My main interest in the ol' Delco is for its application on Alfa Romeo engines, principally the Alfa Boxer engine.
Just as a quickre-cap for those who don't know, Alfa Romeo Produced flat 4 engines for its Sud, Sud Sprint, 33, Arna (Italian made Nissan N12 Pulsar),
and early 145/146 vehicles. This engine was in production from 1971 to 1997.
All the engines are SOHC, with some later 33, 145 and 146 engines being DOHC (in effect 4 camshafts). Capacities Ranged from 1200cc to 1700cc
Fuel systems varied from a Single Carb (Datra Webber), to Twin carb (twin 36 or 40IDF's) and various multipoint EFI systems, with some
being Map sensored (Webber IAW), vane airflow metered (L Jetronic) and others having Quad throttles + a vane type airflow meter (4.1 Motronic).
All engines ran a distributor, with all engines from 1980 onwards having electronic ignition. Forced induction was not offered.
These engines have a incredibly strong bottom end: A unique cast iron single piece engine block, instead of the split alloy engine block as found on VW and Subaru Boxer engines. The engine has cross bolted 4 bolt mains, that help ensure the block remains rigid. One drawback is that it only has 3 main bearings, not 5. However we haven't managed to break a crank yet, so we are not exactly sure if this really is a drawback! All crank journals are dual feed.
The engines are very light, compact and undersquare which means they rev and rev
A 8v 1700 engine with fuel injection will produce around 80Kw at the wheels, which is around what a 16v 4AGE will do...Sounds good doesn't it?
Well not quite...Basically the EFI systems they come with are crap. Italians and fuel injection don't mix. Getting the dual carb versions to idle correctly
can be a pain and the cooling system with its full flow heater core is just a joke: The heater core has to be run all the time, and cannot
block up. If it does, trouble abounds. They are also a interference motor, so if you loose a timing belt you'll end up with a vale through a piston.
The gearboxes are magnificent, however they do come with ZF friction ring syncros, which while better in high RPM engagment don't
last as long as normal Bork rings found on other gearboxes.
The shift action is generally pretty terrible, unless the linkages are in 100% condition. Early Sud gearboxes also came with inboard
front brakes, which are a pain to adjust, but make them really nice to work with if your building a mid engined race car! Some
versions came with 4WD, like the Quattro Wagon, or the real rocketship, the Alfa Romeo 33 Permanent 4 with its active torque
split system (before Subaru mind you!)
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General Alfa Boxer conversion to Delco EFI stuff
I would stronly recomend you use a 1700 2 Valve EFI engine as the easiest to convert to a Delco 7808.
- The standard dizzy can be used, but will need to be locked off so there is NO mechanical advance
- Replace the throttlebody with a VN/Camira Unit. VN unit is much much better, and please get it (adapter plate) Tig welded and port matched!
- Do NOT NOT NOT NOT (did I get my point across?) try to make a external drive from the factory electronic speedo sender. Put a ABS senser etc on a hub for the speed sender. You'll cook the stupid CMOS chip in the speedo unit.
-Do Not hack up webers for injection manifolds. You can buy them off the shelf you know!
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Sirius Alfa Boxer....
-Has had all sorts of Boxer incarnations, from 1200cc single carb to 1600cc Hicomp twin Carb a 1700 EFI supercharged engine.
-Group 2A open sports car
-Quite Quick
Resons for new engine/Rebuild
-Old superchared engine blew up big time (SC14 blew clean in half)...maybe running it with a single 2 1/2" SU wasn't a good idea?
-The EFI varient had too much bottom end, and no top end, Plus it got waaaay to hot and the hacked up $5D code really sucked.
-Needs a lot more grunt
Well a better spread of grunt....-Car needs a complete electrical control system eg radio, telem, timer, EFI and chassis controls...Hench a Delco with extra features
-I like playing cars....I don't drive this thing!
New Engine Specs
-Alfa Romeo Boxer 1700cc block
-Block tested, faced and O-ringed
-1700cc large valve heads, the usual porting with high lift cams (Alquattie)
-8.3:1 Static Compression ratio, alloy de-compression plates.
-Toyota SC14 Supercharger, with Gilmer Belt drive. 1.2:1 Drive ratio to give a max engine rec limit
-Garret T03 Turbo charger (Off a VG30DET), intercooler between the turbo and supercharger. No intercooler on the Supercharger.
-4x 1000cc injectors, running E85 fuel
-Delco 808' EFI system with the Wonderful OSE 12P, 3 Bar Map senso with wideband. Duel mode fuel map etc etc
-Full EFI Radio telemetry uplink --> Unidirectional 8192 @ 433MHz 100mw Transmitter
-Twin lower intake manifold injectors (Toyota 3sFE cold start duel direction)
-Twin Pre-Supercharger cooler injectors
-Standard Camira Ignition system. I haven't had any issues with spark being blown out....
One thing you'll notice is that the bottom end components are standard. The rods are twice the thickness of RB26DETT Rods, the pistons have incredibly thick crowns. In all the massive race motors we have built, we never killed a bottom end....it was always heads!
....its 80's F1 all over again! Woooooo!
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Photo's comeing when I get my FTP working