engine and drivetrain those knowledgeable in Alpina A4 configuration, help plz

[jerry]

i am in the initial stages of having my newly acquired A4 system rebuilt by Bieker Engineering in Oregon. my set was run hard and had been previously worked on by a neanderthal (i shouldn't insult the neanderthals).

i have had the good fortune to be allowed to inspect a fellow FAQer's A4 system that happens to be at a shop close by. i have noticed some subtle casting details in the intake manifold which suggest that mine is probably an earlier casting as it lacks a couple casting bosses.

the attached photo shows the brake booster vacuum port attached to the No.2 intake port on my manifold. there is no cast boss at this location as found on the one i inspected. the nipple was ground to contour with the internal surface. you can see a capped boss just below.

Question No.1: is my vacuum port location original or an alteration?

Question No.2: any interference problems with relocating it to the position of the capped boss?

the second photo shows a semi-circular spring clamp-like piece between the two throttle bodies.

Question No.3: is this piece still available? i'm missing it

thanks for any info.

[JsnPpp]

Hi Jerry,

I just checked and my brake booster location is in a different location from either of yours. My system is also an "early style", so maybe they changed it around on different castings till they figured out what they wanted.

On mine, the booster location is between the 1st and 2nd intake runners. I'll snap a picture and post it.

I can't answer to the availability of that ring on the synchronization linkages. Mine has it as well but it doesn't look so complicated that it couldn't be reproduced as required. I'd check some of the bigger name sites like Cahsel.de an others to see what they come up with.

I don't think any of the configurations are wrong - it's more representative of the changes that may have been going on within the company as they got things in order...

HTH!

Jason

[jerry]

thanks jason,

can you shoot a picture of the spring at WOT? i'd like to see the underside of it.

(i don't want to mess with the person's system i have access to)

does it come in contact with anything? i am wondering if it is more than just a soft-coupling between the two lever arms?

any photos you could share that would help me reproduce it would be much appreciated.

i have created a MS Word document where i've annotated all the linkage of the system i inspected. i'll ask the owner if he minds it being shared publically.

[JsnPpp]

Hi Jerry,

Heck I'll take it off and measure it for you if you want. I believe it is just that - a soft coupling that allows some adjustment of the system between 1&2 and 3&4 butterflies.

I'll shoot some photos and send them to you.

-Jason

[dubois]

The spring is just a stiff piece of metal to connect both pairs of throtles, but can be opened or close to allow for adjustment, I believe it can be fabricated easily. I am ashamed to show you my set up, so I will show you Bill Williams' masterpiece:

[JsnPpp]

I agree with Michael, my system is embarassingly grungy and hacked up compared to Bill's!

Interesting, my brake booster port is in exactly the same location as this photo. I'll take off the circular ring and take some close-ups for you in case it helps.

-Jason

[jerry]

thanks guys. i appreciate the help.

never be embarrassed with a dirty engine compartment. it just shows you use your equipment.

[dubois]

thanks guys. i appreciate the help.

never be embarrassed with a dirty engine compartment. it just shows you use your equipment.

yes, my booster port is in the same location as Bill's (he is my hero)

[jgerock]

Is that a stock tii cold start valve in the center of the manifold?

[JsnPpp]

Yep - stock cold start valve as far as I know. Thats what I have.

Question for Bill - in the following picture I see a slot where the vertical linkage attaches. Does the linkage slide there in any way? Is it adjustable? Mine does not have this slot but looks identical otherwise.

-Jason

[jerry]

it appears that bill williams intake manifold is the same casting as mine and it also appears that the vacuum port for the brake booster is located on the No.2 cylinder intake.

what are the two smaller vacuum ports connected to?

the springy thing i was referring to is not on bill's photo....

i too, do not have the lever-arm with the slot as shown on his setup, either.

[oldguy]

that spring thing is on DCOE's. center syncronization linkage. It's a poor design and results in most of the resyncing every so many miles.

[inkatouring]

i too, do not have the lever-arm with the slot as shown on his setup, either.

Nor mine. In fact I have never seen that slotted set up on any of my previous 3 A4 systems. Interesting.

But the "teachable moment" from that is that Alpina made subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes to them all the time. Indeed, my 3 systems had differences, although not as interesting as the slot.....

[dubois]

i too, do not have the lever-arm with the slot as shown on his setup, either.

Nor mine. In fact I have never seen that slotted set up on any of my previous 3 A4 systems. Interesting.

But the "teachable moment" from that is that Alpina made subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes to them all the time. Indeed, my 3 systems had differences, although not as interesting as the slot.....

My system didn't ship with the arms, so I had to fabricate my own, for tuning purposes I had to slot both arms! It helped...

I think I am going to frame those WW pictures and put them in my office at work...

[BillWilliams]

I have been asleep at the wheel on this thread. Been out cleaning my motor :-)

The spring clip:

The clip is on my system, just not in the photo. To explain the clip as I see it. In the center where the two throttle body linkages join, there is a screw that keeps the two linkages apart. However, the screw only keeps them apart, not together. The spring clip keeps the two together.

Hard to explain but that is how I think it works.

The spring clip keeps the two linkages "together". It acts in the opposite fashion as that screw.

Let me review this thread to see if I can screw it up any more.

I have available to me a disassembled A4 system if I can provide any photos or measurements.

I can not find my photos comparing the airbox from a 2002 and a 320. But I think Jerry has the idea. It would be nice if "someone" had a neighbor who could cast some bottoms to airboxes. :-)

Found it.