Tech Tips


Tech Tips

41.) Rusting petrol tank.
42.) Axle boot cover rear wheel side.
43.) Adjusting / repairing the rev counter.
44.) Taking off the glued modar bodypanels.

41.) Rusting petrol tank.

SZ tank

a.) Like classic cars also the SZ / RZ's can have problems with rusty fuel tanks, often because of those cars where stored for a long time with an empty or half full fuel tank.
Than it is possible that you get "fly rust" inside of the tank and when starting to drive the ( outside ) petrol filter gets full of dirt.
But before that happens the inside filter will be full of rust / dirt allready and damaging the petrol pump if not taken care of.
Often the problem is noticed if the engine is not running well anymore when driving with an almost empty petrol tank or stopping completely. If you wait a while and than start the engine it maybe will run again for some time, till the rust ecc. will block up the internal filter ecc. again. If the tank will be filled the problem will not appear anymore,.. till the tank is almost empty again...
If replacing a few times the outside filter will not help, than you can try to flush out the tank completely and after that conserve the inside with repairing stuff / fluid that is for sale at car part shops or companies selling parts for classic cars. If you store the SZ / RZ for longer time it is best to fill up the tank completely and after solving the problem is will be also a good idea to put a few bottles injector cleaner into the tank.
If you want to see a larger picture, click the thumbnail .

tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank tank

b.) Water entering the petrol tank and causing all kind of problems can happen because of a blocked de-watering hose. The hose is running trough the boot and ending at the rear right side under the car ( together with the de-air-hose from the hydraulic pump ). The hole making the water disappear trough this hose is often a bit hidden under the rubber tank flap ( see pics ). If dirt blocked the opening or the hose itself, than it can happen - during heavy rain or washing the car - that water enters the petrol filler cap. Water is than running into the petroltank and it will not cause only extra rust, but can also give all kind of engine problems.

SZ tank

SZ tank

42.) Axle boot cover rear wheel side.

ashoes

The rubber cover at the "gearbox-side" is the same as used on the 75 / Milano, the covers used at the "wheel-side" have been specially made for for the SZ and RZ.
Those covers are different from the ones on the 75 because the SZ / RZ can go up and down,.. pushing the axle's in or pulling them out.
Those wheel side covers are rotting away now after 20 years at most cars and they are totally not available anymore via Alfa Romeo or other suppliers anymore, but there is an alternative as shown in the pictures.

If you want to see a larger picture, click the thumbnail .

ashoes ashoes ashoes ashoes ashoes ashoes ashoes

The metal part with the holes fits as original on the SZ / RZ, but the rubber is different. The original rubber parts moved in and out the metal housing. The replacement has enough room to move outside the metal part when the car is put in the up or down position.
It looks a bit different under the car, but it functions fine and is as far as I know the only simple and low budget solution to solve the problem.

43.) Adjusting / repairing the rev counter.

rev counter

Sometimes it happens that the rev counter does not work correctly anymore,... showing too low or too high revs for the speed you are driving in.
SZ or RZ rev counters and the other instruments are not available anymore since many years. I still have a few instruments in stock but maybe the counter can be repaired. There are companies specialized in those kind of jobs, but often expensive and sometimes not succesfull.
Here some pics to show how the counter can be openened and how the revs can be adjusted with the little pot-meter inside the counter, but it will be always your OWN responsibility if you alter things.

If you want to see a larger picture, click the thumbnail .

rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter rev counter

44.) Taking off the glued modar bodypanels.

According to the official Alfa Romeo workshopmanuals ecc. it is only possible to take the old / damaged panels off the metal - where they are bonded to - by cutting those modar body panels in pieces to have them replaced by new ones.

repair mod

BUT,..... by drilling a little hole between panel and chassis and by using a steel wire moving it back and forth, you can "cut" your way trough the sealing. Somtimes you will find a metal bolt or rivet in the way but you can cut that by using a saw blade.

If you have any TechTips that can be used for Alfa Romeo SZ or RZ, I am intrested to know about that.
Please email me if you have a special Tip or solution for a problem,..thanks,...Ed.

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