| Author |
Message |
Awang (Wang)
| | Posted on Monday, May 28, 2001 - 5:15 am: | |
At the risk of sounding chauvinistic.... Well Done Dina! Gives me the encouragement to go out and work on my car |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Monday, May 28, 2001 - 2:16 am: | |
Hi "Guys". Finally got the GTB back together again. Panels turned out great and my Alfa friend had some 'Wurth Schutzcoat' which he sprayed the wheel well panels for me with. Thanks again, it would have been tough without your advice. My only regret was that the 'heater hoses' transgressed into a personal forum. I have always stood up for myself and expressed my views. The Ferrari chat line was probably not the right venue.
Love to you all - Dina |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 26, 2001 - 12:31 am: | |
Thank you again Sam for your kind info.You are wonderful with your advice to us Ferrari novices. No problems with the fibreglass. Isn't that what they use to repair those rusty Alfas with. My trusty Alfa friend should have gallons of the stuff in his workshop garage. Back when I was 18, my boy friend used to repair surfboards, so dummy here used to help him of course. Then he left me for a blonde bimbo with no brains. Couldn't cope with the fact that a girl could do a better job than him ! LOL. The fun starts tommorrow !!! I'll let you know how I go.
Regards to you and the "Magoo" - Dina |
Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
| | Posted on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 10:53 am: | |
boating stores are great for all types of small fiberglass reapir kits products. Most will also provide instruction and tips at the shop...friendly body shops (oxymoron?) might be a source too. |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 6:00 am: | |
Thanks Erik. I will check the head connector hoses soon as I start putting the car back together again this weekend. However, first I need a crash course in fibreglass mending to repair the wheel well panels! I have bought some correct style stainless bolts for the refit. Haven't seen my GTB since last Sunday; having withdrawal symptoms already. Probably why I'm on line at 4 am
in the morning !!! |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 12:29 pm: | |
SAM, you are right, anymore it is too easy. Instant gratification seems to be the way it is. Not much for them to look for and work toward in their future. They want it all now and they want it given to them. One doesn't appreciate these things as much until they have to work for them. MAGOO |
Erik Jonsson (Gamester)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 12:14 pm: | |
FYI the angled hose going from the center of the heads to the center T (+) of the cooling system matches the NAPA part number 8175 exactly.
These are tough to replace but for $4 each might not be a bad idea.
I just replaced the antenna wire, it seems best to cut the male connector end off of it and feed it from the rear. It is tough to pass it thru the grommet next to the passenger seatbelt bolt. I used a 144" extension from a local stereo shop(available at radio shack too) |
Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 10:25 am: | |
Why do I think I am going to read about this next school scandal on the cover of the NY POST: "YOUNG BOY + FERRARI = TROUBLE FOR MATH TEACHER"
Let's give teachers a break, that is got to be a tough job, but what I would not give to have summers off w/my Ferrari to play with! Looks like we should be a better example for the younger Ferrari drivers in the chat room. I had a triumph Spitfire roadster in High School and I thought I was cock of the block -- can't imagine what a Ferrari would be like in High school -- seems too easy! |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 9:32 am: | |
Hey Bret, You got to admit, Dina says it like it is. Not bad advice. OWWWWW! MAGOO |
Awang (Wang)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 5:32 am: | |
Ha ha ha ha ha |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 12:45 am: | |
1. Please talk to your English Teacher about Summer School. You are not able to string a lucid sentence together yet. 2.Don't bother giving your Math Teacher a ride. It will take her 2 nano seconds to realise you are a shallow loser with no style. 3.Charm...? None to speak off. 4.Red car..?
You give "real" Ferrari enthusiasts a bad name.
5.While you're at it, take Peter's advice and get some maths tuition at Summer School as well. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 12:01 am: | |
So not doing too well in math now Bret? |
BretM (Bretm)
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 9:57 pm: | |
The Ferrari is pimp at school, take it. Plus, it gives you a good reason to cut. When I have the jeep I'm like whatever, I'll just stay in study hall, when I have the Ferrari I go ripping out of there, and I have yet to be caught, knock on wood, even though it's really loud and everyone hears me leave. It's so classy. It has rained for a while here and it's supposed to rain for like a week more, straight, so there is no ferrari at school for awhile, but on a lighter note, I'm gonna try to con this math teacher into going for a ride with me. She's hot and Italian, and hopefully susceptible to my charm and a certain red car. |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 7:16 pm: | |
Hi Peter, no one at school knows (YET) that I own a Ferrari. It is something I prefer to keep private. People out there have differing views on enthusiasts owning such beautiful cars. My 308 is my own pride and joy.Already had one comment from a neighbour asking how I could afford a new Ferrari on my salary !! Didn't have the heart to tell him it is nearly 25 years old and cost less than his new Ford Exploder. LOL. Dina |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 11:20 pm: | |
Congrats Dina! You are far more ahead of me as I haven't even begun to look at the heater system yet on my car. After hearing Herbs' and now your adventure with it, I keep getting more inspiration.
