If you are here to complain about the videography in this video, please understand that it is almost 3 years old, I agree the style is awful, and I'd recommend you check out some newer videos like this: th-cam.com/video/aHtshoUVhEU/w-d-xo.html
I'm here to tell you that the videography is fine. I enjoyed the entire video, and your passion as a mechanic. When you nicked the flywheel for example
I had a seized engine with rusty cylinder liners, and what worked for me was pushing the Piston further down in the bore and then using some honing stones to make short work of the rust. After that the pistons came right out. Like those guys are saying, the video is fine, ignore the choosing beggars.
I worked for Alfa Romeo GB from 1968 to 1973, and had many of these engines apart. (There isn't a GTV engine on the planet that hasn't had a head gasket replacement at least once). This engine has definitely been apart before and reassembled as the heads do not come off that easily. Alfa supply a vast array of special tools including the tool to separate head from block to break the adhesive seal. Whomever took the engine apart saw what he was up against and quit.
Back in the 1970 I worked at a Triumph motorcycle mechanic. Maybe twice a year we would have a customer bring in a bike with a stuck piston. This was usually due to rust in the cylinder on the side this the exhaust or intake valve open.We developed a system to save a lot of work and banging in piston crowns. We would remove the rocker box to take the pressure off of the valve spring closing that cylinder. Then we would squirt some light grade oil down the bore and replace the spark plug with a tool. The tool was made from an old spark plug with the porcine insulator broken out and an air chuck nipple brazed on. We would put 100 PSI on that cylinder and it would drive the oil past the rings. We would let it sit until you would here a satisfying thud as the piston went to the bottom.
Anywhere where there are steel fasteners in aluminum, heat the aluminum around the bolt with a propane or butane torch first....you don’t need to melt it, just uncomfortable to the touch. Then a few drops of ATF or candle wax. Has worked for me for 40 years...and BTW I don’t see a problem with the videography....
In 1987 I had this engine in a 1979 Alpha Romeo Sports Sedan. The dipstick never registered oil. Even after 5+ quarts..dry dip stick. The engine finally through a rod that could be seen pushing through the block. Great work on the dismantling.
Jethro, please keep up the great work. Most enjoyable and clear to view. As a collector of Italian and French sports cars, I applaud your wonderful efforts in bringing both simple and straight forward visuals and explanations, to the every day auto enthusiast. Well done and keep up the good work. Malalfa.
If you need to unseize another engine try this method: *Boil* some engine oil (preferably low(er) viscosity) and pour down through to the pistons and leave for a while. Drain repeat if stubborn. *Then* use gentle tapping with block of wood. Alternatively 50/50 mix auto trans fluid and acetone. (could try first) The idea is to have a fluid that will lubricate but is also thin enough (viscosity) to seep past the rings to do its unseizing magic. The heat from the boiling oil causes the block/pistons to expand - releasing the corrosion - reducing the need for excessive force. Rarely do I see people using the above method. Should always be gentle not use brute force. (as you know) Good video and pleased the head and block is serviceable.
Thank you SO MUCH for not using that AWFUL utube "music". I actually have to mute most of the footage I watch from other 'follow my build/repair channels' I watch. Like Pistons and Petrol. Excellent series about modifying the new 124 spider, but the background/incidental music actually gives me a headache. 😣
My first 4 cars were Alfas. The 1st one I got @ age 17 was a 69 Giulia Super with a 1750 motor (dealer homologation special). When trying to replace a blown head gasket, try what I might the head wouldn't budge. Using a chain block I eventually had the front wheels off the ground, while furiously hammering on it with a copper mallet. In desperation I re-assembled everything and started it. Revved it a few times, still no movement until the inlet cam jumped time (I had left a little slack). As the valves bent it finally came free.
Greg Culverwell I had that exact experience with a 67 Spider motor a couple of years ago. I made a video about trying to separate the head, it’s on my channel here under the Spider playlist.
That engine is an impressive example of engineering for the 1960's. I had an '84 Spider Veloce years ago, and I remember how smooth revving the engine was. Lightweight, high revving, very reliable. The block didn't have any webbing to support the upper end of the cylinder liners yet there was no problem with cylinder-walking. Everything stayed in perfect alignment.
Nice video. Have worked on Alfas in 1977 at a dealership in Greatneck, NY, USA, Performance Imports when the Alfetta GTVs were new and was impressed with the performance and simple straight foreward mechanicals. We did a lot of head gasket work and repaired/replaced many damaged lower oil pans even ones with crash guards. I live in Florida now and am amazed how rare these cars have become. Saw one at the beach with a kayak strapped to the roof and spoke to the young owner who was unimpressed with my awe. Got it from his grandpa like it was some burden!
And here I am... can't even strip a bicycle and put it together again. Excellent video, no gimmicks, silly music and we have a knowledgeable guy. Well done Jethro!
Heads up, the oil/coolant milkshake situation occurs if the engine has been run with a BHG recently. If you let the engine sit for a good while, the oil and coolant will separate out again so keep that in mind when shopping for old crusty motors!
Just awesome Jethro! I am just getting my 1969 1750 GTV back on the road. I am so pleased I never sold it. I got it in 1986 so it's very special. It has a 2 litre engine, but I am not complaining. I am not doing the mechanical work, unfortunately or fortunately for so many reasons. This video was just great and it reminded me of working on Alfa engines with my late dad back in the 80's. Watching you pull out that big end bearing took me right back. You make it look way too easy & it's great to see such a young guy into Alfas who is able to work on them and clearly talk their way through that. Thank you so much.
