ALFA ROMEO 4C | Carbon Fiber Chassis Info (Part 2)

Carbon Fiber Concerns:



There are some concerns out there, some I think are legitimate and some are not. There is give and take in every automotive design factor, and I think the pros of the carbon fiber FAR outweigh the cons, but we need to cover both sides here.

Let's start with what I consider the more likely problems. I think we may see far more problems caused by improper servicing than anything else. My first concern is improper jacking. The car must...

One of the main features of the new Alfa Romeo 4C is it's carbon fiber chassis. This is a feature not previously seen in production cars with the exception of some very high end exotics. This chassis is ultra light, and ultra strong, and from a performance car standpoint carbon fiber is the best material to use in this application.

However, as with anything that's relatively new, there are some fears and misconceptions that some people will have. How easily can it be...

The 4C's turbo and limitations:


All turbos have limitations of one kind or another. For example smaller turbos can spin up quickly lowering the boost threshold and reducing lag. However they can't generate as much total airflow, and thus power as relatively larger turbos (it should go without saying, but this is will all other factors equal).

Turbochargers have three main limitations, all three of which are inter related. They are turbine speed, boost, and efficiency....

This is Part 3 of my series on the 4C's engine. If you haven't already read them, please read Parts 1 and 2.

As I explained in the previous 2 parts of this series, the 4C's engine is specifically designed to take advantage of turbocharging, so it makes sense to take some time to understand the turbocharging system.

A turbocharger is an exhaust driven compressor that forces more air into the engine than it would be able to ingest on it's own. Exhaust exits the engine...

Crankshaft:


The crankshaft has the job of turning all the up and down motion of the pistons into rotational force.

The 4C's crankshaft is built to handle massive amounts of power. It's a forged steel crankshaft with excellent lubrication and journal sizes that rival most 5 and 6 liter American V8s!


There isn't much more to be said about the crank, but I'll add that Alfa has a long history of making very stout crankshafts, I doubt we will ever...

I occasionally hear people say that the 4C isn't an exotic car because it has a small 4 cylinder engine. What I think these people fail to realize is the the 4C's engine is an exotic car engine, it's just scaled down to match the size of the car.

The purpose of this article is to explain to owners and potential owners just how advanced the 4C's engine really is. If you have read part one, which deals with the head and camshaft timing system, great, if not, it's OK to start...

OVERLAP!


Overlap is defined as the time in degrees of crankshaft rotation that the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. In the case of the 4C engine, the base timing (meaning no VVT intervention) does not allow for any overlap. By the time the intake valve opens at 24.5 degrees after TDC, the exhaust valve will have been closed for 37 degrees of crankshaft rotation because it close at 12.5 degrees before TDC. 12.5+24.5=37.

A very common myth in the...

The variable valve timing system or VVT is part of what makes the Alfa Romeo 4C's engine so special. In this article, I plan to explain what it is, what it does for us, and how tuners can take advantage of it.

Alfa came out with VVT long before anyone else. They have used it in production cars sold in the US and worldwide since 1980. They started using electronic controls for the system in the 1985 model year. By comparison, BMW introduced their somewhat equivalent VANOS...

I feel this article is way over due, probably years over due.

After changing an ECU, adding a piggy back of any brand, or flashing on a new tune the car needs to go through an "adaptation period" before it runs with full power. What is that? Why does it matter? I'll explain it and explain how to get your car to go through it as fast as possible.

It's important to note that there is an adaptation period of at least some duration anytime you change anything having...

Abarth Oil and Filter Change

Like all cars, your Abarth needs fresh engine oil at semi-regular intervals. Exactly how often depends to an extent on your driving style, the Abarth’s brain keeps track of this and when it decides it’s time for an oil change it will illuminate the “Generic Warning Light” on the dash. In case you don’t know what that is, it’s the amber light with an exclamation point inside of a triangle. The MAXIMUM period between oil changes is 8000 miles,...