| Author | Message | ||
| Mitchell Le (Yelcab1)
Member Username: Yelcab1 Post Number: 706 Registered: 11-2001 |
I looked last weekend and my lower line does not rub against the bell housing. I have about 1 inch of clearance | ||
| Jerry Slagle (Slag_328gts)
Junior Member Username: Slag_328gts Post Number: 192 Registered: 9-2003 |
Is this a problem in 328's also? | ||
| Don Higday (Donaldh2o)
New member Username: Donaldh2o Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2003 |
Been there, done that! Same thing happened on my 1975 308 GT4. Driving home late one friday nite saw smoke pouring out of the engine vent in the rearview mirror. Pulled onto the median of the freeway and had to be flatbedded home. New, improved, hose doesn't rub against the bell housing. There are two types of 308s, those whose oil cooler lines have worn through and those whose oil cooler lines are about to wear through. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member Username: Peter Post Number: 3160 Registered: 12-2000 |
Rolly, my old hoses look exactly the same as yours (lower steel-braided, upper smooth, thick rubber covered). The new ones look great!  GT4Don: "The secret: tie wrap a rubber radiator hose around the area vulnerable to rubbing on the clutch housing area, roughly an eight inch section is sufficient. Haven't had any problems in over 15 years since that day." That's what I did for now, but I hate the way it looks...  | ||
| 1975GT4Don (1975gt4don)
Junior Member Username: 1975gt4don Post Number: 85 Registered: 1-2002 |
Had the same thing happen to me minus the fire or any engine damage, I ALWAYS drive my ponycar with one eye on the oil pressure gauge checking every minute. The secret: tie wrap a rubber radiator hose around the area vulnerable to rubbing on the clutch housing area, roughly an eight inch section is sufficient. Haven't had any problems in over 15 years since that day. Plus, the added cushion by the rubber hose takes away any damage that might be caused by vibration of the hose against the housing. | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1728 Registered: 4-2002 |
I put a length of that corrugated (sp?) plastic wire loom over my lower hose. It doesn't rest against the engine/bell housing, but it could easily bump/rub if it flexes while going over bumps, etc. | ||
| Mitchell Le (Yelcab1)
Member Username: Yelcab1 Post Number: 702 Registered: 11-2001 |
All my fuels lines, coolant lines, heater hoses, vaccum hoses, breather hoses, filler hoses, and oil lines on my 75GT4 have been totally, absolutely replaced by me last year. And, I travel with a fire extinguisher in the car. Next project is to replace the AC lines if I ever want it working again. | ||
| Rolly Astrom (Swede)
New member Username: Swede Post Number: 31 Registered: 7-2001 |
Thanks Steve When I bought the car three years ago and went through the old work orders I was happy to see that (I thought) all the lines had been replaced. After this incident I took another look and found that only the fuel lines and coolant hoses had been done and not the oil lines. Like you say.......the message here is we don't want to wait until failure before looking after these routine items. Rolly | ||
| Steven R. Rochlin (Enjoythemusic)
Member Username: Enjoythemusic Post Number: 803 Registered: 4-2002 |
Rolly, Glad it worked out well in the end. Would have scared the $**T out of me! Better to catch these things ASAP. BTW, during the recent 60k major they saw going bad oil and also fuel lines and changed them out. Bottom line folks, carefully look at these things as our 308's are nearly DECADES old and parts like this should be VERY CAREFULLY scrutinized. When in doubt, replace. Enjoy the Drive, Steven R. Rochlin | ||
| Rolly Astrom (Swede)
New member Username: Swede Post Number: 30 Registered: 7-2001 |
Hi Peter.....after checking with some local hydraulic shops at making up custom lines I decided to go with the originals. I just didn't like the look of the fittings that they were suggesting, so bit the bullet and bought them from local Ferrari specialist Rocco Solmito in Toronto (Rocks Auto Restoration 416 686-8700). Rocco is an FCA member, GT4 and glass GTB owner who generously shares his expertise. I had initially intended to change just the lower hose as the upper looked fine but after removing and replacing the upper line and cooler the upper line leaked from the lower edge of the fitting, near the hose. This picture shows the new braided upper oil line beside the original.....  The new upper oil line on the left with the original showing the leaking joint on the right.  Anyway.....all seems to be right. I attended our FCA annual fall Europa rally last Sunday, won third prize, due entirely to Liz's navigating and my obedience. No leaks, no fire, life is good again! | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member Username: Peter Post Number: 3155 Registered: 12-2000 |
Rolly, good to see you on FC again! This seems to be an inherent design fault, since my car and others I know of had the same thing happen (well, no fires at least, but worn-through hoses). I don't believe there was ever a recall on these hoses. Where did you get the new lines from and did you have them made differently than these original ones? I had the new ones made the same as the old and the lower one again rubs. I realise now, the fitting going into the cooler should be a swept, 90° fitting, not a straight like the original. This will keep it away from the bellhousing. ...Now that I think of it, the force and the action inflicted by this hose because it rubs against the bellhousing is probably what caused my cooler to spring a leak on that bottom fitting not-too-long-ago... | ||
| Peter Cyr (Pete04222)
Junior Member Username: Pete04222 Post Number: 85 Registered: 6-2002 |
Good catch! Thanks for sharing this, I'll check mine out. The one thing I've been wanting to put in the Ferrari is a fire extinguisher. Your story just moved that up on the list of priorities. | ||
| Rolly Astrom (Swede)
New member Username: Swede Post Number: 29 Registered: 7-2001 |
Here's a quick check for you 308 owners. A couple of weeks ago I was on a Sunday tour with our local FCA section and had a lower oil cooler line fail. Thankfully, a club member driving behind quickly flagged me over (two excited folks yelling FIRE! increase reaction time). They had seen large flames under the car and coming through the rear hood slats. When I shut the engine off and opened the hood it was evident that the lower oil cooler line had split and oil had sprayed on the rear header causing the flames. No damage to paint, bodywork, wiring, any rubber components........nothing. I was real lucky that a club member was there as a spotter, and I guess lucky that the flames alerted him, otherwise I may have not noticed the reduced oil pressure and could have lost the engine. Anyway, after a flat bed ride home I found that both lines appeared to be original (1975 308 GT4), and the lower line had been routed in a position that allowed it to chafe against the bell housing. Here's the culprit!  I installed two new lines, making sure there was clearance (only about 1/2" even so) I'm not sure if the routing is the same on GTB and GTS models but a quick check might save you some heartache. |