If you did not already know, you can pre-order Jim K's book, Alfa Romeo V6 Engine High-Performance Manual-Softbound (Speedpro Series) on Amazon.com. Seems like a great buy at 26$.....
"Expected delivery" is july 22-25, or thereabouts......
Christmas comes EARLY this year!
Like I already said on BB a couple of days ago..."July, which year??" (if you're interested, have a look in the"'engine conversions' topic). There's still a lot of work being done; as a matter of fact, I did two more 3liter heads with a different approach regarding porting sizes and I ended up with more flow and more velocity accross the board (and less grinding for everyone!) Finally after all this time, the heads will be milled this week for 11.6:1 (1.4mm will be removed) and they will be installed with the Motronic cams for break-ín (about 2000km). This will be a valid move for all of you who can't use Godzilla cams because of emissions etc. Power will then be measured with required simultaneous mapping and then the actual cams will be installed and power measured again. The final profile is still under consideration but I'm leaning towards 293-296* seat, 251-253* at 1.25mm and ~11.8mm lift.
Then, there's the 24v to take its place in the car....break-in, map+dyno and thats it. July, huh????
One thing many forget in such discussions is the financial requirements of the above process...think about the costs of fuel and tolls for ~5000km (1.2Euros/liter), two engine swaps, double dyno+mapping costs, custom cam costs (which will be available for all after the prototype is validated). Believe me all this stuff doesn't come cheap and yours truly has a very limited budget for it. For instance, the second set of heads cost 250Euros to buy, large intake seats were 210E with installation, 12 new guides 80E and milling will be 100E (its not just a clean-up skim, but 1.4mm cut). I also decided to buy an ancient NOS valve seat cutting set to do them myself exactly as I wanted, another 250E. The final big-brake set is ready for pickup this week, another 270E for the alloy bells and adaptation. Thats a total of 1160Euros in about a month, unfortunately it don't grow on trees (good thing the wife doesn't read this shit!) Timewise, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel for the 12v, but July...? I'd give it a few more months. Realistically, I can see being done with the 12v dyno, October sometime and then its the 24v, so I figure on the book being out of my hands by end of year/start 2007. Then theres the editor who will probably require another 3 months to come up with the book...July may be right...which year? Sorry guys, as much as I'd like to I just can't go any quicker!
Jim K.
Then, there's the 24v to take its place in the car....break-in, map+dyno and thats it. July, huh????
One thing many forget in such discussions is the financial requirements of the above process...think about the costs of fuel and tolls for ~5000km (1.2Euros/liter), two engine swaps, double dyno+mapping costs, custom cam costs (which will be available for all after the prototype is validated). Believe me all this stuff doesn't come cheap and yours truly has a very limited budget for it. For instance, the second set of heads cost 250Euros to buy, large intake seats were 210E with installation, 12 new guides 80E and milling will be 100E (its not just a clean-up skim, but 1.4mm cut). I also decided to buy an ancient NOS valve seat cutting set to do them myself exactly as I wanted, another 250E. The final big-brake set is ready for pickup this week, another 270E for the alloy bells and adaptation. Thats a total of 1160Euros in about a month, unfortunately it don't grow on trees (good thing the wife doesn't read this shit!) Timewise, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel for the 12v, but July...? I'd give it a few more months. Realistically, I can see being done with the 12v dyno, October sometime and then its the 24v, so I figure on the book being out of my hands by end of year/start 2007. Then theres the editor who will probably require another 3 months to come up with the book...July may be right...which year? Sorry guys, as much as I'd like to I just can't go any quicker!
Jim K.
2000 never.....?
You know how it is, I got all excited, paid out the 26$ for some more Alfa stuff........Thanks Barry for stirring the pot! I guess Jim K's time would be better spent working on the book than answering my emails!!
Typical Amazon/publishers/editors making promises they can't fulfill! Well......I guess Christmas will come when it comes...or not...
PS: Jim K, If I contribute to your research costs, will I get a portion of the proceeds?? Do you take Iraqi Dinars?? got a million of them laying around here somewhere...
You know how it is, I got all excited, paid out the 26$ for some more Alfa stuff........Thanks Barry for stirring the pot! I guess Jim K's time would be better spent working on the book than answering my emails!!
