General Bravo 20v Test Drive

[Warrior77]

Hello members,

This will be my first post…I am seriously considering the purchase of a 1998 Bravo HGT, 2.0 20v 155 HP; 80000 Km, service history, timing belt recently changed.

I took a test drive yesterday and was really unimpressed. The car was very sluggish…I started slow in first, picked up speed, then took it up to 4500-4600 rpm in 2d gear.

But no push in the back My alfa 33 1.3 IE seems quicker…

Is this normal? Does it have to go upto 5500-6000 rpm in each gear to make the 0-60 mph in 9.0 sec?

The engine sounds good, no phase variator or tappet noise.

Other than that the car seems in good shape.

Any response will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Warrior

 

[bulldog5046]

the engine is an awsome engine, same as in the coupes and 2.0 20v marea, it might seem sluggish if the engines cold, take it out again if you can.

the engine revs to 7000rpm and being a 5cyl doesnt sound bad doing it

take it upto the redline and i'm sure you'll feel it shift, i dunno about the bravo but my marea was moving pretty quick upto 40 in 1st but you dont feel it so much, just leave your foot in the floor...

 

[jug]

if your alfa 33 1.3 IE with 90bhp feels faster id walk away, there's got to be something wrong with it, even cold it should feel faster than a 33. i'd at least get a compression test done on all 5 cylinders, a car that runs fine but slow is often losing compression, possibly because a head gasket failure allowed water to enter one or more cylinders and caused damage to the piston rings. repairs will replace the head gasket but piston rings are commonly overlooked so once its put back together it goes slower and thats why it gets sold.

just wondering, did you ever try a twin carb from a 33VL on your IE? i know someone who's having a few probs with the conversion

 

[Warrior77]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the responses.

I think both theories are good.

I really didn’t give the engine too much time to warm up…fuel injected engines have fuel enrichment during warm up which make the car sluggish, my 33 might take 1-2 km until the engine picks up…you won’t get it above 60 km/h no matter if you floor it, but the engine note sounds fat and full…something that didn’t seem to happen with the Bravo.

The cylinder head gasket is another good theory, but if the rings were shot I’d imagine clouds of blue smoke out the tail pipe, which also wasn’t happening.

Maybe the engine needed more revving. Depending on the car, some need to be taken up to redline to get things moving, even if peak torque is much lower.

That same day I drove an Alfa 146 ti (much more expensive) and it picked up pretty fast but I punched it in first, not second like the Bravo.

What I might do is drive it with the owner to the service shop and have them verify the engine in front of me (compression test, ECU test etc.)

Regarding putting carbs on the 1.3IE, well I’m not much of fan when it comes to modifying cars and mine is standard in every aspect.

To put carbs on an injected 33 you would have to add a distributor, plug coil and remove the ECU, that’s probably the best way to do it. Otherwise I can only imagine an endless bucket of money changing chips, sensors and reprogramming the ECU to work with carburetors. I wouldn’t do it but that’s just me.

I’ve seen a 1.7IE 16v with turbo; sure lots of power but 9 gearboxes shredded also.

Warrior

 

[HP]

The 20v engine doesn't really come alive until about 4,000 revs. It has plenty torque up to there, but if you really want to shift you have to rev it.

Mine's the 147 version in a Marea but if you keep it nailed in 2nd from say 2,000 revs you can feel a definite step in the power at 3,750. According to one of the windscreen mounted G-tech things it did an 8.6 second 0-60 and a 16.7 quarter mile, even with a shabby wheelspinny start.

 

[Besty77]

Hello members,

This will be my first post…I am seriously considering the purchase of a 1998 Bravo HGT, 2.0 20v 155 HP; 80000 Km, service history, timing belt recently changed.

I took a test drive yesterday and was really unimpressed. The car was very sluggish…I started slow in first, picked up speed, then took it up to 4500-4600 rpm in 2d gear.

But no push in the back My alfa 33 1.3 IE seems quicker…

Is this normal? Does it have to go upto 5500-6000 rpm in each gear to make the 0-60 mph in 9.0 sec?

Thats not right at all, ive got a 2000 HGT 155 and as fixitagaintomorrow said theres a big kick at 3,500 - 3,750 rpm and it doesnt tail off until just gone 6,500 rpm. With its low gearing and low weight its very nippy.... id steer clear of that particular car if i was you.

 

[jimmyybob]

i rebuilt a 20v marea and even with fresh shells and rings on a tight engine it was still quick, you can have a lot of fun in a 20V.
id say they must have got the timing wrong or its just a duffer....dont waste your money on it keep saving for a good one.