Strange things afoot!

I've just got my '87 110 TD back on the road after being laid up since February (decided an Alfa would be more fun, until it began to disintegrate...)

After getting it through its MOT last month, it ran fine for a week until it began to develop a few strange faults, which I think are either fuel-delivery related - or worse!

I ran it quite low on diesel one night before heading out on a 15-mile open-road journey. The route to the nearest garage took in a twisting B-road. The first thing I noticed was that it seemed to be down on power a bit. On the twisty sections, particularly shimmying right then left, it would lose all power for a couple of seconds - as if out of fuel. The slight reduction in power then became really noticeable climbing hills.

I figured I'd stick half a tank of fuel in and it would be OK. The rest of the drive on the open road after the garage was a nightmare. It felt like I was driving with the brakes on. Even going downhill I struggled to get past 50mph. When I got to the end of my journey, I was coasting into a carpark in gear and the engine hunted, as if the lost power suddenly came back. I parked up and left it for an hour. When I got back in it to drive home, it seemed fine.

The following day - and every day since, the lack of power is back. The 2-second power drop-outs continue to happen when switching from right to left, and under laboured power it sounds like its not firing properly - and rough as a badgers backside. Tonight, driving home from work, whilst driving downhill it lurched forwards which was fairly pant-changing as I was about to enter a sharp bend.

I've also noticed that my fuel tank is leaking a little and the fuel cap seems to have an oily residue on it.

I'm thinking its probably sucked some crap out of the aged tank and is either clogging the filter or has perhaps fouled the injection system.
Or is it something else?

It smokes badly on start-up too - blue smoke when its cold, black smoke when it's warm - but it always starts!

I'd like to keep the 19J engine in it, but the 200tdi swap is getting more and more tempting!
Can anyone help to shed some light?

diesels only need 2 things to run properly fuel & air in the correct amounts change ya filters.

Fuel filter

dentyboy said:

I've just got my '87 110 TD back on the road after being laid up since February (decided an Alfa would be more fun, until it began to disintegrate...)

After getting it through its MOT last month, it ran fine for a week until it began to develop a few strange faults, which I think are either fuel-delivery related - or worse!

I ran it quite low on diesel one night before heading out on a 15-mile open-road journey. The route to the nearest garage took in a twisting B-road. The first thing I noticed was that it seemed to be down on power a bit. On the twisty sections, particularly shimmying right then left, it would lose all power for a couple of seconds - as if out of fuel. The slight reduction in power then became really noticeable climbing hills.

I figured I'd stick half a tank of fuel in and it would be OK. The rest of the drive on the open road after the garage was a nightmare. It felt like I was driving with the brakes on. Even going downhill I struggled to get past 50mph. When I got to the end of my journey, I was coasting into a carpark in gear and the engine hunted, as if the lost power suddenly came back. I parked up and left it for an hour. When I got back in it to drive home, it seemed fine.

The following day - and every day since, the lack of power is back. The 2-second power drop-outs continue to happen when switching from right to left, and under laboured power it sounds like its not firing properly - and rough as a badgers backside. Tonight, driving home from work, whilst driving downhill it lurched forwards which was fairly pant-changing as I was about to enter a sharp bend.

I've also noticed that my fuel tank is leaking a little and the fuel cap seems to have an oily residue on it.

I'm thinking its probably sucked some crap out of the aged tank and is either clogging the filter or has perhaps fouled the injection system.
Or is it something else?

It smokes badly on start-up too - blue smoke when its cold, black smoke when it's warm - but it always starts!

I'd like to keep the 19J engine in it, but the 200tdi swap is getting more and more tempting!
Can anyone help to shed some light?

Click to expand...

Sounds like your fuel has deteriorated while its been laid up. Drain all the fuel, change fuel filter, you might be back in business if it hasn't gummed up the injector pump.

Cheers, will start with the filter and see what happens. Turboman, is the injector pump an easy fix/replacement?

dentyboy said:

Cheers, will start with the filter and see what happens. Turboman, is the injector pump an easy fix/replacement?

Click to expand...

Like Pikey said, air filter is always good too.
Pump is pretty easy to change, much quickr if you have a pulley holder so as not to have to remove timing belt.
Minor faults night be fixed if you are handy and careful. Anything big needs fuel injection specialist. Price range from fifty quid to fix a leak, up to four hundred for full rebuild.
You could try cleaning the pump with petrol if it is gummed up.
If your fuel has gone off it may not be any good changing the fuel filter without draining off the fuel, contamination may be sucked straight into the new filter on restart.

Thanks for the advice. As the fuel tank is leaking and old (and probably full of crud) I'm of the mind to change the tank as well as the filter. Just found my Haynes manual and it looks fairly straightforward...

dentyboy said:

Thanks for the advice. As the fuel tank is leaking and old (and probably full of crud) I'm of the mind to change the tank as well as the filter. Just found my Haynes manual and it looks fairly straightforward...

Click to expand...

That would be a very good idea
It is a pretty simple job, bolts are often rusted up and need cutting off, other than that is straightforward.New tank and filter, fire it up and see how she goes. If not clean the pump with petrol. Think that is what I would try from what you have said.