cambelt service interval F355
Discussion
i have had the cambelt changed (and tensioners checked) on my 355 religiously every 3 years
however , none of the main dealers or specialists i have spoken to have given me a good explanation for why north american 355's have a longer recommended interval between cambelt changes
does anyone have a good explanation to account for this difference , and does anyone know if the longer recommended cambelt service interval in north america has been amended recently?
am i correct in thinking that most of you with 355's are also changing these belts every 3 years?
are any of you changing them at the 5 year intervals(as i understand is suggested in NA),and if so , have you run into any problems ?
however , none of the main dealers or specialists i have spoken to have given me a good explanation for why north american 355's have a longer recommended interval between cambelt changes
does anyone have a good explanation to account for this difference , and does anyone know if the longer recommended cambelt service interval in north america has been amended recently?
am i correct in thinking that most of you with 355's are also changing these belts every 3 years?
are any of you changing them at the 5 year intervals(as i understand is suggested in NA),and if so , have you run into any problems ?
i seem to remember reading it somewhere a few years ago that the authorities in the U.S deemed it as entirely unnaceptable that belts would require to be replaced in such a short amount of time and told Ferrari to come up with an alternative...
which was a new recommended timescale of 5 years between belt changes in the U.S only; somehow they magically last longer over there...
which was a new recommended timescale of 5 years between belt changes in the U.S only; somehow they magically last longer over there...
I wouldn't say it was 'way' cheaper? I had thought it was quite a hush-hush operation if you did it without the engine out, eg a lot of indies would offer you the option but not openly say they do it. Phoning around for quotes for mine recently I was surprised how many of the highly respected indies told me they prefer doing it with the engine in these days.
Engine-in is slightly less faff, but means there is less chance of disturbing / breaking things as the engine comes in and out.
Engine-out allows easier access and also lets you more easily spot / rectify other issues, but takes longer and has more inherent risk.
Apart from time / labour, that is the only difference between the 2 methods.
Engine-out allows easier access and also lets you more easily spot / rectify other issues, but takes longer and has more inherent risk.
Apart from time / labour, that is the only difference between the 2 methods.
I was shown a 355 a few years ago at Talacrest with the engine bay totally burnt out. It was down to stressed/chafed fuels lines caused by belts being changed without removing the engine and not enough care being taken reassembling. Their comment was it happens all too often when corners are cut to save time carrying out this job.
Aero8 said:
I was shown a 355 a few years ago at Talacrest with the engine bay totally burnt out. It was down to stressed/chafed fuels lines caused by belts being changed without removing the engine and not enough care being taken reassembling. Their comment was it happens all too often when corners are cut to save time carrying out this job.
Same can happen if you drop the engine - just one of those things they should be watching out for.The best thing to do if you want to do it properly is leave the engine in situ and have the entire car dismantled around it (ideally by oiled up bikini girls).
jdw1234 said:
Same can happen if you drop the engine - just one of those things they should be watching out for.
The best thing to do if you want to do it properly is leave the engine in situ and have the entire car dismantled around it (ideally by oiled up bikini girls).
mmm....girls in bikinis <daydream>The best thing to do if you want to do it properly is leave the engine in situ and have the entire car dismantled around it (ideally by oiled up bikini girls).
Aero8 said:
I was shown a 355 a few years ago at Talacrest with the engine bay totally burnt out. It was down to stressed/chafed fuels lines caused by belts being changed without removing the engine and not enough care being taken reassembling. Their comment was it happens all too often when corners are cut to save time carrying out this job.
Good grief? Honestly? Does anyone believe this rhubarb?The whole point of an engine-in service is that the engine need not move. There's no need to touch the fuel lines. At all.
On the other hand, anyone who knows anything whatsoever about these cars knows the fuel lines can rub due to incorrect positioning. The problem mostly stems from poorly fitted jubilee clamps and the fuel divider block, which Ferrari issued a recent recall for.
Sorry for getting on my soapbox, but perpetuating ignorance and /or the position of dealers who have an axe to grind isn't helpful for anyone. At all.
Cactussed said:
Aero8 said:
I was shown a 355 a few years ago at Talacrest with the engine bay totally burnt out. It was down to stressed/chafed fuels lines caused by belts being changed without removing the engine and not enough care being taken reassembling. Their comment was it happens all too often when corners are cut to save time carrying out this job.
Good grief? Honestly? Does anyone believe this rhubarb?The whole point of an engine-in service is that the engine need not move. There's no need to touch the fuel lines. At all.
On the other hand, anyone who knows anything whatsoever about these cars knows the fuel lines can rub due to incorrect positioning. The problem mostly stems from poorly fitted jubilee clamps and the fuel divider block, which Ferrari issued a recent recall for.
Sorry for getting on my soapbox, but perpetuating ignorance and /or the position of dealers who have an axe to grind isn't helpful for anyone. At all.
Edited by Aero8 on Wednesday 20th April 14:39
When done in situ sometimes they brake open the plastic covers to gain access!! This is certainly not a good method.
When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
neil-f said:
When done in situ sometimes they brake open the plastic covers to gain access!! This is certainly not a good method.
When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
To be honest, it never occured to me to ask!!!When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
neil-f said:
When done in situ sometimes they brake open the plastic covers to gain access!! This is certainly not a good method.
When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
Can't say I've heard of anyone breaking open the covers. They're only held in by 4 allen bolts. When I had my 348 & 355 always got the belts done as engine out job that way could get he rest of the engine looked over and any other items corrected at the same time. But it is all down to personal choice and more than likely cost for some!
Checking over other things is MUCH easier with engine out though, agreed. Having done it myself twice, it's not difficult to yank out and you can gain access to almost everything with relative ease.
To be honest, I'd always do an engine out cambelt change on my 348. It's only a few hundred pounds more and it's an opportunity to get the engine fully checked over and the cam timing done.
I have a sneaky suspicion that most 355's which only have around 320-350bhp rather than the 380bhp they are supposed to have, is because they haven't been set up/serviced properly. Mine was 35bhp down on power before the cam timing was done.
I have a sneaky suspicion that most 355's which only have around 320-350bhp rather than the 380bhp they are supposed to have, is because they haven't been set up/serviced properly. Mine was 35bhp down on power before the cam timing was done.
Angelis said:
To be honest, I'd always do an engine out cambelt change on my 348. It's only a few hundred pounds more and it's an opportunity to get the engine fully checked over and the cam timing done.
I have a sneaky suspicion that most 355's which only have around 320-350bhp rather than the 380bhp they are supposed to have, is because they haven't been set up/serviced properly. Mine was 35bhp down on power before the cam timing was done.
Is there some other "timing" that can be tweaked other than the belts? I thought it was a case of if you were say one tooth out it was actually blindingly obvious the engine isn't running right rather than just being a bit down on powerI have a sneaky suspicion that most 355's which only have around 320-350bhp rather than the 380bhp they are supposed to have, is because they haven't been set up/serviced properly. Mine was 35bhp down on power before the cam timing was done.
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