View Full Version : Alfa 155 q4 buyers guide
Hello all!
New on this forum and thinking about buying a Q4 and need some advice. What are the weak areas to look at? Also I've heard and read the handling is rubbish as standard so what are the options in form of uprating the suspension? I'm quite used to alfas as I have a 75 and 33 already. :)
cheers :)
arjunior45
11-09-07, 21:35
well, concerning the chassis there are no weak parts {for coruption} and it has the FIAT Tipo chassis, which seams to be the strongest one ever made by the 'gruppo'.
As for the mechanical parts, it is just an Integrale Evo 2 with longer wheel base! Those who say that Q4's handling is rubbish they obviously do not know how to drive a 4 wheel drive car. Believe me, Q4 is far better than a 75 and certainly better than a front wheel drive 33.
Uprating the suspention, Konis at the rear, Bilsteins at the front and the 'narrow's' antirol bars {1mm wider than the 'widebody} will be enough.
Just pay attention to the electrical parts because this is the weak area of all Italian cars.
And keep in mind that certain spare parts are hard to find as from January of this year they have been discontinued.
Regards
Nick
Well....there are some weak points on the suspension, front wishbones wear, also the rear trailing arms fail but not until about 80k miles...both are cheap to replace though.
Alarms can be a pain as the box is in the nearside wing (UK cars).
The Q4 drivetrain I understand is bullet proof although the front differential has an issue...can't recall what it is though :lol: (leaky seal???)
Main problems affecting the Q4 seem to be vaccuum related, the Lampredi engine is strong but the turbo install makes it complicated...in my opinion ;)
But they are solid old buses really ;)
wrinx
Steve Webb
12-09-07, 08:40
The Q4 handling is on the safe side, but this doesn't mean you can't throw it around. Take a look at some of the videos I've posted on Youtube, my car is running on the original tired suspension. Learn how to drive it correctly and you can keep up with almost anything.
People do sell strengthening plates for the gearbox, but they aren't needed unless you are going to seriously modify the engine.
A problem can occur with the front torque splitter wearing excessively, but i believe this was more of a problem with the Delta, and was sorted out for the Q4.
And if you get a Q4, the first thing to do is check all of the small bore hoses in the engine bay. Chances are al least one of them will be leaking.
Cam belt needs to be replaced every 36000 miles, or 5 years at the very maximum, don't risk running them for longer unless you like rebuilding engines.
Regarding the electrics, for some reason the connectors used on the car are the cheapest possible, and the fail. Also don't worry about the rats nest of wires above the drivers footwell, they have all got that.
Well, I've been sorting out an electrical issue on a friends 155 ts so I've seen the bits there. :P The reason for my asking about the handling is that everyone seems to agree that the Grale is soo much better and even contemporary reviews seems to think that. Another thing that seems to be worrying ins the amount of cars with spun bearings. Is this just due to neglect or something else?
Another thing that seems to be worrying ins the amount of cars with spun bearings. Is this just due to neglect or something else?
Is that the Twinsparks again? Not aware of the Lancia engine doing this :eek:
wrinx
Is that the Twinsparks again? Not aware of the Lancia engine doing this :eek:
wrinx
I mean the Lampredi lump. Never heard of a Alfa engine with bad bearings. ;) Except the 16v ts that seems to explode one every week.
Ok, I haven't heard or read that...but the 16v Alfa engines have a habit of killing the bottom end and sometimes spinning number 2 shells.
wrinx
Hehe, the 16v ts seems to be in the habit of killing both ends. Isn't it bearings the cambelts have snapped, saw a row of four five engines at my mechanics all broken. :\
Yup, belt snaps and the top end goes (followed by the bottom a few thousand miles later!)...but that can also happen to the Lampredi engines :cry:
wrinx
Well, the plastic wheel in the tensioner had an annoying habit of disintegrating in the cold here so a lot of cars broke down within the service interval. Even after they lowered it to 60000 km or 3 years. :(
Ouch! We have the same tensioner failure but not usually until about 50k+ miles.
wrinx
Steve Webb
14-09-07, 22:50
Well, I've been sorting out an electrical issue on a friends 155 ts so I've seen the bits there. :P The reason for my asking about the handling is that everyone seems to agree that the Grale is soo much better and even contemporary reviews seems to think that. Another thing that seems to be worrying ins the amount of cars with spun bearings. Is this just due to neglect or something else?
Oh you are comparing the handling to a grale. Well most cars feel sloppy and uncommunicative compared to a grale. The Q4 might not have the same feel, but does hang on in there pretty well.
If you check at the bottom of the page below
http://www.berlinasportivo.com/magazinejpg/echappement/page10.jpg
You will see the Q4 keeps up pretty well with a grale on ice. :smile:
And this page Magazine articles (http://www.berlinasportivo.com/TLPages/magazine.php) has loads of road tests of the Q4.
And I've not heard of any Lampredi engines with spun bearings, cambelt failures yes. bearings no.
I have one :) whit spun bearings bought it like that.
Sorry to dig this up again...but found it on a search, quite amazed by the results of the article above, but some strange choice of cars too.
Lancia HF Integrale - 212bhp 4wd
Alfa Romeo Q4 - 190 4wd
Renault Safrane Turbo - twin-turbo, 262 hp evolution of the 3.0-liter V6, 4wd.
Escort RS Cosworth - 227bhp, 4wd
Audi S2 - 227bhp, Quattro 4wd?
Peugeot Rallye - 100 (1.3) or 103 (1.6) bhp, fwd.
When you look at how underpowered the Q4 is, compared to all but the 106, I think that's a damn good result!
wrinx
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