Since I work as a welder, my hands over the recent few years look terrible to others, but are battle scars that I'm proud of. I can't work with gloves on, they take the fine feel you need when handling precious parts.
One question: Do your students know you have a Ferrari? Bret here is still in high school, maybe you should pop on by his school and park next to his 308 QV!
My GT4's fender panels are just screwed into the chassis with crude self-tapping screws, no rubber washers here. |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 10:20 pm: | |
I'll bet you don't know it yet but your friend who helped you probably has a pic of you with you "bum" in the air. If he will part with it post it on the chat line. MAGOO |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 10:12 pm: | |
You're a sweetheart Dina. These moments will go into your memory scrapbook along with the others you mentioned. As ruff and tuff as the job was there is a sense of accomplishment and pride that makes it all worth it. ENJOY your Ferrari. Glad to have you on board with us, Don't be a stranger. MAGOO |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 9:49 pm: | |
Hey Magoo, Hope you don't mind me calling you by that "nom de plume" but it sounds so cute. I could not have done it without the help from my retired Alfa friend. The benefit of using of his garage pit and tools was immeasurable. Plus the strong hand needed to move the fuel tank and help with feeding hose after a few afternoon beers. He was in the pit shouting ; I was hanging over the engine bay with my bum in the air ! I don't think I've seen him laugh as much since I was a kid hanging around with my father and his beloved cars. We both fell over when I became covered in green/brown gunk after putting an air hose on to the heater inlet to blow the blockage out! We should have taken some pics!! Thanks Magoo, Sam, Erik, Peter, Herbert for your help and kind encouragement. If you ever need help with doing "HOSES" just call on the expert!!!
Your "Ferrari" crazy gal, Dina |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 9:04 pm: | |
CONGRATS DINA, You are unbelieveable and I know I speak for all the guys on the chat line when I say,"You have our admiration." Gutsy and also kinda "sexy" seeing a woman take on such a project. You've got my vote. MAGOO |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2001 - 8:46 pm: | |
The Job Is Done !! (Almost). It took all day Sunday. Lots of tugging and pulling.Hard getting to the return T piece (cuts & bruises). Took console out as one of the shut off levers had fallen apart, so repaired and lubricated both.Both taps were stiff and filled with gunk. They cleaned up Ok. The car is not together yet as I decided to repair the fibreglass wheel-well panels that were all broken up from being overtightened using wrong fasteners in the past. ( next weekend )Are there supposed to be any rubber washers under the panels? Also the radiator hose pieces looked old, so they were replaced as well. Tank balance pipe hoses replaced (tough) Took heaters out and soaked and flushed them out and pressure tested them.Had 2 double Scotches when I got home Sam! People at work ( High School Language Teacher)next day kept asking what happened to your hands. They looked like real mechanics hands!!LOL.I tried but just couldn't work with rubber gloves. Yes, I enjoyed every minute of it. Brought back memories of helping my DAD,( no longer with us) and brother with their cars. You know how it is: Sis, come and hold this, grab that, bring this tool, etc. More exciting instalments soon. Can't wait to do the Cam Belts! Ciao - Dina |
Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
| | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2001 - 11:27 am: | |
Be glad you did not get an Alfa....as Herb says, this is a once in a lifetime repair on a Ferrari...but he has to drive that silly underpowered Alfa everyday! |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 10:40 pm: | |
Hey Dina, How did you do today? Any snags? Stupid question since the job is a bummer anyway. Hope everything is going as good as expected and no disasters. I guess your Alfa friend will be there to help. It really does take two people to make the job easier. Keep us informed. MAGOO |
Herbert E. Gault (Irfgt)
| | Posted on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 5:58 am: | |
Since the car was a midlife crisis present, the silicone hoses will probably last until your next life cycle change. No need for a tube. |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2001 - 10:41 pm: | |
HEY GUYS, thats what I like. A gutsy gal and a smart one too. Dina, you are a rare breed don't change. GOOD LUCK, MAGOO |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2001 - 10:24 pm: | |
Thanks Guys! No I did not go out with a BANG! Did go for a long drive Friday night to use up as much gas as possible, to blow the cobwebs out and re-affirm why I bought this car before I pull it apart for a...
