2006 Alfa 159 - something strange in the engine...?

poconnor16 · 20-07-2011 3:52pm #1

Hi all,

please see attached pic - completely 'duh' when it comes to engines, but I would imagine cable ties/wraps are not the norm?

Top right of pic.

Thoughts please?

poconnor16 · 20-07-2011 3:54pm

Oh and this pic on the inside of the alloy is really concering......rust!

Back story - other half took this for a test drive, 1 owner, no service history, 40k plus mileage for 2006 but I wonder has it been driven in a while? Won't be going near it to be honest, but just trying to educate myself....

Mr Benevolent · 20-07-2011 3:57pm

It's unusual to see an engine in an Alfa all right.

Seriously though, I don't see any cable ties.

mike65 · 20-07-2011 3:59pm

The surface rust is the brake calliper I think, not the alloy. Cable ties are all over engine bays.

BlackWizard · 20-07-2011 3:59pm

He is talking about the bottom right hand corner. So on the passenger side a about 3inches of cables are wrapped with tape going into the dash.

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:00pm

Yeah they use that fabric type of tape for kleeping bundles of cables together. Fiat and renault use the same thing often as well. It gets kind of shabby looking after a few years.

But hey, if you wanted a quality car, you would not have bought a friggin POS alfa romeo. like all italian cars, they look nice but are a ball of sh!t in terms of reliability and endurance.

poconnor16 · 20-07-2011 4:01pm

mike65 wrote: »

The surface rust is the brake calliper I think, not the alloy. Cable ties are all over engine bays.

What would be the reason for the rust?

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:03pm

poconnor16 wrote: »

Oh and this pic on the inside of the alloy is really concering......rust!

Back story - other half took this for a test drive, 1 owner, no service history, 40k plus mileage for 2006 but I wonder has it been driven in a while? Won't be going near it to be honest, but just trying to educate myself....

yeah brake discs always rust if a car has been idle. Even over night there can be some rust if there is rain on the disc. Ya you certainly are a duh when it comes to cars

but besides that, never touch an alfa romea (fiat in disguise), not even with a very lengthly barge pole.

BlackWizard · 20-07-2011 4:03pm

I have a 07 car and it had rust on its callipers.

I bought some black spray which is heat resistant and sprayed them. They look really well now.

I also have 2002 bike which has original callipers. It's are perfectly fine because it is not out in the rain that much.

harry21 · 20-07-2011 4:03pm

I can't see a single cable tie in the picture.

Calipers are rusting, not too uncommon. Not a big deal generally. If it has'nt been driven in a while, you'll know straigh away by the brakes.

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:06pm

Master and commander wrote: »

but besides that, never touch an alfa romea (fiat in disguise), not even with a very lengthly barge pole.

:rolleyes:

poconnor16 · 20-07-2011 4:07pm

Maybe cable tie is the wrong description.....its like material warpped around some of the cables on the top right....
Might be the norm and thats why it is not standing out.

Thanks for the info on the brakes.

poconnor16 · 20-07-2011 4:09pm

Master and commander wrote: »

Yeah they use that fabric type of tape for kleeping bundles of cables together. Fiat and renault use the same thing often as well. It gets kind of shabby looking after a few years.

But hey, if you wanted a quality car, you would not have bought a friggin POS alfa romeo. like all italian cars, they look nice but are a ball of sh!t in terms of reliability and endurance.

Cheers for spotting what I was talking about, and for explaining.

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:12pm

poconnor16 wrote: »

Cheers for spotting what I was talking about, and for explaining.

He hasn't explained anything. Every manufacturer has done this with wiring.

It's nothing new or anything to be worried about. I washed my Passat earlier and there is already rust on the discs.

And Masterbater and Commander hasn't a clue as is evident from his Alfa bashing:rolleyes:

Most likely an opinion given to him by a mate down the pub and not from experience

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:13pm

Master and commander wrote: »

like all italian cars, they look nice but are a ball of sh!t in terms of reliability and endurance.

Apparently a ferrari will be falling apart and it's engine as good as shot after a measly 50k miles. It'd make for some sexy scrap!

Nonoperational · 20-07-2011 4:15pm

Master and commander wrote: »

Yeah they use that fabric type of tape for kleeping bundles of cables together. Fiat and renault use the same thing often as well. It gets kind of shabby looking after a few years.

But hey, if you wanted a quality car, you would not have bought a friggin POS alfa romeo. like all italian cars, they look nice but are a ball of sh!t in terms of reliability and endurance.

That post is so incredibly ignorant and narrow minded I can't for the life of me understand why someone would post it on a motoring forum. Whatever floats your boat I suppose. Be sure to tell all your friends in the pub Saturday night.

And what are you quoting and replying to your own posts for? I'm off before I get banned.

-Corkie- · 20-07-2011 4:17pm

When I read the thread title I was expecting a to see a dead cat fried to the block..

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:18pm

-Corkie- wrote: »

When I read the thread title I was expecting a to see a dead cat fried to the block..

Like this?

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:21pm

gpf101 wrote: »

That post is so incredibly ignorant and narrow minded I can't for the life of me understand why someone would post it on a motoring forum. Whatever floats your boat I suppose. Be sure to tell all your friends in the pub Saturday night.