Brought back memories. 1960's I had a Ford with a six-cylinder that was screwed up. With my friend in tow, I went to where a person had said he had a low mileage engine, Unlike the marvelous equipment you have, after I paid the man and he went inside to put the money away, I looked at my friend and he understood, we picked up the engine and put it in his trunk. The seller came out and look very puzzled, he could not believe that we picked up the engine. I can't do it now as I am 80!
I have my 3rd Alfa Romeo, the one I drive is the new Giulietta CloverLeaf , bought from new almost 6 years ago. But I was very unlucky, was doing 50 mph on the A27 when the engine died. Called the AA and was told the camshaft went and with it the engine.Never canned the car, always looked after in time, but very surprised had to replace the engine with a new one, with less than 30k miles on the clock. The good thing was I contacted Alfa Romeo in Italy, they knew everything about the car and they agreed to pay 65% of the price of the engine and labour. I still have the car lol.
@Jethro Bronner, for stuck screws, consider modifying an air hammer, grind the end down to fit a 3/8" drive, weld a large nut onto the shaft for a wrench of your choice. The hammering motion dislodges even the most rust/stubborn bolts. It's what the diesel guys use to change out glow plugs w/out snapping them off and it's incredible how effective it is. I made one, it's never disappointed me yet. Love your videos.
I love the 1750 engine. I rebuilt one a long time ago, and it was a joy. I put it in a kit car. I was privileged to learn to drive in a 1750 Berlina. A great car for the time, more sophisticated in engine and running gear than any equivalents I know of. Shame they did so little to prevent corrosion. RHD in the uk from the early 1970s are really rare, having converted to ferrous oxide!
I dont care about the videography, that is irrelevant! I really enjoyed all the details, the pace and all the thoughts behind it. You are a very honest person, that shows in your work. More of this!
Enjoyed your video. I did this to a Hillman Imp (Sunbeam Stilletto) engine in the mid 90's that had been mechnaically siezed for years- Not to dissimilar contraction- all alloy block but SOHC. Pistons were like yours and it took a 2T press to remove 2 of them. I tried all the tricks to remove them- including coca-cola soak, hot oil, socked in plus-gas and a block/mallet- But none of the sympathetic ideas worked- The press did it. Re- honed, cleaned pistons- new shells and rings and that engine ran!
Dear Jethro I am loving your videos. How did you become so talented and confident? Very impressive. My mother had 3 alfas a 1300 junior, 1600 junior and a 33. The 1600 my parents drove to Antibes from nottingham for a summer holiday. We loved that car and my father would drive very quickly . My mothers also but she was told by the Alfa dealer she needed to use the brakes more when she drove. She loved accelerating and in the early 70's was one of the quickest cars and most expensive cars on the road. Happy memories. About to buy a Mito for my daughter to learn to drive so it will be good to have an Alfa back. However we love your fleet much more! Best wishes Mark
Another awesome video JB, I couldn't imagine why anyone would complain sir, you do excellent work. Thank you for sharing, and looking forward to more video's, ie, Weber DCOE, hint, hint....thx Jethro.
On the internet you always get some infos on how to do it, but honestly, you usually don t see it being done. This video was of great quality (others were too) but i guess lots of us learned more with this video! Can t wait to see the upcoming ones! Great job and a big thanks for sharing with the community!
Octave Leroux Hey thanks! That's exactly what I aim to do with my videos. I want to have a vlog that teaches others to work on cars, and inspires people to get their hands dirty. I've learned so much from other people putting their work online, now it's my turn to contribute!
A big respect to this! We missed a channel like this for alfas. (Vintagecustoms and all are giving good advices, but we miss the detail we get from your videos)
Well done. I have a corroded 1600 block and no idea how to salvage it. Someone said anaerobic sealer and the stock o-rings around the barrel seats will suffice. These engines are getting rare to find anymore.
the good thing about bullet proof engines, when they are well designed, a little bit of rust breaker, and some pressure washing wont hurt them, hydraulic press when needed..... they can be revived with part sources and dedication....
A good video, although for anyone wanting to find the cause for a seized engine it's almost always faster to start at the bottom end. As far as the cams being loosened and the chain already being off, that means that someone else has already tried to find why it's seized (checking for seized/damaged camshaft bearings, common in engines that were run low of oil). If I saw that I'd have immediately flipped the engine over and started on the bottom end. As it turns out, the head did need to come off before the bottom end was taken apart so it works out well here. This is a great learning experience in 'exploratory diagnosis' for us viewers! Thanks for this!
Awesome episode! Can't wait for the rest. I'm restoring a 74 Berlina and I'm planning to dig into the engine soon. Keep your videos coming...get into the details...I'm loving it! Thanks.
I have never been inside an Alfa Romeo engine so this was quite fascinating to me. It seems that each builder has their own style of design, studs vs head bolts, wet vs dry sleeves and even the design of the timing chain case all point to racing heritage.
They were built in the same style as their grand prix engines of the 1950s, including sodium cooled valves and forged, nitrided (2l) crank. They are very strong.... I used to race them in hillclimbs in the unmodified 3l class. I sometimes accidentally revved them to 8000. Never broke anything except lots of fan belts.
Dude, what a lovely calm style you have! You have a proper engineering approach in a TH-cam sea of bodgers! Great video and great skills. I have a 156 JTS and love it. I had an Alfasud 1.3SC when I was a student and loved that too. There's just something about the feel of an Alfa. 😎
These engines are such a joy to work on my first alfa was a 73 1300 junior frost damaged block ,had it welded profesionaly but oil gallery was compromised so i fitted external copper oil pipes to the cam box ,looked real cool . Greatly underestimated engine the 1300 very free reving willing engine mine would do 90 all day buzing like a wasp .god bless alfa
This just needed the mustie1 treatment. Pour some atf down the plug holes, let it sit for a while then start cranking back and forth until it lets loose. Ac Delco injector cleaner is great too. I've brought back a few engines from the dead with that technique. I don't know if I would have put the effort in for one of these engines though. I'd rather take my chances with a "pick a part" engine.