heater hose !! My fuel guage floats around between
empty and half regardless how much is in it ! Emptied fuel with air driven vacuum pump. Took both wheels off, fibreglass inner wheel arch panels, spare wheel and panel etc. That's as far as I got today. Had a look at the tank and yes Herbert, I do need new connector hoses. I will try
Erik's idea of feeding the pipe from both sides. I still feel I should take the tank out as the whole area needs cleaning and detailing and this seems the right time to do it. I'm dog tired (no pun intended) and get back to it tommorrow. My old Alfa friend just shakes his head and says "I told you to buy an Alfa" ! LOL. He was busy today and I had to do all myself, but I am promised his help with the tank tommorrow. He has suggested I put in a fixed alloy pipe through the car just as the radiator hoses/pipes are done. He tells me this after I have bought 2 boxes of hoses ! What do you think ? Yes Sam, I'm having that double Scotch !! Thanks again Guys - Dina. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2001 - 9:48 pm: | |
I'll second that Magoo, I nearly blew my house up. I underestimated how much gas was in my tanks. Spilled about 8 litres on the floor.... Got a good buzz from the fumes while cleaning it up though J! |
Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2001 - 9:19 am: | |
BE VERY CAREFUL, when draining the gas. It would be good if you could pump it out with a gas buggy etc. first rather than draining it into buckets. Dangers are droplights, sparks from tools etc., even static electricity. I know I sound like somebody's mother but I would'nt want to hear of a horror story on this chat line. Also always have fire extinguishers around. Respect this type of situation as potentialy "Volatile". |
Erik Jonsson (Gamester)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2001 - 1:30 am: | |
May I suggest some aircraft tie wire instead of the clamps, or tape over the clamps simply to lessen the chance of a snag. In looking at mine today, you may be able to start the project from under the engine in the pit. I think it might be possible to clip the hose where it starts its forward journey, attach one end of the new hose there and pull it forward, then attach the other end to the piece that routes around the tank and pull it over the tank. Kinda like burning the candle from both ends. Also with the LR wheel off and the inner fender out, you can move the tank back to the rotor to gain the clearance you need to route hoses over the clamps. Suggest you siphon all fuel out so you have light tanks, or you can get a few 5 gallon buckets to catch the fuel in the pit...there is a drain plug in the large crossover tube!
Best of luck,
Erik |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 6:12 pm: | |
Thanks again, the job starts tomorrow morning. I will do the booster hose also as recommended by Sam. Have use of a pit in an old family friends workshop. He is an Alfa enthusiast and was the one who said an Italian girl should drive an Italian
sports car, expecting me to buy an Alfa GTV. You should have seen the look on his face when I turned up with an early 308 GTB. |
Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 12:56 pm: | |
As with most Ferrari jobs, it is an adventure and you never quite know what you are getting into until it is too late (imagine those soles w/o this chat and Herb's expertise which he generously shares with all us hobbyists). The temptation is to say the hell with it, the cockpit get s so damn hot anyway who needs the heater.. there are a few problems with the hell with it attitude 1) We want our cars to be perfect 2 ) the cockpit heating system is an integral part of the engine cooling system and 3) You cannot imagine how a car that gets so damn hot in the summer could be so damn cold in the winter and not be of british origin! Despite global warming trends we in the NE really need that heater!
Remember when removing the gas tanks or the balance tube, have plenty of ventilation and don't smoke - safety first! |
Herbert E. Gault (Irfgt)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 6:13 am: | |
You are going to have to remove the left front inner fender cover to see the hose and pull it straight through. There is no way to pull it through from the trunk. Also the hose goes over the fuel tank then down below it so I feel that there would be no way to do it and route it properly without removing the tank. |
Herbert E. Gault (Irfgt)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 6:08 am: | |
I removed my tank, but I also had my engine out which made it easier. The tank is not easy to move around as you will find. You will probably need new connector pipes where the equalizer pipe to the other tank connects and a can of spray silicone lubricant to lube the upper tank connector to the filler pipe as these connector hoses are stiff. It is a very strenuous job to move the tank. I used a barbed connector and clamps as I do not think that tape will hold with the force that was required to pull it through. I pushed and guided from the back and my wife pulled it through from the front and it took all our energy to do it. Use the silicone on the hose as you send it through and it will slide easier. Good luck, You'll need it! |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 3:34 am: | |
Thank you very much for the info !
