Fitting A Relief Kit Into An Alfa Twin Spark Variator

It's easier to first secure the variator while you're working on it. Take care not to damage the area of the body that sits in the bearings and inlet camshaft seal.

Apply some protection around the end that protrudes through the driven gear (you can use two blocks of wood) and fasten lightly but securely in a vice.

Using circlip pliers remove the circlip.

Then remove the spindle (with spring).

Using a hooked tool, sharply pull out the top helical gear.

You need to pull it sharply to pass the spring clip over the top of the inner lip on the variator housing

You can now lift out the bottom helical gear with your finger. Take note that the bevelled edge faces down.

Hook out the old plastic seat and replace it with the new one, again take note that the bevelled edge faces down.

Slide the two helical gears over the spindle (without the spring). This is to make sure that the outer teeth align up to each other and holds them in place while you put them back into the variator housing. In this picture the teeth are misaligned.

Now they align up.

Carefully drop in the spindle and gears.

Remove the spindle then push the gears down in place.

Slide the new variator relief spring over the spindle.

Drop the spindle into the variator then compress it enough to put the retaining circlip back on.