I stumbled across this video and got a lot of intense flashback from my first car in the 1980s, a 1971 Alfa Romeo 1750A Berlina. Yes, it had a factory-sanctioned automatic gearbox and was one of 253 built, making 1750A even rarer. I remember lot of times, having to adjust the dreadful Solex carburettors every week, dealing with its temper tantrums during the hot weather, figuring out the sweet spot with its De Dion rear axle when negotiating the twisty roads, etc. My 1750A was only car to be best car and worst car at the same time. Great video, by the way. Excellent job of keeping the camera focused.
I unstuck one, left the flywheel on, put some long bolts into the flywheel so they stuck out, then used an 8 foot piece of I-beam (a metal post) and used it against the bolts sticking proud of the flywheel and thus applied a torque to the flywheel. It turned. One of the barrels lifted up. The head was off. Some rust in the cylinders since it had been stored with the head off. And the rings all gummed up with crud. This method not recommended.
Man your videos are great. Very good teachs. Thank you. And congratulations for your passion to restore the soul of great engineering. Carry on your success.
Light torch heat , penetration oil such as PB Blaster or Kroil , and time , are always your friends when working on old motors. Also with that stud that snapped off. It’s always best to soak them first and then go slow and work back and fourth in small increments to help clear the thread paths on the way out. Stuff I’ve learned from my 80yr old mechanic who still repairs cars and started in 1955
Early on you said its fighting you. Its you fighting it, too gung ho. In time you will learn more as we all did and still do. Anywhere steel and aluminium are together there will be electrolytic corrosion problems. We've all been there. You can soak those threads but it can take days or even weeks till they finally let go without breaking. I think i was in my 40s before I stopped busting rusted stuff, It is such a pleasure when after a time soaking they come apart as if they were new and not chemically bonded.
as for snapping fixings. thats only something you learn to feel with experience! :) i didnt think he did badly at all considering it had been outside for a good while and someone else had been at it previous
Lancia had an original solution that worked: they copper-plated the steel studs and bolts that went into aluminum. Their Flavia motor had these - maybe others too.
Automatic transmission fluid seems to work best for me with seized pistons. Heat works great too. Especially when someone red loctites something together. If you get stuck with the plugs use a helixcoil kit. Nice garage.
I'm no mechanic, but the reason there was water in the oil pan and the engine was probably due to the antifreeze or water in the radiator leaking (for some reason) in the engine. By the way you shoot great videos. I am glad i found them.
Sized pistons are not a problem. New pistons, rings and liners, come as a set ready to be installed. Borgo - manufacturing name. It’s super easy engine to work on. Good luck
Awesome video's, keeps me glued to the screen! For now I only have experience with a "modern" 147, but I can't wait to get my hands on a classic Alfa in a couple of years!
Very interesting video! I have never worked on an Alfa engine and was surprised to see wet liners in the block! How cool! I guess this explains one reason why they are so loved! Being here in the US we hardly ever even see Alfa's let alone work on them,, lol. Good show man!!
Just watching this tonight ... I thought it was great video. Since I discovered your channel a couple of days ago, I have become thoroughly addicted! I even started researching Alfa Romeos here in the Los Angeles area. A GTV seems to be in the neighborhood of $40,000!
Jethro, this video is awesome, it is just what I love to watch on TH-cam. Very interesting and well explained. And for God's sake, those Alfas... Mmmmm. Sub!
Put penetrating Oil on the threads,Take a wide flat blade screwdriver, insert it in the threaded spark plug part and screw it out (counter-clockwise). 216 cid Chevy sixes had this problem a lot. As did Honda 50, 65, 70 and 90 motorcycles. They all used 10mm plug threads.
If you know you’re not reusing the pistons and liners muriatic acid works well and very quickly to dissolve aluminum and rust. I heat it up to 150C first before putting parts into it. Special care does need to be taken tho, do your research and you’ll see why.
As Richard Hammond once said on top gear... Alpha is so proud of their new car. They drove it around the Nuremberg ring for 24 hours and for for 22 of those hours... it didnt break down once.
You only get the brown oil, when the oil and water mix. When the engine runs you get emulsion, or the mixture. That is the milkshake you are describing. When the engine sits, the oil and water will separate. It is normal to have a older engine that has a bit of water in the bottom of the oil pan, due to condensation inside the engine wherever it is been stored.
Lovely Job Young Man...never seen An ALFA ENGINE BEFORE APART!!! I REALLY LIKE TGE CRANK SHAFT IN IT...COUNTER WEIGHTED AND 5 MAIN BEARINGS...One of the 1st 4 bangers I remember seeing...was the MG A...1500cc...the 1600cc with twin overhead cams was nice looking...3 main bearings ..weak to say the least...like the Porches early 57 race engines with roller bearing cranks...bearing failure was common...sad to say...ALL TGE BEST!!!
Yeah the 1750 cc Twin Cam was really a fantastic design, my favorite of all the Alfa Twin Cams. The fully counterweighted crank really let it rev out smoothly.
We have a/the Alfa specialist in our area. Although you seldom if ever see ARs' on the road where I live (Upstate New York), I'm always amazed at how many different ones he has come and go. They definitely have a following and thats cool!
LaPabst I follow the Alfa Scene in the USA quite closely and it’s one of the most passionate and active scenes in the world. The American Alfisti are great 👍
I haven't acquired my first Alfa Romeo as yet. I never saw the inside of the engine before. I can see why they used the same engine for so long. The design is excellent. I wouldn't be afraid of one now. It is strange it was seized in this way.