Typical Amazon/publishers/editors making promises they can't fulfill! Well......I guess Christmas will come when it comes...or not...
PS: Jim K, If I contribute to your research costs, will I get a portion of the proceeds?? Do you take Iraqi Dinars?? got a million of them laying around here somewhere...
The only worthwhile contribution would be to give me power of attorney for some of Saddam's secret bank accounts in Switzerland! 
(I don't believe we're talking Iraqi paper there!) That would allow me to finish the book early, quit my job, buy a house with a big garage in the Ring and live happily ever after! 
You see how modest I can be?
Joking aside, I think its very strange that they took your money in advance for the V6 book without having concrete info about the release date. Months ago, I communicated to the editor that I would probably be ready with the V6 stuff by July. Even if this happened, the book wouldn't be available for another 3 months at best (and that's very optimistic, as the cycle from author CD to bookstore is longer than that!)
Jim K.
(I don't believe we're talking Iraqi paper there!) That would allow me to finish the book early, quit my job, buy a house with a big garage in the Ring and live happily ever after! You see how modest I can be?Joking aside, I think its very strange that they took your money in advance for the V6 book without having concrete info about the release date. Months ago, I communicated to the editor that I would probably be ready with the V6 stuff by July. Even if this happened, the book wouldn't be available for another 3 months at best (and that's very optimistic, as the cycle from author CD to bookstore is longer than that!)
Jim K.
26$, I'm not too worried. Amazon says if can't deliver the book in 100 days, I get the flow back anyway....
You know how it is....."Alfa, it's not just a passion, it's an addiction"
Anyway, back to watching Fomula 1. .... One thousand people working on one car that lasts one lap before crashing as opposed to me, One person spending One thousand dollars on a car that sits on blocks!
You know how it is....."Alfa, it's not just a passion, it's an addiction"
Anyway, back to watching Fomula 1. .... One thousand people working on one car that lasts one lap before crashing as opposed to me, One person spending One thousand dollars on a car that sits on blocks!
-
Maurizio
- Verde
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 4:49 am
- Location: the Netherlands, 153.1km from the N'ring :-)
That would allow me to finish the book early, quit my job, buy a house with a big garage in the Ring and live happily ever after! You see how modest I can be?
same thought here, in the neighborhood of the ring a little farm, with some stables. So Jim, the challenge, finding someone/way to provide the income and I'm packing.... Keep up the good work. I know how time/money consuming serious mods are. And I'm just with my feet in the water, you are swimming
ps Call me if you need help with the testing of the engine, 5000km/20.8=241 rounds ring
Banned.. ? Daily donky.. ==> BMW 325d 
E36M3 (3.0) Ringtool ==> definitely BANNED!
AR 75 TS Ringtool '90, AR Spider 2000 veloce '79
Daily donky.. ==> BMW 325d E36M3 (3.0) Ringtool
==> definitely BANNED! AR 75 TS Ringtool '90, AR Spider 2000 veloce '79
You know, maybe I should find a way to send the book with some kind of code to each of you guys, so you can't print or get it out of your computers! Then you could each pay for it
I just got the heads back from the machine shop after they milled them 1.3mm; you know what I paid????? 150Euros!!! I shit bricks, I was expecting around 75-80 (thats what I paid 3 months ago for the same work on the other set of heads) The mothers said they gave me a great discount then (book and all) this time it was a regular charge! Damn, I'm glad this engine is almost done now. Here's the latest plan: I finally went for 11.4:1 CR; why? The engine will start and do the first 2000km with the std Motronic cams, then mapping+dyno. After that, the 'good' cams will be installed and map+dyno again. This should be very interesting for all who want to retain the std mild cams. I decided on this after a lot of engine simulations gave more than encouraging results. It will be interesting to see just how much power the std cams can make! I sure am happy because the end is near!! I expect to bolt the heads on next week. Tomorrow I'll assemble rocker shafts, valves etc. Hang on guys, THE END IS NEAR
Jim K.
