Brul(tm)'s 155 Q4

**Brul(tm)** · 11-03-10, 10:12

In preparation of my project, maybe it?s about time to introduce my Q4. I already posted some pictures from my car a couple of times. Here?s the story about my Q4.

It all started in November 2002 when I needed another car after a crash incident with my Alfa Romeo 33. I always had a wish to own a 155 because of the beautiful design of this car. I only had one wish, it has to be equipped with air conditioning. It didn?t matter if it was going to be a 1.8 or a 2.0 engine. Well I came home with a Q4. Below a couple of pictures how the Q4 looked when I bought the car.

The engine compartment

Standard interior.

As you all can see, quit a standard car. In the mean while I have changed a lot to the point I am at.

It started by changing the exhaust system. The original exhaust system wasn?t good enough for this car, so that has to go.
I wanted a better sound, but also improve the way the car responds.

this got replaced by a stainless steel system with a 3? pipe replacing the first two silencers and fitted a small back box.

Other modifications came along like:
- Sparco strut brace.
- Sparco roll cage.
- Sparco Evo seats.
- Sparco 3? harness with 6 fastening points.
- Squadra combi-prom with four mappings/programs.
- Goodridge braided brake hoses.
- Tarox G88 brake discs at the back.
- Brembo sport brake discs (drilled) at the front.
- Boot lid by Savali.
- 17? Tecnomagnesio Sport TM wheels.
- Custom air filter.
- Forge dual-piston atmospheric valve, FMDV0004 with valve spring tuning kit.
- Qv skirts from the Alfa 145 Qv.
- Defi link system v2 with currently only a boost pressure gauge.
- Adjustable Koni sport shocks with Intrax racing springs 50mm lowering.
- DTM wiper.

I think I?ve got the most of it, probably forgot a couple of things.
Below a couple of pictures with the modifications in place.

And sometime I take the car to a trackday.

At this moment I stored the car due to cam belt problems. I am planning to rebuild the engine and will share the progress from this project in this thread. Also I hope to figure out what is the root cause of my belt failure in 2007.

Currently I am planning to start in April this year by taking out the old engine. I will start by cleaning every part and also spend some time and effort in the appearance of everything. I hope to do as much as possible by myself with help from friends and hire help when required. So there will be questions from me to you for advise, but also to hear how you guys solved problems encountered.

Regards,
Marc

**arjunior45** · 11-03-10, 13:01

two years locked in the garage is a long way!

BTW can you post a picture from the 'Sparco 3” harness with 6 fastening points'? Mostly from the rear seat.
And maybe from your custom air filter?

**Q4-Dave** · 11-03-10, 19:08

I just love that car, and the things done looking great!
good luck with the rebuild, mine took about two years to sort out, but I did buy it in parts with many pieces missing!

regards
David

**jimnielsen** · 11-03-10, 19:53

I am looking forwards to reading about it all as it happens. I am going to be setting up a new (spare) engine this year so I am sure I can learn a lot!

cheers, jim.

**Xti** · 11-03-10, 21:50

I often used to admire your car. Lucky you to have such a 155 Q4 but more than that lucky 155Q4 to have you. Congrats and good luck with the rebuild.

Many greatings,
Cristian.

**markgq4** · 12-03-10, 14:44

yes lovely q4 brul,i do like the 155 in black, and good to see it being used out on track.

good luck with the re-build.

**biggie_** · 12-03-10, 21:19

Very nice Q4 you have Marc, i wish you good luck with the re-build, two years are a long time without driving your "bella"

Just one question, how do you made/fit the "DTM wiper"?

**Brul(tm)** · 13-03-10, 04:56

Originally Posted by biggie_

Just one question, how do you made/fit the "DTM wiper"?

I bought this as a kit. It it no more than an original wiper mechanisme that is converted to a single arm with parts from an Citroen ZX

The blade is from a Lancia Ypsilon, don't know the excapt year.

Regards,
Marc

**Brul(tm)** · 14-03-10, 19:13

Originally Posted by arjunior45

BTW can you post a picture from the 'Sparco 3” harness with 6 fastening points'? Mostly from the rear seat.
And maybe from your custom air filter?

Well, it took me some time to get my server running again

Here are some pictures from the air filter.

I couldn't find any specific pictures of the harnes, only the picture below.

The belts are bolted in place on the original mounting points from the belts at the back. This is far from ideal, but within the margins of the angles under wich the belts are allowed to be used.

Regards,
Marc

**arjunior45** · 15-03-10, 08:51

thanks for the pictures Marc. It's ok for me!!!
Nice roll cage btw, congrats.

**Brul(tm)** · 15-03-10, 09:11

Originally Posted by arjunior45

Nice roll cage btw, congrats.

