Hi all, thanks for recent help with my B. After years of neglect, on street parking, lack of use and maintenance.... have decided to bring my B back to its former glory. Have spent the last few evenings cleaning and waxing as well as treating the hood to a good clean and Nikwax treatment. Pulled out my knackered electric aerial and replaced with a springy one.



So now I've got on with the less important but much easier cosmetic makeover I have a list of jobs to do in no particular order:
1. Remove old sump and replace with Alfa 156 1.8 sump (ebay) then service engine
2. Change all disks and pads which are knackered
3. Replace broken manifold cover, preferably with something made of more than coke cans
4. Upgrade stereo system/speakers
5. Work out what the banging from the rear passenger side wheel is and fix
6. Try to sort out my badly fitting windows and fit some sound deadening in the doors while I am at it.

Wasnt sure where to put this post but if it is ok with the moderators I would like to use this thread to ask all of my technical questions for all of the above jobs as and when I get round to them? Hope that is ok.

Anyhow first question: what modifications need to be made to an alfa156 sump to make it work with the B's engine?

well done looks great she will love for her make over, do you live in bath that street looks familiar.

wish mine was orange said:

well done looks great she will love for her make over, do you live in bath that street looks familiar.

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yep in Bath! Theres a guy round the corner with an orange B and have also seen another the same colour as mine and a silver one too.

another numpty question - is the tool box supposed to sit flush into the spare wheel or is it supposed to have about an inch gap between the two as mine does???

ah i have walked that street nice place glad you have some B for company i only ever get a rare glimpse of any.

any way cant help with tool box question i haven't got one but on your list no 5 i had something similar turned out to be swing arm bush,but the clever guys will be here some to sort you out

I am in Swindon.... LRB lives close. I feel a meeting \ drive coming on.....

swallow said:

is the tool box supposed to sit flush into the spare wheel or is it supposed to have about an inch gap between the two as mine does???

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My tool box also sits high in the spare wheel I have had a couple of goes at tying to see why. and I have come to the conclusion that that's how its supposed to sit. The base of the tool box has location pads to sit inside the spare wheel locate those pads to interlock with the wheel and that's as low as it will sit. :bang:

So, parcel arrived in post this morning containing 1999 Alfa 156 1.8 Sump.

Havent opened it up yet as work isnt the right place to be doing that really!

Can anyone tell me what mods are required to make this fit?
Can anyone recommend a liquid gasket to use when replacing sump?
Can anyone come round to my place and do it for me?

If anyone has done this job before, a very brief guide for a novice who's not afraid to try would be very much appreciated!!

pics of sump - all in good nick. cant find the post on here but remember reading that something needs filing to make it fit on the B engine??

bump - surely someone on here has done a sump change themselves???

Never had to do it myself. Didn't the Doc post something about that a week or so ago?

Mad Matt said:

Never had to do it myself. Didn't the Doc post something about that a week or so ago?

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Sure I read something here a little while ago but cant find it now!!

Does this help?

https://www.fiatforum.com/barchetta/116079-need-barchetta-sump-help.html

Mad Matt said:

Does this help?

https://www.fiatforum.com/barchetta/116079-need-barchetta-sump-help.html

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yes, thanks Matt!

I have been accumulating parts over the last few weeks - sump, cam belt, cam locking tools, cam belt roller thingy and rear trailing arm repair kit. Need to get hold of a full set of discs and pads, probably from ebay.de and some gearbox and engine oil plus filters.

I had intended to try to do all the work myself but lack of a garage, pit, time and balls means I will probably drive the lot over to a mechanic friend of mine and leave it there for a while.

Anybody have any recommendations for other bits and bobs I should have done to a 14 year old B while I am at it - might as well while he has the car jacked up.

Also recommendations for gear oil and engine oil too please!!

First off - excellent work on your b, she really is looking great

I have not read all of the thread in detail but would add the following to your list;

Eibach 30mm lowering springs - unlike most springs on the market these are progressive so stiffen up under load, the result is they are fine and comfy around town but nice and stiff when you throw your b into the bendy bits!

Consider Red-Dot grooved brake disc's - I have them fitted to mine and noticed a significant improvement in braking performance over the stock disc's.

Strut brace - eliminates the high speed scuttle shake that the b suffers from in long, fast corners.

Calliper re-wind tool - £20.99 from Halfords. The rear calliper pistons need to be wound back in, trying to do it with a pair of pliers will result in torn rubbers It's worth the £20 and will save you a good hour or so when changing the rear pads

Speakers - Infinity 6010 CS component speaker system fits the b with a little modification, the sound is excellent and your music is still audible with the roof down!

HTH - if I can think of anything else I will add to the thread....

swallow said:

5. Work out what the banging from the rear passenger side wheel is and fix

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wish mine was orange said:

but on your list no 5 i had something similar turned out to be swing arm bush

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It could be one of 3 things;

Sticking calliper - you would notice a bit of a 'drag' from the rear when you are driving

Wheel bearing - you could identify this if it is louder or quieter going around bends

Sway arm bush(es) - the most likely candidate, shows up as a sloppy feeling handling from the rear of the car - jack the b up, grab the rear wheel and pull/push it to/from the car - if it moves then the bushes are worn and need replacing (a bit of a ball ache of a job....)

Well I actually have a few noises coming from the back.....

Wailing/screaching from both sides, this dissappears when braking and I am sure is related to the fact that both my discs and pads are pretty much shot.

The knocking I thought might be the shock but I have bought a swinging arm repair kit just in case as it was only £16 on ebay. Looking at replacement shocks on ebay.de at the mo.

All will become clear in a few weeks when my chap has a look at it all. Hopefully it'll be an easyish fix.