And what are you quoting and replying to your own posts for? I'm off before I get banned.

I have that tape in my Golf engine bay and it's unravveling after 2 years.

Well fiat are italian and don't try convince me they are know for reliability -ever taken a look into a scrapyard? puntos are usually stacked up. I had a stilo before and i was a ball of crap, i was forever fixing it. They are made from tinfoil and gum, and have very weak and lightweight suspension components. The reason they are cheap and light is because they skimp on materials to the bare minimum. Cheap and cheerful. Oh yeah they rust like mad.
Since alfa are in the fiat group, they will share most components and be based on the same chassis design, just they stick on different shaped panels and an alfa logo. Basically Fiat = alfa = crap
I fyou want reliability and endurance go for toyota or honda

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:23pm

Master and commander wrote: »

Basically Fiat = alfa = crap
I fyou want reliability and endurance go for toyota or honda

VW=SKODA=CRAP

Going by your logic you are going to upset many Octavia owners :pac:

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:27pm

Masterbater and commander wrote: »

I have that tape in my Golf engine bay and it's unravveling after 2 years.

Golf does not equal Alfa

Masterbater and commander wrote: »

Well fiat are italian and don't try convince me they are know for reliability

They aren't bad now, much better than other makes. they just require servicing on time

Master and commander wrote: »

Oh yeah they rust like mad.

OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH RRRREEEEAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYY They haven't rusted sinc e the 80's so you must of travelled back in time to get your FIATS

Masterbater and commander wrote: »

I fyou want reliability and endurance go for toyota or honda

:D:D:D:D:D

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:27pm

johnos1984 wrote: »

VW=SKODA=CRAP

Going by your logic you are going to upset many Octavia owners :pac:

Skoda is just a badge name, They don't really have their own designs and such anymore. They are all based on VW designs and use VW based components which are solidly built and reliability would get a 7/10 in my book. VW are not very reliable, Just reliable. I had my grief with the golf once or twice.

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:35pm

johnos1984 wrote: »

Golf does not equal Alfa

They aren't bad now, much better than other makes. they just require servicing on time

OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH RRRREEEEAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYY They haven't rusted sinc e the 80's so you must of travelled back in time to get your FIATS

:D:D:D:D:D

Rust, yeah i went to jack up stilo at the "reinforced point" on the cill and it started to give. I stuck my head under and the rust was FLAKING off it!
(just gives you an idea of how weakly built they are as most other cars can be jacked from any point on the cill)

my da practically never serviced his volvo. I changed the "oil" once and it came out like friggin jelly. To date it has never missed a beat. While maintainance should be done regularly, a car which tends to breakdown after a delay in serviceing says to me that its components are "soft" and unable to widthstand harsh conditions. The dads volvo is built like a tank, unstoppable - with relly tough suspention components. I changed some suspension bits in the stilo THREE times in its 200k miles and the volve has only ever had some minor tie rod replaced and it's now pushing 190k miles, dispite the fact that it is about twice the weight of the stilo - you really feel the extra weight when you jacking it up. that volve has also pulled a lot of heavy trailers in its time(double axle 8x4 ifor williams full of planks and ****). It's as good as a small jeep and is still going strong. Try doing that with an alfa or a fiat and see how far you get

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:36pm

What model Volvo is it?

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:39pm

2002 S40 1.9 TD

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:40pm

Master and commander wrote: »

2002 S40 1.9 TD

They have a lovely Renault engine

You haven't a clue. Sorry and all that

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:42pm

Yeah they do - i almost forgot about that!!! LOL
Its got a renault stamp on bits of it too. just a bigger version of whats in our kango.

Veloce · 20-07-2011 4:44pm

Volvos are boring pieces of sh!te.

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:46pm

the renault has been reliable too but it just is not much good at pulling the trailer. It hasn't enough traction cos not enough weight on the front end. Its allways spinning wheels with the trailer, even when setting of on a gravelled yard.
It's also gotten stuck sometimes by itself on grass

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:47pm

Master and commander wrote: »

the renault has been reliable too but it just is not much good at pulling the trailer. It hasn't enough traction cos not enough weight on the front end. Its allways spinning wheels with the trailer, even when setting of on a gravelled yard.
It's also gotten stuck sometimes by itself on grass

Have you tried putting it in first gear and giving it lots of revs?

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:48pm

well its been a pleasure flame fighting with ye all about cars, but i've wasted enough time in work and now i'm going home. Bye Bye.

johnos1984 · 20-07-2011 4:49pm

Master and commander wrote: »

well its been a pleasure flame fighting with ye all about cars, but i've wasted enough time in work and now i'm going home. Bye Bye.

What do you work as?

Master and commander · 20-07-2011 4:50pm

johnos1984 wrote: »

Have you tried putting it in first gear and giving it lots of revs?

thats what the brother does an he allways spins wheels - he just dont get it and i'm forever telling him.

I keep the revs low and just try and rock it or and ease it along intil it gets some grip and i always get it. Now i'm off home. Bye

do some small time building amongst our selves. garages, extentions that sort of thing. But thats just on the side. I'm a civil engineer in the main and work in energy
as i said its just a sideline act which doesn't justify buying and running a 4x4, so we just get by with the van dads volvo the odd time.

2006 Alfa 159 - something strange in the engine...?

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