Just about to smash my 355 | FerrariChat

Just about to smash my 355

Discussion in '348/355' started by Arturin, Apr 18, 2017.

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  1. Arturin

    Arturin Karting

    Aug 16, 2009
    201
    Spain
    Planning my trip with other friends to the nordschleife. Everything ready, now lets check the fluid levels in the car. Open the coolant expansion tank and suddenly coolant starts flowing out. Wtf??? Ok, I ran the car a few hours ago, it's a hot day and the car is still warm... could still have pressure, never mind. I start the car to move it out of the way to use another car. I'll wait till next day.
    Next day: car remained untouched for the last 24h. I open the coolant cap and coolant starts flowing out. Oh sh** this can't be happening not now god dammit!!!! Panic mode on!!!

    Leave the tank open and start the car: coolant level starts rising and overflowing out of the tank. I take out enough coolant with a turkey baster so that it stops falling all over the engine. I see small bubbles coming out of the coolant. Put the heater in full blast with the desperate hope that it's an air pocket (my mechanical knowledge knows otherwise) small bubbles keep coming out. Let the car fully warm, still some bubbles here and there but no misfiring, no white exhaust smoke, oil clear as new, coolant as blue as always. Stop the engine and coolant "volcanoes" from the tank.

    7 damn years and 16000 miles to break down and it has to do it the day before an awesome trip I've been willing for always. Such a turn down... I was planning to add a Modena to my garage but I'm afraid I'm not buying another Ferrari in a decade at least. This has always been my dream car and I love it. I could fix it myself but I will tow the car to a specialist. I just want the car to be running perfect the next time I see it and make like non of this ever happened because I'm sure if I pull out the engine right know I might start hitting it with a hammer.

    I'm guessing it's the headgaskets, at least that's what I'm hoping for... let's hope it's not a cracked head or something worst...

    Any bets?
     
  2. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Head gaskets??? Hmmm - why do you think this? And, that's not something I would hope for - that's a huge job.
     
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  3. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
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    #3 johnk..., Apr 18, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2017
    Hard to diagnose from the description but I would think a head gasket would create greater pressure when the engine was running than just at shut off. Also, "volcanoes at shut off" would seem normal as once the water stops circulation, and particularly with the cap off and reduced pressure, the coolant stagnates and you can get flash boiling.

    Why it would blow water out after sitting for 24h makes no sense to me at all. If pressure is building due to a cracked head of bad head gasket it would have to be acting as a check valve, allowing air to be pumped into the coolant jacket but not allowing pressure relief when shut off.

    Who knows. Have you had a major done? If not you due anyway.
     
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  4. GTUnit

    GTUnit Karting

    May 25, 2014
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    What is the coolant temperature?
    If the water pump is slowly failing then coolant may not circulate causing local hot pockets. Coolant may boil in these pockets pushing liquid coolant out of the overflow tank.
    Temperature reading may not be accurate either if coolant is not circulating.

    Head gaskets dont spontaneously go bad. You would have had to really overheat the car or do something relatively aggressive to overpressurise a cylinder.
     
  5. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    If his water pump went he could have really overheatd the engine.
     
  6. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
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    My bet is on a bad thermostat, also possibly a bad radiator cap. I would change both. If you are handy with a wrench in can be done in an afternoon.
     
  7. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    I kinda think he is correct. I could be wrong but without further info I would also guess a head gasket.
     
  8. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Why would a thermostat force coolant out at an idle?.
     
  9. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 ernie, Apr 18, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2017
    If it's stuck.
     
  10. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Agree. Not seeing this as a head gasket. Infiltration of oil in coolant or reverse if so.
     
  11. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Obviously you have had that happen I did not think a stuck thermostat would pressure up the system any more than being stuck closed.
     
  12. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    #12 m.stojanovic, Apr 18, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Please educate me: is the assumption that combustion pressure is leaking from the head gasket into the water jacket?
     
  14. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Yes thats my understanding. But I do not claim to inderstand the system as well as An original stooge such as Mr. Ernie(i call him mister out of respect). I was only granted "rookie" stooge by Tim.

    Maybe he can educate us if. He has time.
     
  15. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    I dont think its an assumtion as much as a random guess for me.
     
  16. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Dave if you understand the flow of coolant fill me in i need the education.
     
  17. Arturin

    Arturin Karting

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    #17 Arturin, Apr 19, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2017
    The car has never overheated in the 7 years I've owned it. Temeperatures are ok. 180F when cruising around. I believe it's the hg because of the pressure in the system. I agree with you that if pressure from the cylinders is going into the coolant system through somewhere it should relief itself through that same place when the engine is not running anymore, can't explain myself why it holds so much pressure even after 24h cold. Maybe just a tiny pore somewhere???
    Major was done 2,5 years ago so I was going to drop the engine this winter anyways. Tow arrives tomorrow to pick up the car. Don't want to do anymore tests myself at this point to stop damage going further. Right now I'm totally feeling like Ernie a few years back when he opened the thread being fed up with the 348. It could have broken down anytime in this 7 years and I wouldn't have minded but just this damn time... only positive thing is I got to share my friends Mclaren.
     
  18. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

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    Check to see if you have any oil in the water.It may be your heat exchanger.
     
  19. Arturin

    Arturin Karting

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    Isn't the heat exchanger just for the oil in the gearbox? Or is there another one?
     
  20. Robbe

    Robbe Formula Junior

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    To check if the thermostat works, remove the left rear wheel, and the inner fender (a couple of screws, easy). Then you have acces to the left radiator.
    If you have the nerve to start it again, let it warm up, and in the mean time feel the metal tube above the radiator. It should be cold (ambient temperature).
    When the thermostat opens, you can feel it heat up to 80degrees celcius within 10 seconds when the hot coolant flows to the left radiator.
    If this does not happen, but your right fan is working (90 degrees on your dash), then it is the thermostat.
     
  21. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
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    #21 johnk..., Apr 19, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2017
    Nothing in the OPs info suggests a T-stat. If T-stat was stuck closed coolant temp in the engine would quickly exceed the boiling point and coolant would be ejected from the system, with the cap on, through the overflow. The only time the OP indicated any coolant ejection with engine running was with cap off and that subsided when the OP reduce the coolant level. I.e. the coolant ejection in that case was due to expansion, not boiling. I just don't see anything the screams T-stat. At the same time, I would think a hg leak would result in excessive pressure in the system resulting in ejection of coolant while the engine was running, with the cap on.

    OP is doing the right thing. Have the problem properly diagnosed. Can't do anything but guess based on info provided.
     
  22. kenneyd

    kenneyd Formula 3
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    I have not had any coolant issues with the 355, but my experience with many other cars leads me to suspect this is not headgaskets.

    Some spillage is normal, while warm or hot. The system needs pressure to work and if you pop the cap, expect a gusher. So based on that i would say ~nothing is wrong~. however, he did say he got a gusher when cold after 24hrs, that is a odd, but possibly explainable by an overfill or old rubber hoses expanding/streching?
     
  23. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Yes. But Mike is saying that those can leak causing gearbox oil to infiltrate the coolant.
     
  24. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    I agree.
     
  25. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

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    If you have a WSM you will see how the heat exchanger works and they do fail.They gear box has an oil pump and both water and oil go through the heat exchanger so if its leaking it can put pressure on your cooling system.I just seen this same problem with a 360 last week.Check your gear box oil to see if it has water in it. I also bet that if you were to let the car run long enough you would get oil in your water.I will post a photo.I'm not saying this is your problem a 100% without seeing the car...but its something to check.
     

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