The roll cage is a "bolt in" type made by Sparco.
I had the cage welded in the car instead, only some parts (bars) are stil bolted. And as Extra I have a extra bar between te B-style to fix the harness on and give extra strength from sideway impact.

Regards,
Marc

**Q4Jan** · 17-03-10, 15:58

Hmm, that filter reminds me of somebody's car.

Now let me think.....

**Brul(tm)** · 17-03-10, 17:06

Originally Posted by Q4Jan

Hmm, that filter reminds me of somebody's car.

Now let me think.....

Harko? Beside yourself

Regards,
Marc

**Q4Jan** · 18-03-10, 16:08

Only the top-lid is a bit different. I got screws who go into the plate. So not metal sticking out so far.

**Brul(tm)** · 27-04-10, 19:17

Well, finally got a bit time to spent in the garage.
What do we have on the other side of the tool board.

There?s the project where I hope the spent a bit more time on.

And of course the bonnet whit underneath the project that?s going to cost me some money well spent

Basically I started with some labelling and removing some hoses and loosening connectors.

Progress will be slow, but hopefully I can speed up towards the summer.
If any progress, I?ll be sharing it here.

Regards,
Marc

**Brul(tm)** · 29-04-10, 19:40

Well, little progress for today. Came home from work a bit earlier to do some work on the car.
Took the intake manifold of and some components in the direct surrounding.

A couple of hoses or rubber seals are very dried out and need to be replaced. Now this isn?t going to be a problem, because I want to replace everything for silicon based hoses in a colour.
Below an overview of some of the parts that I removed today.

Below the result for today afterwards.

There was only one strange thing I found in the intake manifold. It?s a bit difficult to see, but it looks like some metal residue.

This is shown in all the four separated pipes from the inlet manifold. Don?t know where this could be coming from.

Regards,
Marc

**AlfaJack** · 29-04-10, 23:08

Bet you had fun taking the intake manifold off...never an easy job.

**1NRO** · 30-04-10, 06:36

Interesting how they use the manifold runner as used on the NA coupe rather than the 16vt.

**SteveNZ** · 30-04-10, 07:08

How is it different?

**arjunior45** · 30-04-10, 07:28

Originally Posted by Brul(tm)

There was only one strange thing I found in the intake manifold. It?s a bit difficult to see, but it looks like some metal residue.

This is shown in all the four separated pipes from the inlet manifold. Don?t know where this could be coming from.

Regards,
Marc

is it metal residue or just 'color' from the petrol?

**1NRO** · 30-04-10, 18:16

Originally Posted by SteveNZ

How is it different?

The injector is mounted differently, the coupe 16vt has them on the very end of the runners at a steeper angle (admittedly pointing straight at the back of the valve). The shape is different internally, on 16vt the injector boss protrudes into the runner (a larger cross section here makes it a non issue) and is quite straight, the NA is more contoured in comparison. The 16vt as cast min cross section is slightly larger than the NA, the casting is a fair bit thinner on the 16vt also. Where the rubber joint is the casting on the NA is much thicker. The floor of the NA has a pronounced curve and is generally more sweeping. The gasket opening is much smaller on the NA than the 16vt. I'm talking only of the part that bolts to the head.

I'm hacking some of each type at the minute and the material that needs removed is huge, on both of them. When I say needs I mean to suit a ported head though in the case of the NA they are restrictive even on the standard head. I prefer the NA casting like the Q4 has to work on, it's more fiddly but better IMO. I'm sick of grinding on them though, they take forever.

Nik

**Brul(tm)** · 01-05-10, 18:57

Originally Posted by arjunior45

is it metal residue or just 'color' from the petrol?

This is deffinaltly metal residu.
Removed some of this residu and put it on a white paper to make the pictures below.

When I look closly at the particles, they have different colours.
Haven't looked into the inlet ports on the engine yet, but I find this very disturbing

. Not all the cylinders have the same kind of material, cylinder 1 and 4 have the most metal particles.

Regards,
Marc

**Brul(tm)** · 01-05-10, 19:47

Just back from the garage, couldn?t put it to rest.
The head is defiantly written of. The cause for the metal parts in the inlet manifold are from one destroyed inlet valve from the third cylinder and some of the material what used to be the valve seating? When the head is of the damage to the rest will become visible. But this explains why the engine is stuck at this moment.

Regards,
Marc

**Brul(tm)** · 02-05-10, 18:01

Below the pictures from the results after todays work in the garage.

The coolant and the engine oil is removed today. Haven?t filtered the oil yet, but took a quick look and didn?t find any metal particles.
Today I removed the front bumper, the radiator, the exhaust manifold, the turbo, the front bar with headlights.

Also took another look at cylinder 3, this is heavenly damaged. Unfortunately I couldn?t remove the head because I didn?t have the right tooling for this job. Never done that before, so I need to order some tools next week. Then I can take a look at the damage done.

Regards,
Marc