They are a great design. Yeah I think this was just left sitting for decades with water in the cylinders. I don't think this was a result of a fault while running.
With regards to the spark plugs and other broken fasteners - you might want to borrow/rent/make an inductive heater. It's cleaner and easier than a torch and fits into tighter areas, and it is designed specifically to break loose rusted/corroded fasteners. It saves a lot of time and effort expended into removing broken fasteners and then avoids the repair efforts afterwards (like having to use Heli-coil on stripped threads). Removing seized fasteners can often lead to breaking unique and expensive parts, it's usually better not to break the parts in the first place - by using the right tool for the job.
It won't be milky if the engine wasn't running. Oil becomes milky when it is mixed with water like when the engine is running so if it sits for a long time the water settles out to the bottom of the pan.
As a teenager and a young adult, my family had both a 1750 Berlina and a 2000 GTV.....makes me sad to see a once exquisite jewel of an engine in such a state of neglect. Here's hoping that it's future is bright👍
Alfa , will never dye! Anyway, the piston get stuck , cause excessive heat... Common problems in the old Italian engine... I knew many guys in Italy made some lubricant modification , on the engine crankshaft , and the crankshaft bushings as well ( not all of them was drilled for oil passage)... Bye
Very good video work and showing the way the Alpha is made - I have a friend who has been an Alpha fan for years. I was a career motorcycle mechanic back in the '70s and it is remarkable how similar the top end of the Alpha engine is to the original Kawasaki Z1 of '73 - must have been some tech "sharing" with that, lol.
Eeeewwwwwww, that piston was so bad. Awesome work on the engine. Your workshop is so pristine and clean, and you obviously take a lot of pride in your work. Look forward to future videos. :)
Great videos Jethro, I'm a big fan of the 105/115 series coupes and I have been looking for something like this for a while. Really looking forward to the rest of this series.
Brett B. I suppose they are strange if you’ve never worked on them, but for me it’s all I’ve ever known, and anything else feels very strange to work on. Thanks for watching!
Jethro Bronner yeah it’s pretty cool to see different engine designs. I grew up around classic cars such as our 1911 Overland which has a VERY strange engine in it. Most of my experience is in working on American made engines but love all things mechanical. Thanks again for sharing.
I wish that I could find a stash of Alfa engines in my area. I've rebuilt a couple, but it would be great fun to bring a couple forgotten ones back to life...
oil in an engine with a blown head gasket gets milky from the water being emulsified into it. engine running is what stirs it up. if left setting the water settles back out and separates.
If you are here to complain about the videography in this video, please understand that it is almost 3 years old, I agree the style is awful, and I'd recommend you check out some newer videos like this: th-cam.com/video/aHtshoUVhEU/w-d-xo.html
This video helps me unseize my fiat 850 1964 engine. Thanks!
I'm here to tell you that the videography is fine. I enjoyed the entire video, and your passion as a mechanic. When you nicked the flywheel for example
It’s helpfull to mix wd40 , oil and acétone to unlock cylinder
I had a seized engine with rusty cylinder liners, and what worked for me was pushing the Piston further down in the bore and then using some honing stones to make short work of the rust. After that the pistons came right out. Like those guys are saying, the video is fine, ignore the choosing beggars.
@@joelfuentes5148 Ditto!
Imagine my surprise to watch a video of an engine rebuild where I can actually hear the bloke talking clearly in it.
I worked for Alfa Romeo GB from 1968 to 1973, and had many of these engines apart. (There isn't a GTV engine on the planet that hasn't had a head gasket replacement at least once). This engine has definitely been apart before and reassembled as the heads do not come off that easily. Alfa supply a vast array of special tools including the tool to separate head from block to break the adhesive seal. Whomever took the engine apart saw what he was up against and quit.
Good clear well spoken voice. No silly background music. You've done a good video here my friend. 😆
Really agree, i love people who take their time and just talk/show what they are doing.
camera moves way too much
i got used to crack showing greasy mechanic language... this guy actually sound like a horticulture vegan student lol...
joseph-mario pelerin Vegan?!? I don’t think so.
Jethro Bronner y’a know what I mean :p
Back in the 1970 I worked at a Triumph motorcycle mechanic. Maybe twice a year we would have a customer bring in a bike with a stuck piston. This was usually due to rust in the cylinder on the side this the exhaust or intake valve open.We developed a system to save a lot of work and banging in piston crowns. We would remove the rocker box to take the pressure off of the valve spring closing that cylinder. Then we would squirt some light grade oil down the bore and replace the spark plug with a tool. The tool was made from an old spark plug with the porcine insulator broken out and an air chuck nipple brazed on. We would put 100 PSI on that cylinder and it would drive the oil past the rings. We would let it sit until you would here a satisfying thud as the piston went to the bottom.
I think the GTV has to be one of the best looking sedans ever made by anyone. Classic and beautiful.
Anywhere where there are steel fasteners in aluminum, heat the aluminum around the bolt with a propane or butane torch first....you don’t need to melt it, just uncomfortable to the touch. Then a few drops of ATF or candle wax. Has worked for me for 40 years...and BTW I don’t see a problem with the videography....
As an Alfa mechanic back in the 70's, this was a very pleasant walk down memory lane. Subbed. 😊
In 1987 I had this engine in a 1979 Alpha Romeo Sports Sedan. The dipstick never registered oil. Even after 5+ quarts..dry dip stick. The engine finally through a rod that could be seen pushing through the block. Great work on the dismantling.
