http://www.dunnellengines.com/ That is a dual mc setup w/ a balance bar...the whole pedal box adjusts fore and aft too
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