| Author | Message | ||
| Daniel B Reese MD (Dbr328gtb)
|
Thanks, William! I'll let her rip ( but below redline). | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
|
I'll sit down and have a good talking to with mine this weekend, I have a sneaking suspicion that she's gonna say what yours said Fred. | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
|
I talked to my 308QV and it told me that it likes being run up to 7500rpms. If we go for a drive and don't wind it out we are both disapointed. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
|
Bret, revving high ( under redline) is being mean to your car ? My 512TR LOVES it when I drive her HARD!!!! We gobbled up a Z06 Vette & several 355 CHallenge cars, Lambo Diablo, Viper & lots of other cars in over a dozen events this year at Moroso, Summit point, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, & Pocono She's happy, I'm happy, sure we had a few cracked rotors, wore through 3 sets of brake pads per weekend  & she gobbled up gallons of 110 octane & 20/50 but what a way to spend a summer. Beats the hell out of working | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
|
To be honest I've never broken 6000 rpms in my 308. I guess sometime I'll try it now, but I don't want to be mean to my car. I know there isn't any real danger in revving this high, but still I guess it takes time to get used to revving higher, in due time I'll be comfortable doing it. All my belts and stuff are good so I don't think I have to worry about that at all. What intervals do you guys use for changing the belts (timing, a/c, alternator, air pump, water pump etc)? | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
|
Daniel, your 328 which has a 4 valve head which means that your car doesnt make much power under 4500 rpm so if u r shifting at 5500 u r missing out on the peak acceleration, which is 1 reason why I love cars. I dont think it will damage the engine but revving her to within 500 rpm of redline wont damage the engine either + it will b a lot more fun | ||
| paul s (Pes236)
|
as far as the earlier post about skipping gears - got to admit i do it a lot - especially 5th - 1 thru 4 up to about 65 then will just jump to 6 for the highway cruise - sameway on downshift - 6 to 4 then sometimes 4 to 2 - dont get me wrong the 4 to 2 I may only be going 20 and braking at the same time - (wanted to throw that in for all of you brittney spears out there - who are going 80 and drop it int 2) Although i am not a mechanic - at all - i never thought this skipping gears could hurt- | ||
| Bill Shumaker (Gabriel)
|
I wouldn't even *dream* of dropping the clutch in the TR. However, I haven't seen many cars that can keep up when more right foot is added ... | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
|
Exactly Frederick, That's what I was trying to say and agree with you. "Drive a Ferrari for what it is and not for what it isn't." Thanks, Magoo | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
|
Magoo, You are exactly right about Ferraris they are not for drag racing and I could not agree more. I don't drop the clutch in my 308. With othere cars I have owned I would, but to me the car shines at higher speeds and that is how I like to drive it. I am sure Enzo would approve. I know someone who hardly ever drives their car. It just sits in the garage. It is a great looking car but what a waste. I guess the point I was trying to make in my earlier posts was that I don't think driving these cars hard means they are being abused as long as they are properly maintained. Fred | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
|
Sorry typo, Frederick. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
|
Fredrick, Not too hard. Ferraris are not made as dragsters or tire burners. But they are hellashus high speed, high revin', road handlin' sweethearts. A good clutch popping could cost you a mainshaft in the transmission not to mention other disasters. Keep one thing in mind and you should be OK. "Drive your Ferrari for what it is and not for what it isn't." | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
|
Well said! | ||
| KH (H00kem)
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Drive hard. Otherwise you are saving it for someone else's fun. Ferrari's are cars designed for driving, not pampering! You won't hurt it! KH | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
|
Drop the clutch, pop the clutch. To me it means reving the car to high rpms and let the clutch go! A big no no! With my MR2 I did it from time to time but the clutch on the 308 is a little to rich for my blood just to squeel my tires. | ||
| Randy Ines (Raines)
|
What is meant by "dropping the clutch" (Fred's message)? Is that the same term as "popping the clutch"-releasing the clutch quickly by sliding your foot off. | ||
| Daniel B Reese MD (Dbr328gtb)
|
I typically shift at 5-5.5k rpm, but a couple times per drive I'll take it over 7k rpm. I drive the car spiritedly but do not abuse it. Will I encounter a rebuild or other major problem sooner doing this vs "babying" it? (RSVP William H) | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
