The Alfa Thread

[Wschnitz]

Only thing I dont like about the 4C is the farting noise gearshift from exhaust, and the fact that i cant afford it!

Every car company seems to have this issue with turbo cars with double clutch transmissions. All the new BMWs do it, just kind of like a muted exhaust tone with farty shifts. Other then that the 4C is everything right in a 2 seater sports car, reminds me of the older miatas, just what you need, not what you dont.

[LateFan]

and the fact that i cant afford it!

^^ me too.

As I understand it, the performance / "track" package has no mufflers, it's just the turbo and some plumbing and tailpipes. So is that just rich overrun fuel popping in the pipe?

[Wschnitz]

^^ me too.

As I understand it, the performance / "track" package has no mufflers, it's just the turbo and some plumbing and tailpipes. So is that just rich overrun fuel popping in the pipe?

Could be, but I feel like popping in or towards the end of the pipe results more in crackles then muffled pops.

I think the exhaust requires a muffler otherwise its too loud, the images ive seen of them have 1 pipe splitting off into the downpipe, and one pipe bypassing it. Wonder if a single 3in would fix the sound.

[Wschnitz]

I think your actually right about the fuel overrun, I cant find a single exhaust that doesnt feature the farting noise when shifting. Im guessing its just a necessary side effect of DCT's.

Edit: I suspect right, heres an example of the farting sound because of DCTs

Manual shifting:



DCT:



Kinda hard to hear in second video, but the DCT just shortens the shift so much the exhaust gets that sound.

[LateFan]

I've read in race engines they dump in some extra fuel and retard timing to keep the turbos spooled up - that's what blows the flames out the pipes. Is that right? Do street car systems do this?

Found this on R&T:
"And then it flies past with triple-digit decibels of anger exploding from its tailpipes, punctuated by the whip-crack misfire induced as its computers orchestrate a 130-millisecond gearchange. The noise is pure Ferrari, in loudness, fury, intensity, and timbre.

No surprise, since the Alfa Romeo 4C has no muffler.

No muffler at all. No resonator, nothing: a turbo, a catalytic converter, and that's it."

"...it has the world's most violent-sounding four-cylinder: a 1742-cc all-aluminum, direct-injected, turbocharged angry little creature that makes six liters of V-12 worth of noise. It trades power-sapping balance shafts for a short stroke and eight crankshaft counterweights and is force-fed 21.75 psi of boost to bark out 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque."

"...There is no wheelspin, and just as you're thinking "that's it?" the turbo spools and all hell breaks loose. First gear tops out almost instantly, the digital speedometer having climbed to just 24 mph. Then, there's a dual-barrel shotgun blast out the twin exhaust pipes as the transmission slams into second."

[LateFan]

[ATTACH]99628[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]99629[/ATTACH]

[LateFan]

[ATTACH]99640[/ATTACH]

[Wschnitz]

Yeah i see the race spec exhaust now, I dont believe the triple digit decibles though, I had pretty much straight pipes and long tube headers etc on my E30 for a couple weeks, didnt break 92.

[BlackbirdM3]

Yeah i see the race spec exhaust now, I dont believe the triple digit decibles though, I had pretty much straight pipes and long tube headers etc on my E30 for a couple weeks, didnt break 92.

My Datsun is 99.5 dB at Laguna Seca, 2L 8 valve 4 cyl with a full exhaust, the muffler/resonator is a Borla XR1. Triple digit db sound levels are easy. 92 db is very quiet, and hard to do with a free flowing exhaust.

Will

[LateFan]

Only thing I dont like about the 4C is the farting noise gearshift from exhaust,

Oh, you don't mean a backfire / burble / pop? ....but a sort of a snort on upshifts.....like here?...

[Wschnitz]

Yeah sounds terrible in my opinion. I dont think it can be removed however, I believe its a side effect of DCT's.

[BlackbirdM3]

I've driven behind a 4c and the exhaust note really does sound like ass. I wouldn't buy one simply because of how it sounds. Yeah, its that bad.

I'm all for a snarling, off throttle cracking exhaust, but the 4C just sounds bad.

Will

[Wschnitz]

Exactly, I have the same problem with the M235i, I Love the manual, but the auto DCT is terrible sounding.

[cagedbunny]

Finally replaced the leaking rear caliper that parked the GTV6 earlier this year. Since the car was already on stands, I couldn't resist the opportunity to test-fit one of the nearly new 16x8 Zender Sports



Now to find a better set of rear lowering springs, and turn the front torsion bars down a little..

[LateFan]

^^^ Actually, I like the fronts. Nice car!

VVV Pebble Beach