Jethro, please keep up the great work. Most enjoyable and clear to view. As a collector of Italian and French sports cars, I applaud your wonderful efforts in bringing both simple and straight forward visuals and explanations, to the every day auto enthusiast. Well done and keep up the good work. Malalfa.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my videos!
If you need to unseize another engine try this method:
*Boil* some engine oil (preferably low(er) viscosity) and pour down through to the pistons and leave for a while.
Drain repeat if stubborn.
*Then* use gentle tapping with block of wood.
Alternatively 50/50 mix auto trans fluid and acetone.
(could try first)
The idea is to have a fluid that will lubricate but is also thin enough (viscosity) to seep past the rings to do its unseizing magic.
The heat from the boiling oil causes the block/pistons to expand - releasing the corrosion - reducing the need for excessive force.
Rarely do I see people using the above method.
Should always be gentle not use brute force.
(as you know)
Good video and pleased the head and block is serviceable.
Great Advise, DangerStu mentioned this on his U tube video as well
Thanks for the information
Marvel Mystery Oil works great for freeing up cylinders as well.
Thank you SO MUCH for not using that AWFUL utube "music". I actually have to mute most of the footage I watch from other 'follow my build/repair channels' I watch. Like Pistons and Petrol. Excellent series about modifying the new 124 spider, but the background/incidental music actually gives me a headache. 😣
Awful chipmunk music .. I thought we'd gotten past that stage, obvs not..
I agree, I am tired of those videos that start out with loud heavy metal music and a guy with a ball cap yelling Good Morning Dudes!
My first 4 cars were Alfas.
The 1st one I got @ age 17 was a 69 Giulia Super with a 1750 motor (dealer homologation special).
When trying to replace a blown head gasket, try what I might the head wouldn't budge. Using a chain block I eventually had the front wheels off the ground, while furiously hammering on it with a copper mallet.
In desperation I re-assembled everything and started it. Revved it a few times, still no movement until the inlet cam jumped time (I had left a little slack). As the valves bent it finally came free.
Greg Culverwell I had that exact experience with a 67 Spider motor a couple of years ago. I made a video about trying to separate the head, it’s on my channel here under the Spider playlist.
That engine is an impressive example of engineering for the 1960's. I had an '84 Spider Veloce years ago, and I remember how smooth revving the engine was. Lightweight, high revving, very reliable. The block didn't have any webbing to support the upper end of the cylinder liners yet there was no problem with cylinder-walking. Everything stayed in perfect alignment.
Yeah they're amazing considering they started building this engine in the early 50s.
Nice video. Have worked on Alfas in 1977 at a dealership in Greatneck, NY, USA, Performance Imports when the Alfetta GTVs were new and was impressed with the performance and simple straight foreward mechanicals. We did a lot of head gasket work and repaired/replaced many damaged lower oil pans even ones with crash guards. I live in Florida now and am amazed how rare these cars have become. Saw one at the beach with a kayak strapped to the roof and spoke to the young
owner who was unimpressed with my awe. Got it from his grandpa like it was some burden!
Oh no! Well at least he's using it haha
And here I am... can't even strip a bicycle and put it together again. Excellent video, no gimmicks, silly music and we have a knowledgeable guy. Well done Jethro!
I can't put a bicycle back together either!
Heads up, the oil/coolant milkshake situation occurs if the engine has been run with a BHG recently. If you let the engine sit for a good while, the oil and coolant will separate out again so keep that in mind when shopping for old crusty motors!
I really enjoyed this video. For a novice like myself I found it extremely helpful as I begin to rebuild a 56' Nash .
Thanks! Good luck with your build!
Good understanding of engine build by such a young man = respect, sir
Just awesome Jethro! I am just getting my 1969 1750 GTV back on the road. I am so pleased I never sold it. I got it in 1986 so it's very special. It has a 2 litre engine, but I am not complaining. I am not doing the mechanical work, unfortunately or fortunately for so many reasons. This video was just great and it reminded me of working on Alfa engines with my late dad back in the 80's. Watching you pull out that big end bearing took me right back. You make it look way too easy & it's great to see such a young guy into Alfas who is able to work on them and clearly talk their way through that. Thank you so much.
Thanks Trevor! Yeah you made a great decision in keeping your 69 GTV, they're so sought after now.
Hope you have it on the road soon!
Appreciate the clean tidy environment. Car shops don’t have to be disgusting. Work environment meticulous, you do your job same!
Brought back memories. 1960's I had a Ford with a six-cylinder that was screwed up. With my friend in tow, I went to where a person had said he had a low mileage engine,
Unlike the marvelous equipment you have, after I paid the man and he went inside to put the money away, I looked at my friend and he understood, we picked up the engine and put it in his trunk. The seller came out and look very puzzled, he could not believe that we picked up the engine. I can't do it now as I am 80!
I have my 3rd Alfa Romeo, the one I drive is the new Giulietta CloverLeaf , bought from new almost 6 years ago. But I was very unlucky, was doing 50 mph on the A27 when the engine died. Called the AA and was told the camshaft went and with it the engine.Never canned the car, always looked after in time, but very surprised had to replace the engine with a new one, with less than 30k miles on the clock. The good thing was I contacted Alfa Romeo in Italy, they knew everything about the car and they agreed to pay 65% of the price of the engine and labour. I still have the car lol.
@Jethro Bronner,
for stuck screws, consider modifying an air hammer, grind the end down to fit a 3/8" drive, weld a large nut onto the shaft for a wrench of your choice. The hammering motion dislodges even the most rust/stubborn bolts.
It's what the diesel guys use to change out glow plugs w/out snapping them off and it's incredible how effective it is.
I made one, it's never disappointed me yet.
