Simon Manley

Identifying a Forgotten Alfa Romeo Valve Clearance Tool

Having recently moved and even more recently — finally — receiving my shipment of tools, I’ve been doing a clear-out and re-organisation of all my equipment.

Needless to say this means I’ve been coming across a lot of older tools I had forgotten I have. One of the most intriguing ones was an Alfa Romeo special tool which was gifted to me somewhere around 1990.

At the time I worked in an Alfa Romeo dealership — it was only a dealer for a brief period — not that it was the fault of the workshop it was brief, Alfa at the time was going through an identity crisis and FIAT didn’t seem quite sure what to do with it. But for me it was probably the most enjoyable period of my early apprenticeship. Alfa’s at that time were still exciting.

Identifying the tool

Anyway, on to the tool. When I was first given it, no one knew exactly what it was for. It was in a drawer in an old long forgotten dealership which was now getting an overhaul and taking on one of the more mainstream brands.

If I remember correctly at the time most guesses cited it as a depth gauge for inboard brake systems which were still being used on some Alfas — like the Alfa 75, rear brakes were mounted onto the rear axle/gearbox — But this wasn’t the case.

It turns out its actually for measuring valve clearance. Back in the 90’s I couldn’t find that information, somewhat because you had to go through huge printed manuals or possibly a microfiche — although in the place I worked I rarely got to look at a microfiche, it was reserved for the parts manager for the most part — but as much as I searched I could not find it anywhere.

Finding Information

Years later when I did find the information in an old workshop manual I saw at a specialist workshop and they allowed me to take a look through it — if that were today I could have taken my phone out and photographed it, but not back then. I sometimes wish I was more forward thinking then and invested in a small film camera just for shots like this — it would be years later and in the internet age before I’d see that information again.

The page I’m referring to for this tools usage is below but the full manual can be found on Alfawiki.nl which has a huge database of workshop manuals and all other types of Alfa Romeo information.

I unfortunately don’t have the full set of tools needed to do the job completely but it could still be used as the parts that are missing are easily replicated. It rarely makes an appearance as I’ve always just put it in a drawer and then forgotten about it.

The chances of me ever using it are slim to none, but I would be willing to offer it to someone on loan if they had the need to use it, but I imagine that too is a slim chance. But it’s a very cool tool to have even if it’s just for show.