|
The dealership where I bought my 328 told me to skip 2nd gear and high rev's until the engine is warm. I drove it 2 weeks ago across the Texas panhandle in 100 degree weather, and my oil temp never went over 200.... | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
|
Oil should always be 10-20°F warmer than coolant. | ||
| Mark McKenzie (Redcar)
|
210 is not high at all for an oil temp. I've been told that the oil needs to run above 212 so the impurities can be "boiled" out. Synthetics especially are safe to MUCH higher than 210. Mark | ||
| Scott Gold (Scotttgold)
|
Vince, Really, She's always run like that. 200 to 210 but never hotter. I live near Tampa in Florida. HOT HOT HOT | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
|
I always let my 308 warm up before I get on it. I shift from first to second untill second gets a little smoother. If I drive my car a few days in a row it goes right into second no problem even if it is cold. If it sits a few days I let it warm up. As far as shifting once it is warmed up I don't hesitate to run it to 7500 rpm and the car and me both love it. It is not like I do it every time I take off but if the road ahead is clear or I am getting on the highway its all systems go. One thing though I never drop the clutch! | ||
| kelly vince (Tofosi1)
|
Scott, I drove my car 160 miles last Sunday. My coolant temp never got over 200, and so did my oil temp. That's on 2 lane highway some traffic and with the AC on the hole time. Do yawl think 210 on the oil is a little high? Also I let me oil warmup to 140 and then anything goes. I don't go by water temp. It's oil temp more important. or at least the way I was taught. | ||
| Herbert Edward Gault (Irfgt)
|
From a mechanical point of view, I see no harm in skipping gears as long as you are not lugging the engine which is the biggest concern. I have done it for years in all types of cars with no negative results. I do a lot of around town slow driving and have never had a problem. Just don't lug the engine or slip the clutch. | ||
| Scott Gold (Scotttgold)
|
I let her warm up, Oil Temp: 210 Coolant temp: 190 Then shes all mine, 7,000 rpm = FUN | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
|
skipping gears on a 308/ 328 may save the 2nd gear synchros but it will wear out the clutch sooner  damned if u do, damned if u dont | ||
| BobD (Bobd)
|
Don, I also skip 2nd gear until things warm up in my 328. I think I read somewhere this is a good way to save the vulnerable 2nd gear synchros. Doclane, you mentioned that skipping gears does more harm than good. Anybody else share that view? | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
|
Gentle? whats that ? Ferraris are TOUGH cars, Back in the 50s the best drivers chose Ferraris cus they were the most reliable & fast. Today they r still tough & fast. Just do proper maintenance & have fun. I usually drive her on the track, shift at 7200 & brake as late as I dare | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
|
For traffic driving and warming up, I shift at a bit over 3000 RPM. For spirited driving (clear of traffic), it's 4500 to 8500 RPM. I'm more impressed with how the car handles challenging, twisty roads, though. Yes, the shrieking engine and the lightning fast downshift blips of the F1 transmission is very addicting. | ||
| doclane (Fastlane)
|
I agree on letting the car warm up before spirited driving. But skipping gears is not a good idea. The synchro's and gears need to go through their paces, even at low rpms. By skipping you are actually doing more harm than good. I know this from experience as I used to skip gears and go to a higher one depending on my speed. Unfortunately I needed a new tranny because of this and the car was not a Ferrari either. | ||
| Don Norton (Litig8r)
|
When I first got my car (1978 308 GTS) two months ago, I drove it like it was made out of china. Then as I got more used to it, I began to explore its potential some more, and now I firmly believe that it enjoys being driven aggressively. Not abused mind you, just aggressively and authoritatively. It's too early to tell if this approach will cause any problems, but the car seems happiest this way. It depends on the traffic situation, but if it's up to me, I baby it until it gets well warmed up. I'll shift at about 3,000 rpm and skip gears 2 and 4 as I warm it up. Once the oil temp gauge gets some altitude, I'll usually shift at around 4000-4500 traffic allowing and try to take it up to 7,000-7,500 a few times every drive once it's very warm. I had a 1979 Fiat Spider in College and I remember that it was the same way, too. It wasn't happy unless you drove it spiritedly. Maybe this is a common feature of Italian cars. | ||
| Greg Rodgers (Joechristmas)
|
I was curious to know how gentle/hard everyone drives their Ferraris? Do most shift at 4000 rpm and not much above that? Do some drive it hard almost all of the time? As for me I drive my 308 gentle(can't afford to purchase parts all of the time, I am only 22) but am getting more aggressive as I am getting addicted to hearing the engine at higher rpms. |