Herbert ! Does the tank have to come out or can it
be "detached" and moved to make feeding heater hose easier?
I have ordered hose. Was cheaper to buy boxed rolls of 20'. The brake booster hose replacment
sounds like a good idea. The idea of the barbed fitting- great. Have removed cover behind spare.
Is there a way to get to the return "T" piece tucked under the scuttle. I will keep you informed
as I start getting into it on the weekend.
Thank you so much. - Dina |
Erik Jonsson (Gamester)
| | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2001 - 2:02 am: | |
Just got a coupler for my 5/8" heater hose, the coupler is available from NAPA and is shown in their Air Conditioning catalog. It is a 5/8" OD barbed fitting. You may want to simply use the barbed fitting with alot of electrical tape instead of clamps to do your pull thru job... the tape will not catch as easily on objects in the heater hose channel. |
Herbert E. Gault (Irfgt)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2001 - 7:03 pm: | |
I am afraid it is not that simple to replace that hose. The left fuel tank must be removed as there is not enough clearance to feed the hose through as it takes several sharp turns behind the tank. I just did this exact operation. |
Sam NYCFERRARIS (Sam)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2001 - 9:44 am: | |
Dina,
Glad to help out....
1) Ok to plug temporarily- also shut off the heater valve control at the cockpit (assuming it is working)
3) Really helps with two people -one to push on the new hose , one to pull it .. what you do is get a small piece of pipe that you use to interconnect the old hose and the new one so as you pull out the old hose the new one gets threded in ---however... it is not htat ez since near the gas tanks... just out of reach... are clips that hold the heater hoses to the body... you need to loosen these
2)Here is some information regarding heater hoses.
Ok, I'm looking at Tav 16 in the 308 parts book, here are the sizes for all the hoses:
14 left, 14 right, 55, 57, - 12 mm id hose, I used 1/2 inch, .028 too
big but the hose clamps takes up the extra amount by placing the hose
clamp over the large (expanded) part of the fitting, Gates heaterhose
41(upper and lower), 50, 66 - 16 mm id hose, I used 5/8", gatesheaterhose
Lengths:14 left - 28.5"14 right - 28.5"55 - 16.75"57 - 35"
41(upper and lower), 50, 66 - 12" total
You might want to get about 14' of the brake booster line, you might want to do replace this at the same time but not required obvioulsy.
> On a 85 GTS US Spec, the 5/8" heater hose from the engine to
> the front of the car is ~12'.>
> The other 5/8" heater hose goes from the return "t" fitting from the
> heater boxes and goes down, behind the battery to the return line
> from the radiator(passenger side lower corner of the radiator). > measured ~6.5'
Do you have a parts manual for your car? If you have a Euro 308 QV - it may be a little different
The Euro parts book Tav 16, and the two 5/8" heater hoses mention
above are numbers 39 and 48. There are also a bunch of shorter
heater hoses in the diagram, including 55, 41,66, 50, and 14. Are all
of these 5/8" also. You should look at the car, and pull the
panel near the spare tire to look at these hoses. In the diagram,
some of them have 90 degree bends (well, at least 55 does), but I bet
they are all just flexible heater hose.
> I would strongly recommend ordering a few extra feet of the heater
> hose. I assumed 14' and 7' for the two heater hoses.>
good luck-- willing to assist -take your time -start very early on a nice day, have plenty of top quality clamps, sharp blades to cut hoses, anti-freeze replacement and a good -old scotch ready - to reward yourself when you get it done jsut right, and to medicate you when you screw it up. |
Adelina Vallese (Dina)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2001 - 8:38 am: | |
Hi, heater hose started leaking at the head outlet.
Pulled it off thinking I could just shorten it and put it back, but the hose is rotted all the way along inside. 1978 308 GTB (108k)
Question 1. Is it OK to plug the head outlet until the hoses are replaced?
Question 2. What size and how much hose do I need?
Question 3. Do it myself (boyfriend useless)
without too much drama ?
A girl with a Ferrari can only put up with so much drama ! |
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