I just got the heads back from the machine shop after they milled them 1.3mm; you know what I paid????? 150Euros!!! I shit bricks, I was expecting around 75-80 (thats what I paid 3 months ago for the same work on the other set of heads) The mothers said they gave me a great discount then (book and all) this time it was a regular charge! Damn, I'm glad this engine is almost done now. Here's the latest plan: I finally went for 11.4:1 CR; why? The engine will start and do the first 2000km with the std Motronic cams, then mapping+dyno. After that, the 'good' cams will be installed and map+dyno again. This should be very interesting for all who want to retain the std mild cams. I decided on this after a lot of engine simulations gave more than encouraging results. It will be interesting to see just how much power the std cams can make! I sure am happy because the end is near!! I expect to bolt the heads on next week. Tomorrow I'll assemble rocker shafts, valves etc. Hang on guys, THE END IS NEAR
Jim K.
Hi Z,
The idea is to definitely get those exhaust readings with the Motronic cams.
Yes the pistons are from Paul; great quality too,I must say.
The heads look darn good really, all cleaned up and big smooth ports, I actually am selfish enough to be proud of them
Wil post pics tomorrow.
I just finished cc'ing them, and #5 chamber is ~1cc smaller than all the others! I measure them all twice to make sure there are no mistakes. Well, no sweat, I'll have to smoothly remove some surface area all over and they'll all be perfect. Tomorrow its heads on the engine again for that boring but necessary valve/piston clearance measurement (again!) I think it will be ~4.5-5mm, meaning I can use most hi-perf cams except Godzilla ones, which I wasn't planning on anyway, since the engine has to be streetable.
Jim K.
The idea is to definitely get those exhaust readings with the Motronic cams.
Yes the pistons are from Paul; great quality too,I must say.
The heads look darn good really, all cleaned up and big smooth ports, I actually am selfish enough to be proud of them
Wil post pics tomorrow.I just finished cc'ing them, and #5 chamber is ~1cc smaller than all the others! I measure them all twice to make sure there are no mistakes. Well, no sweat, I'll have to smoothly remove some surface area all over and they'll all be perfect. Tomorrow its heads on the engine again for that boring but necessary valve/piston clearance measurement (again!) I think it will be ~4.5-5mm, meaning I can use most hi-perf cams except Godzilla ones, which I wasn't planning on anyway, since the engine has to be streetable.
Jim K.
Hi JimK,
Great news about the pistons! We have the same ones then
Now all I need is to figure out how get my heads to be similarly specced to yours..... I'm just very worried about emissions. My 3.0 had pretty high HC readings, so I am afraid, anything more than 10.5:1, I would fail.
About the ports, do the taper down towards the intake runners?
Great news about the pistons! We have the same ones then
Now all I need is to figure out how get my heads to be similarly specced to yours..... I'm just very worried about emissions. My 3.0 had pretty high HC readings, so I am afraid, anything more than 10.5:1, I would fail.
About the ports, do the taper down towards the intake runners?
Ok, Saturday's work is done, CR checked out at 11.4:1 and all v/p clearances are more than 5.1mm, which is darn good! Came back home and assembled all the rocker shafts stuff.
Z, I use the huge runners and the first 20mm or so of the ports is matched to them. From then on...wait for the book However, I would rather have the runners bottom size at ~39-40mm.
I'll try posting some pics now of the heads. Sorry about the quality, resizing took a lot of detail away.
Jim K.
Z, I use the huge runners and the first 20mm or so of the ports is matched to them. From then on...wait for the book
However, I would rather have the runners bottom size at ~39-40mm.I'll try posting some pics now of the heads. Sorry about the quality, resizing took a lot of detail away.
Jim K.
- Attachments
-
- I decided to buy a set of seat cutting tools so that I could form my own seats (3-angle job).The cutter shown is the 30-degree one, which cuts into the chamber alloy, correcting shrouding problems.
- P6180003s.jpg (160.68 KiB) Viewed 11585 times
-
- These are the cc'ing tools I use; thick plexiglass plate, a 60cc syringe and a 10cc one. For the pic, half the chamber is filled with water (which is what I use)
- P6300001s.jpg (212.52 KiB) Viewed 11584 times
-
- Can't see much in this pic, but this is almost the end of a lot of work!
- P7010010s.jpg (186.51 KiB) Viewed 11584 times