| Author |
Message |
Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Intermediate Member
Username: Parkerfe
Post Number: 1869
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 4:00 pm: | |
The manual for my ex-348 Spider called for a cam belt change at 52,500 miles. The manual for my BB512i calls for the cam belts to be changed between 25,000 and 37,500 miles. No time interval is mentioned for either |
EFWUN (Efwun)
New member
Username: Efwun
Post Number: 50
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 3:34 pm: | |
Also, apparently the time factor comes from the belt sitting on the tensioner; eventually, even if the car isn't driven much, the belt hardens or somesuch crap and can fail.
Chris is dead-on, why risk a catastrophic failure? Welcome to Ferrari ownership! |
Chris Parr (Cmparrf40)
Member
Username: Cmparrf40
Post Number: 569
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:38 am: | |
We have covered this alot on here, but the belt is only part of the issue, it is usually the tensioner bearings that fail, seize and cause the belts to shear.
A valve job on a F355 is over $20,000 when you replace all of the valves.
Not worth the risk, been there! |
Jean-Louis (Jlm348)
Member
Username: Jlm348
Post Number: 431
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:48 pm: | |
Although its not a 355- I had a recent belt changed on a 348 Spider. The belt was 10 years old and the car had 7500 miles. The belt looked almost new. No cracks, all the teeth intact. Having the belts changed gives you some peace of mind. If the car is not driven to hard, and the car is in a climate controlled area and driven every once in a while- these belts would last a lot longer then 5 years. |
Al LaPeter (Lapeter)
Junior Member
Username: Lapeter
Post Number: 75
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:35 pm: | |
I spoke with a local (sun valley) mechanic who used to work at Seattle F dealer. He thought 30K was more accurate, not five years. It seems to be an interesting question. I would err on the five year side, but like to have a lot in info. Jump in anybody |
Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member
Username: Hugh
Post Number: 586
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:15 pm: | |
lapeter-
agreed. i also think that the term 'inspect' is a questionable piece of 'advice'. as, unless torn, the belts will not really show, conspicous, signs of fatigue; i.e. ready to snap.
i am still unsure why the belts only last, or are estimated to last, 30k miles, hmm. my ducati had to have the belts done every 12k, and i never really got a comprehensive explination as to why. even more curious was the fact that the belts were kevlar reinforced. perhaps, the issue really lies in the belt tensioners and the internals therin, and not really the belts themselves. as the tensioners and bearing get done when the major, engine out, belt service is completed.
jrv, anyone...thoughts?
-hubert
|
Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member
Username: Doody
Post Number: 842
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:13 pm: | |
and the smart-ass response:
the factory owners manual does not explicitly state that you shouldn't hit deer with your ferrari. but you presumably you know that you shouldn't hit deer with your ferrari ;-)
:-)
doody. |
Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member
Username: Doody
Post Number: 841
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:12 pm: | |
for comparison lapeter, the 550 manuals did NOT state any "time conversion" on stuff like that however the new 575 manuals apparently do.
like with all things mechanical, entropy happens. if it were a timing chain, it'd be one thing, but it's a belt. eventually it will fail regardless of how many miles are on it.
whether you can get away with 3 years or 5 years or 7 years or 50 years - it's an expensive risk proposition if you guess wrong.
the consensus among mechanics, as best i can tell from personal experience and this board, is five years on the 355.
my understanding is that the new 575 timing says three years. my dealer considers that rather excessive and they suggest five years to their customers on the maranellos (550 and 575).
you might pull the 360 and 575 manuals and see what they say.
do any of the other older models have time-vs-mileage comparisons? would be curious to know.
you might also email via owners.ferrari.com site and ask to see what they say.
doody. |
Al LaPeter (Lapeter)
Junior Member
Username: Lapeter
Post Number: 74
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:03 pm: | |
Hugh,
I agree, but the factory owners manual does not state that. It states inspect at 15K and replace at 30K. No mention of years. You would think the factory manual would mention the time factor |
Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member
Username: Hugh
Post Number: 580
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 8:59 pm: | |
lapeter-
it is an "and/or" type of deal.
the implication is that the belts sustain fatigue; by mileage and use, or age (rotting away in a garage). |
Al LaPeter (Lapeter)
Junior Member
Username: Lapeter
Post Number: 73
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 8:56 pm: | |
I just downloaded the 1996 355 owners manual from the Ferrari Owners site. I looked at 30,000 mile service and it did not state that the timing belts had to be changed every five years, only every 30K miles. I thought that was interesting. |