> A) BeltS should read belt; you only have one on a TS engine (so that saves
> some costs
>
> B) I guess they mean the variator motor, the "thing" that operates the
> inlet camshaft
> This is a typical Alfa problem dating from the period 1998-mid2000
> When defective you will hear a sound as when the hydraulical tippits are
> still without oil pressure.
> Only difference is that the tippet sound disappears after a few seconds,
> but the defective variator sound will remain (sound like a diesel engine)
> Nothing will brake or so, only the sound AND the inlet cam shaft will not
> "vary" as it should, so you lack some (top)power.
> If there is no abnormal sound in the engine, it will hardly be the
> variator.
> All 4-cil TS engines suffered from this problem; those manufactured after
> April 2000 are o.k.
> Some earlier engines have been "repaired" using a new variator with the
> same problenm as the original one so had to be repaired more than once.
> Engines from after April 2000 don't have this problem anymore; variators
> usually last as long as the engine (200.000km's is normal), but you can be
> unlucky when any engine part fails after the official guarantee term!
> --
> Ciao from Holland
> AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
> Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000) (soon: GT 2.0JTS)
> Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)
>

Thanks very much for the insight.
As my car is a 2001 model, it seems strange that this "variator" is faulty.
Perhaps I should look deeper into the cars service history.
Also, I'm pretty certain that the service manager told me that failure of
this part would cause serious damage. Could I hold this against them when I
go to pay up ?