Love your videos.
RE Masters thanks for the advice, I’ll have a go at making one of those.
I love the 1750 engine. I rebuilt one a long time ago, and it was a joy. I put it in a kit car. I was privileged to learn to drive in a 1750 Berlina. A great car for the time, more sophisticated in engine and running gear than any equivalents I know of. Shame they did so little to prevent corrosion. RHD in the uk from the early 1970s are really rare, having converted to ferrous oxide!
I dont care about the videography, that is irrelevant! I really enjoyed all the details, the pace and all the thoughts behind it. You are a very honest person, that shows in your work. More of this!
Enjoyed your video. I did this to a Hillman Imp (Sunbeam Stilletto) engine in the mid 90's that had been mechnaically siezed for years- Not to dissimilar contraction- all alloy block but SOHC. Pistons were like yours and it took a 2T press to remove 2 of them. I tried all the tricks to remove them- including coca-cola soak, hot oil, socked in plus-gas and a block/mallet- But none of the sympathetic ideas worked- The press did it. Re- honed, cleaned pistons- new shells and rings and that engine ran!
Dear Jethro
I am loving your videos. How did you become so talented and confident? Very impressive. My mother had 3 alfas a 1300 junior, 1600 junior and a 33. The 1600 my parents drove to Antibes from nottingham for a summer holiday. We loved that car and my father would drive very quickly . My mothers also but she was told by the Alfa dealer she needed to use the brakes more when she drove. She loved accelerating and in the early 70's was one of the quickest cars and most expensive cars on the road. Happy memories. About to buy a Mito for my daughter to learn to drive so it will be good to have an Alfa back. However we love your fleet much more!
Best wishes Mark
One of the best engine's ,simple powerful easy to maintain i am an x owner of A 75 i still dream this car
Another awesome video JB, I couldn't imagine why anyone would complain sir, you do excellent work. Thank you for sharing, and looking forward to more video's, ie, Weber DCOE, hint, hint....thx Jethro.
Thanks!
Ever seen this video? th-cam.com/video/XY6zgTuPcCQ/w-d-xo.html
On the internet you always get some infos on how to do it, but honestly, you usually don t see it being done. This video was of great quality (others were too) but i guess lots of us learned more with this video! Can t wait to see the upcoming ones! Great job and a big thanks for sharing with the community!
Octave Leroux Hey thanks! That's exactly what I aim to do with my videos. I want to have a vlog that teaches others to work on cars, and inspires people to get their hands dirty. I've learned so much from other people putting their work online, now it's my turn to contribute!
A big respect to this! We missed a channel like this for alfas. (Vintagecustoms and all are giving good advices, but we miss the detail we get from your videos)
Well done. I have a corroded 1600 block and no idea how to salvage it. Someone said anaerobic sealer and the stock o-rings around the barrel seats will suffice. These engines are getting rare to find anymore.
the good thing about bullet proof engines, when they are well designed, a little bit of rust breaker, and some pressure washing wont hurt them, hydraulic press when needed..... they can be revived with part sources and dedication....
I had a few old alfa.... But never went that deep in dismantling... Nice job!
A good video, although for anyone wanting to find the cause for a seized engine it's almost always faster to start at the bottom end. As far as the cams being loosened and the chain already being off, that means that someone else has already tried to find why it's seized (checking for seized/damaged camshaft bearings, common in engines that were run low of oil). If I saw that I'd have immediately flipped the engine over and started on the bottom end. As it turns out, the head did need to come off before the bottom end was taken apart so it works out well here. This is a great learning experience in 'exploratory diagnosis' for us viewers! Thanks for this!
In retrospect I think the reason the cams were loose was because something wanted the valve shims out of it.
Gotta say, nice normal bloke.good vid .had the same on a renault 5 turbo block.it brought back memories of going through 3 blocks .ahhh that phase 1.
Best way to un seize a engine is by pouring boiling engine oil in the chambers and turning it back and forth....
Great vid 👌👌
Awesome episode! Can't wait for the rest. I'm restoring a 74 Berlina and I'm planning to dig into the engine soon. Keep your videos coming...get into the details...I'm loving it! Thanks.
Thanks for sharing. I'm tearing down my 2 liter GTV 2000 engine now. Cheers.
I have never been inside an Alfa Romeo engine so this was quite fascinating to me. It seems that each builder has their own style of design, studs vs head bolts, wet vs dry sleeves and even the design of the timing chain case all point to racing heritage.
They were built in the same style as their grand prix engines of the 1950s, including sodium cooled valves and forged, nitrided (2l) crank.
They are very strong.... I used to race them in hillclimbs in the unmodified 3l class. I sometimes accidentally revved them to 8000. Never broke anything except lots of fan belts.
Dude, what a lovely calm style you have! You have a proper engineering approach in a TH-cam sea of bodgers! Great video and great skills. I have a 156 JTS and love it. I had an Alfasud 1.3SC when I was a student and loved that too. There's just something about the feel of an Alfa. 😎
These engines are such a joy to work on my first alfa was a 73 1300 junior frost damaged block ,had it welded profesionaly but oil gallery was compromised so i fitted external copper oil pipes to the cam box ,looked real cool . Greatly underestimated engine the 1300 very free reving willing engine mine would do 90 all day buzing like a wasp .god bless alfa
Well said.
I think the same
This just needed the mustie1 treatment. Pour some atf down the plug holes, let it sit for a while then start cranking back and forth until it lets loose. Ac Delco injector cleaner is great too. I've brought back a few engines from the dead with that technique.
I don't know if I would have put the effort in for one of these engines though. I'd rather take my chances with a "pick a part" engine.
