[rgoldm2]

Hey i began and just about finished the bolt tightening for my 4c coupe. I say it wasnt that bad but there are some bolts I cannot figure out how to fully access. If anyone has some tips let me know. The ones im having trouble with are...

1. The e18 size bolt at the rear subframe to tub. Ive been about to get about 4 of the 8. The ones on the driver side near the intercooler are that hardest to get. I think maybe getting a shorter e18 socket may help. Currently its an extended one. Approx 2.5 inches in length.

2. The cross member extending from the center of the engine compartment toward the rear, and then ends underneath the coolant overflow tank. There are bolts below it. 3 in a triangle and one in front. I can get the one in front but not the other 3.

3. The roll over bar? Its at the back window and going upward. I can access some of the bolts but not all. i think remove rear fenders would make these all easier but i dont want to....

any tricks or special tools that help these? The front end was not very difficult. There are a couple torx bolts on the door hinges that im not sure how to get either but the door hinges were all tightening otherwise.

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[SoCal4C]

@rgoldm2 how old is your 4C, how many miles are on the car and did you find any bolts that were loose or in need of tightening?

 

[Juan Camilo Roldan]

Did you actually find any loose bolts? Wondering if this procedure is really necessary or just some BS from Alfa as some have suggested.

 

[rgoldm2]

Yea i did find some loosening. There was a bolt at the bottom frame of the windshield that was actually loose to the touch(could spin w fingers). Otherwise i re-torqued everything to the range provided in the service manual. Id say the majority of the bolts spun some to where the wrench clicked over. I wouldn't describe them as loose though.

I think given the operating error of the torque wrench and the range given for torques in the manual, they were all fairly appropriately torqued. Now they are torqued + 5% more than they were?

ill add in something else for those thinking about doing this....its not that hard...yes im posting cause i cannot access some bolts with a torque wrench, but i can place my fingers on them so i know they arent missing or loose as described above. And from again whats said above, the bolts were all tight, so i bet so are these difficult to access ones, but im asking cause i want to check. From all the discussion and prices quote here and on other forums, it sounds like a serious feat, but its not that bad. Its just maintenance and not out of the reach of most DIY's. The hood removal was actually very straight forward....there is a great youtube video showing how its done. My wife helped me lift it off to avoid scratching it.

I embarked on this myself because we lost our local dealer. The forums probably would have scared me into having the dealer do it for more for the 1000$ price, but its needed. Id consider myself a intermediate mechanic. I've done clutch jobs on other cars myself, and can do most part replacements. There are things that sometimes i need a hand with though, or require tools i dont have. For this i needed a socket set, torque wrench, extensions (various), swivel for ratchet, and i used my battery impact for the wheels, and hood(see in video).

 

[goldmax]

Just wondering about the insurance angle of DIY bolt tightening, could it possibly allow a non payout if an accident or damage occurred in the future and no official paperwork is available for the tightening service?

Just curious.

 

[rgoldm2]

Here’s the car w hood off. I’ll add I needed a new jack to get under the car and new jack stands(I got esco ones with the rubber rope).

 

[rgoldm2]

I cant possibly imagine that the US insurance would fight that sort of thing....the warranty with alfa, im sure would but i bought my car used and its nearly out of warranty anyways, not to mention the 5-6 hours drive(400miles) to the closest dealer...Its just maintenance id state. Can your insurance take your totaled car away and not pay you cause your tires dont have proper tread? they cant here. Im not sure if MOT would suggest something different in the UK(but the US has nothing like this to ensure mechanical safety of cars in some state)

 

[urs2000]

Did you actually found any loose bolts? Wondering if this procedure is really necessary or just some BS from Alfa as some have suggested.

This recurring procedure is not necessary as suggested from AR... my "AR racing garage" hasn't ever found any loose bolt in one of their 4Cs (they have more than 50 4C clients)... one clients 4C has more than 80tkm and he is at least 8 times a year on race tracks: no loose bolt.
So I would see this topic "relaxed"

 

[goldmax]

Yes, in the UK having bald tyre(s) could invalidate your insurance.

 

[JWA]

I don’t remember exactly what I used to get at those specific bolts, but I know that they all involved extensions and accessing them from underneath with the wheels and under trays removed. I wrote up more specific details back when I did mine, posted here somewhere. In that same thread I remember that someone posted some other methods at getting to a couple of them that I was planning on using when I do mine the next time.

 

[Kamran]

Yea i did find some loosening. There was a bolt at the bottom frame of the windshield that was actually loose to the touch(could spin w fingers).

That doesn't sound like a carbon fiber chassis bolt and any part of the CF tub (re-)torque plan. Or is it?

 

[rgoldm2]

i dont have the manual with me but yes it is part of it. Its not a structure/subframe chassis type bolt but its listed in the manual. There is a series of them along the lower edge of the windshield, that go into the carbon tub. Its a row of them. The torque figures were quite low though, like maybe 20-30nm. Ill try to add a photo like i did above and circle the ones im speaking of

 

[rgoldm2]

Here is the photo showing the bolts. They go straight across. Not all are documented but some of them are

 

[4Canada]

FWIW:

Links to some useful Alfa publications courtesy of foleydb and the 4C cloud:

Hood Removal Procedure

Fastener Service Procedure

Another thread on bolt tightening First page has some service manual links by Docron.

I'm afraid that none of these will help the OP in his quest, but these might be of assistance to others.
@JWA's writeup referred to in his post above, starts HERE:

 

[[P²]]

For #1 I cut the socket down to a shorter size to get it on the bolt.

#2 I don’t think the rear part of the cross member is included in the check. It seemed to focus on the parts bolted directly to the carbon tub, not metal to metal.

 

[RKBerta]

As far as warranty issues with doing yourself. Not sure about other countries but here in the US you aren't required to have a dealer do any maintenance....that is the law. But you are required to do the maintenance. Things like an oil change can be proven with receipts for oil and filter. Perhaps some photos. As far as the bolt tightening...download the description and torque specs from our sticky. Perform the steps and take a few pictures as you accomplish it. One of our members took photos of all the areas and added description of the torque at each location for proof. You can also use an independent garage as their receipts serve as documentation the work was done.

One advantage of having the dealer do it though....if any future warranty issues come up....they will be more inclined to back you up if you are a good customer....something to think about. That is why I prefer using the dealer as long as mine is on warranty.

 

[mc3456]

Here’s the car w hood off. I’ll add I needed a new jack to get under the car and new jack stands(I got esco ones with the rubber rope).

Look at all that wasted space! :|

 

[JWA]

Look at all that wasted space! :|

It looks like it from that angle, but with the position of the radiator there's maybe a shoebox worth of room in there when the bonnet is fitted.

 

[lpspeedster]

It looks like it from that angle, but with the position of the radiator there's maybe a shoebox worth of room in there when the bonnet is fitted.

...or room for a series of small cosmetic case boxes :wink2:

 

[ehagerty]

I was looking at it from the "Cartel Perspective"