Alfa in van in Oz

max · Wannabe Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 8 Location: australia

Decided to go against the trend of using Subaru power for several reasons.
I,m tight. bought a road worthy 33 95Bhp for 400 dollors. Cheap for Australia
My 1974 panel van had a standard 1800 gear box, so after fitting a rev counter, discovered that top gear in the van was almost identically the same as the Alfa's 5th gear, so knowing the Alfa loves revs, knew this would present no worries on the open road.
The Alfa came from an era when things were much simpler. No complicated ECU 's , air bypass control butterfly valve thing, just a couple of wires. Easy.
But, i have found out why the engineers at VW put the rad on the T3 where it is, because thats the best place.
Try the easy option first, standard rad left side in engine compartment. Fan on all the time. Try 2 fans, ok, but runs hot on motorway at moderate speeds. Ok lets try 2 rads in the back, battery mounting area was rusted any way. Just managed to sqeeze a rad from a Diahatsu in, and a fan on each rad. Good, run around town all day in 35 degree temp .Fans still came on, but brought temp down quickly.
But back on the motorway the temp would rise. The hot air could not escape the drag at the back of the van.
So the front it is. Still getting used to the look. Underneath was considered, but i use the van on dirt roads, so the thought of catching the rad or it becoming glogged with mud decided my position.
Mounting the engine was easy, in comparision with routing the 32mm cooper pipe.
Running much better, but the fan still comes on!!!
The van is my work van so all work was done knowing i had to use it the next day or too!

gerrelt · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:21 am Post subject:

I want to see some pictures!

Happy

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Alex (FTS) · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:12 pm Post subject:

Yer definatly wanna see them pictures!

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gerrelt · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:30 pm Post subject:

BTW: when does the fan come on? Still on the highway?

I didn't know they sold Alfa Romeo's in Australia. They are probably not very common?
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1303Steve · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:28 am Post subject:

max · Wannabe Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 8 Location: australia

I will put some pictures on in the next couple of weeks, so be patient !
The fan still comes on , on the motorway, but does turn off when the temp goes down, possibly due to the extra wieght of the van over the Alfa, i am still using the standard rad.
The flow of the water may be slow around the circuit. Maybe an Electric booster water pump might help ?
Does the fan come on for short periods of time in usual driving on a standard Alfa?

pabloz · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject:

Hi Max

look forward to the pics

I`ve just got my hands on a rusty alfa powered bus and was wondering about the water pump speed as well. The bus is stuck in a barn on a slight incline with the rad at the highest point. Just leaving it idling it seems that the water in the engine overheats before it gets hot enough to get the fan going!

Have checked all the electrics and the sender seperately and all working. the fan should come on at 88 degrees but the water in the header has already reached boiling point and no fan comes on! Tested the sender in a saucepan and it works at the right temperature. So I was wondering if the pump is too slow? It`s a new pump aswell. or am i missing something

yet to road test it

gerrelt · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:44 pm Post subject:

gerrelt · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject:

gerrelt · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:53 pm Post subject:

pabloz · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:19 pm Post subject:

yep fan electrics and relay all ok and comes on when bypassed.

Maybe it is an air issue. i`ll recheck it. I didn`t check to see if top of rad was hot. Its got a bleeder pipe that comes up below the dash with a car tyre valve in it which let some air out. I`ll take the valve out and just bleed with the tube and see what I get.

managed to get the bus out of the barn today but it got seriously hot just manouevring it for half an hour

Joel · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:47 am Post subject:

i know what you mean Steve, my aunt had an alfa sud and i think it had more rust than metal

max sorry for the hi-jack but pabloz, maybe im being captain obvious as well but have you made sure your thermostat isnt stuck shut?
i wouldnt be at all surprised if it was given the symptoms and the fact its been sitting for a while
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