I stumbled across this video and got a lot of intense flashback from my first car in the 1980s, a 1971 Alfa Romeo 1750A Berlina. Yes, it had a factory-sanctioned automatic gearbox and was one of 253 built, making 1750A even rarer. I remember lot of times, having to adjust the dreadful Solex carburettors every week, dealing with its temper tantrums during the hot weather, figuring out the sweet spot with its De Dion rear axle when negotiating the twisty roads, etc. My 1750A was only car to be best car and worst car at the same time.
Great video, by the way. Excellent job of keeping the camera focused.
really nice job with the engine. Congrats from Spain.
I unstuck one, left the flywheel on, put some long bolts into the flywheel so they stuck out, then used an 8 foot piece of I-beam (a metal post) and used it against the bolts sticking proud of the flywheel and thus applied a torque to the flywheel. It turned. One of the barrels lifted up. The head was off. Some rust in the cylinders since it had been stored with the head off. And the rings all gummed up with crud. This method not recommended.
Man your videos are great. Very good teachs. Thank you. And congratulations for your passion to restore the soul of great engineering. Carry on your success.
Thank you!
Great video! Thanks for taking the time to show so much detail.
Light torch heat , penetration oil such as PB Blaster or Kroil , and time , are always your friends when working on old motors. Also with that stud that snapped off. It’s always best to soak them first and then go slow and work back and fourth in small increments to help clear the thread paths on the way out. Stuff I’ve learned from my 80yr old mechanic who still repairs cars and started in 1955
It's a beautiful video-you have a talent for cars and film.
Piston number 1 sure was seized bad.Worth keeping as a souvenir as you said you did.Looking forward to the engine progress update.
How refreshing to see someone who knows what they are doing. Taking an air wrench to an engine makes me wince.
Early on you said its fighting you.
Its you fighting it, too gung ho.
In time you will learn more as we all did and still do. Anywhere steel and aluminium are together there will be electrolytic corrosion problems. We've all been there. You can soak those threads but it can take days or even weeks till they finally let go without breaking. I think i was in my 40s before I stopped busting rusted stuff, It is such a pleasure when after a time soaking they come apart as if they were new and not chemically bonded.
heat. more heat. and its hard to get heat in to an alu head/block. 2000w+ heat guns have worked very well for me. use oxy torchs carefully...
as for snapping fixings. thats only something you learn to feel with experience! :) i didnt think he did badly at all considering it had been outside for a good while and someone else had been at it previous
Lancia had an original solution that worked: they copper-plated the steel studs and bolts that went into aluminum. Their Flavia motor had these - maybe others too.
I remember those so well, those Alfa motors, the 1600.1750.2000 were all way ahead of their time.
Twin Cam, sidedraughts,
They could make good power
Damn, that head came off so easy. It took me days to pull off the heads on my GTV6.
Automatic transmission fluid seems to work best for me with seized pistons. Heat works great too. Especially when someone red loctites something together. If you get stuck with the plugs use a helixcoil kit. Nice garage.
I'm no mechanic, but the reason there was water in the oil pan and the engine was probably due to the antifreeze or water in the radiator leaking (for some reason) in the engine. By the way you shoot great videos. I am glad i found them.
Sized pistons are not a problem.
New pistons, rings and liners, come as a set ready to be installed. Borgo - manufacturing name.
It’s super easy engine to work on.
Good luck
Awesome video's, keeps me glued to the screen! For now I only have experience with a "modern" 147, but I can't wait to get my hands on a classic Alfa in a couple of years!
J0risw thanks. Yeah the vintage stuff is really great, if you get an opportunity to get behind the wheel of a 105 go for it!
Great documentation!! Not sure anyone else has posted a comprehensive 105 tear down. Nice work pal.
waspmeat Thanks for watching!
Piston #1 Should make a lovely lamp : )
Very interesting video! I have never worked on an Alfa engine and was surprised to see wet liners in the block! How cool! I guess this explains one reason why they are so loved! Being here in the US we hardly ever even see Alfa's let alone work on them,, lol. Good show man!!
Yeah they’re such great little engines! There’s actually quite a big Alfa scene of the American West Coast, that much I know.
Just watching this tonight ... I thought it was great video. Since I discovered your channel a couple of days ago, I have become thoroughly addicted! I even started researching Alfa Romeos here in the Los Angeles area. A GTV seems to be in the neighborhood of $40,000!
It's nice to see there are Alfa enthusiasts in down under !
He's a pom?
Very good job sir, it's very important that you like it!!!
Jethro, this video is awesome, it is just what I love to watch on TH-cam. Very interesting and well explained. And for God's sake, those Alfas... Mmmmm. Sub!
Put penetrating Oil on the threads,Take a wide flat blade screwdriver, insert it in the threaded spark plug part and screw it out (counter-clockwise). 216 cid Chevy sixes had this problem a lot. As did Honda 50, 65, 70 and 90 motorcycles. They all used 10mm plug threads.
Excellent video. Great work, as always. Change nothing in your approach or production...
That is a fantastic video. Keep up the great work. My 82 alfa thanks you as well!
Awesome track - used it a few times on my short lived youtube channel career.
back in the '70s '80s Alfa Romeo was the most fun to drive!
And lot of headaches to look after if something goes wrong. Just like high-maintenance Italian mistresses. Won't give the Alfa Romeo up ever...
If you know you’re not reusing the pistons and liners muriatic acid works well and very quickly to dissolve aluminum and rust. I heat it up to 150C first before putting parts into it. Special care does need to be taken tho, do your research and you’ll see why.
As Richard Hammond once said on top gear... Alpha is so proud of their new car. They drove it around the Nuremberg ring for 24 hours and for for 22 of those hours... it didnt break down once.
Keep a look out for my old 1972 Yellow Spider which I had in the Mid 80s for a few years.
Rusted piston rings, Marvel Mystery Oil and time are your friends
Lovely purchase...good find...luck...enjoy...
FYI, even with a blown head gasket and milky oil if you let it sit the oil and water will separate.
You only get the brown oil, when the oil and water mix. When the engine runs you get emulsion, or the mixture. That is the milkshake you are describing. When the engine sits, the oil and water will separate. It is normal to have a older engine that has a bit of water in the bottom of the oil pan, due to condensation inside the engine wherever it is been stored.
Lovely Job Young Man...never seen An ALFA ENGINE BEFORE APART!!! I REALLY LIKE TGE CRANK SHAFT IN IT...COUNTER WEIGHTED AND 5 MAIN BEARINGS...One of the 1st 4 bangers I remember seeing...was the MG A...1500cc...the 1600cc with twin overhead cams was nice looking...3 main bearings ..weak to say the least...like the Porches early 57 race engines with roller bearing cranks...bearing failure was common...sad to say...ALL TGE BEST!!!
Yeah the 1750 cc Twin Cam was really a fantastic design, my favorite of all the Alfa Twin Cams.
The fully counterweighted crank really let it rev out smoothly.
The level of skill in that shop is awesome
We have a/the Alfa specialist in our area. Although you seldom if ever see ARs' on the road where I live (Upstate New York), I'm always amazed at how many different ones he has come and go. They definitely have a following and thats cool!
LaPabst I follow the Alfa Scene in the USA quite closely and it’s one of the most passionate and active scenes in the world. The American Alfisti are great 👍
I haven't acquired my first Alfa Romeo as yet. I never saw the inside of the engine before. I can see why they used the same engine for so long. The design is excellent. I wouldn't be afraid of one now. It is strange it was seized in this way.
They are a great design. Yeah I think this was just left sitting for decades with water in the cylinders. I don't think this was a result of a fault while running.
With regards to the spark plugs and other broken fasteners - you might want to borrow/rent/make an inductive heater. It's cleaner and easier than a torch and fits into tighter areas, and it is designed specifically to break loose rusted/corroded fasteners. It saves a lot of time and effort expended into removing broken fasteners and then avoids the repair efforts afterwards (like having to use Heli-coil on stripped threads). Removing seized fasteners can often lead to breaking unique and expensive parts, it's usually better not to break the parts in the first place - by using the right tool for the job.
It won't be milky if the engine wasn't running. Oil becomes milky when it is mixed with water like when the engine is running so if it sits for a long time the water settles out to the bottom of the pan.
As a teenager and a young adult, my family had both a 1750 Berlina and a 2000 GTV.....makes me sad to see a once exquisite jewel of an engine in such a state of neglect. Here's hoping that it's future is bright👍
A very intelligent guy , no useless music.
I'd love to have the space, knowledge and money to do stuff like this
@@noidontthinksolol The same with knowledge, it doesn't just happen, knowledge comes with experimenting, exploring and tinkering.
And don't forget: time!
This is obviously a kid with rich parents.
@@ElectricalExistence Who says...maybe he worked hard to get this far!!!
@@ElectricalExistence agreed
Alfa , will never dye!
Anyway, the piston get stuck , cause excessive heat...
Common problems in the old Italian engine...
I knew many guys in Italy made some lubricant modification , on the engine crankshaft , and the crankshaft bushings as well ( not all of them was drilled for oil passage)...
Bye
Very good video work and showing the way the Alpha is made - I have a friend who has been an Alpha fan for years. I was a career motorcycle mechanic back in the '70s and it is remarkable how similar the top end of the Alpha engine is to the original Kawasaki Z1 of '73 - must have been some tech "sharing" with that, lol.
Very interesting and informative. Many thanks. (I envy your talent !)
I like your vid you actually show the issues and whats causing them instead of just high speed camming the work i just subscribed
Eeeewwwwwww, that piston was so bad. Awesome work on the engine. Your workshop is so pristine and clean, and you obviously take a lot of pride in your work. Look forward to future videos. :)
I like your approach and clean style, but not so much the fast moving hand held camera. Please use an induction heater on old stuck nuts and bolts.
Great videos Jethro, I'm a big fan of the 105/115 series coupes and I have been looking for something like this for a while. Really looking forward to the rest of this series.
Tyler Gervais Hey thanks gor watching Tyler. I'm hoping to document the entire build of 3 vintage Alfas as long distance Rally cars.
Awesome, I will be along for the ride :)
By the way, the color on your Sprint GT is absolutely gorgeous, is that Bluette?
Tyler Gervais Yeah it's AR506 Bluette
What a strange engine but cool to learn about it. Thanks for sharing!
Brett B. I suppose they are strange if you’ve never worked on them, but for me it’s all I’ve ever known, and anything else feels very strange to work on. Thanks for watching!
Jethro Bronner yeah it’s pretty cool to see different engine designs. I grew up around classic cars such as our 1911 Overland which has a VERY strange engine in it. Most of my experience is in working on American made engines but love all things mechanical. Thanks again for sharing.
I wish that I could find a stash of Alfa engines in my area. I've rebuilt a couple, but it would be great fun to bring a couple forgotten ones back to life...
I love the vid man. Make more. Really educational.
This is a good job, on the engine and video too.
The locking washer is there to prevent the balancer nut from coming OFF not tightening up too much.
enjoyed this your approach is refreshingly different to other channels 👍
Glad you think so!
oil in an engine with a blown head gasket gets milky from the water being emulsified into it. engine running is what stirs it up. if left setting the water settles back out and separates.