Requirement for oil additive on every 599?? | FerrariChat

Requirement for oil additive on every 599??

Discussion in '612/599' started by honk, Apr 16, 2010.

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  1. honk

    honk Rookie

    Dec 3, 2009
    16
    #1 honk, Apr 16, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2010
    Does anyone have any information on this? My dealer says that a directive from Ferrari requires that the dealer add a special oil additive, that only Ferrari manufactures, to every oil change on every 599. I asked if it was a service bulliten and they said no, more of a directive. ???
     
  2. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    Brian Crall
    True. I know the name of the product but don't yet know its properties.
     
  3. elipinski

    elipinski Formula 3

    May 14, 2006
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    Brian, can you please tell us, what the Name of the product is? Thanxxx
     
  4. honk

    honk Rookie

    Dec 3, 2009
    16
    I was told that the PAO additive is P/N 232571. Anyone know what that is??
     
  5. Tifoso Ferrari

    Tifoso Ferrari Formula Junior

    Nov 7, 2005
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    Upper Volta
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    Gianni Cagate
    Ferrari of San Francisco uses Swepco 502.
     
  6. honk

    honk Rookie

    Dec 3, 2009
    16
    Anyone know exactly what this is??
     
  7. Tifoso Ferrari

    Tifoso Ferrari Formula Junior

    Nov 7, 2005
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    Upper Volta
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    Gianni Cagate
  8. TAFORZA

    TAFORZA Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2008
    296
    San Francisco, USA
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    Tony A.
    Ferrari dealers use Swepco 502 as an oil additive for all Ferraris except 599s and 612. For the 599 and the 612 they use a product called "TUTELLA". Tutella seams to work better with the 12 cyl engines. The purpose of the additives is to quite down any ticking from the valves, and more importantly to prolong the life of the internal components of the engine. The additives are supposed to leave a film on the internal components so that less friction/wear is experienced especially on start up. You need to use one bottle of swepco for every 4to5 liters of oil. I usually use 2 bottles for every oil change. For the 599s and the 612s I use one Tutella bottle per oil change. PM me if you need additional info.
     
  9. honk

    honk Rookie

    Dec 3, 2009
    16
    #9 honk, Apr 22, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2010
    Thank you very much for that information. I am surprised that the specified oil itself is not sufficient to do the job. It makes me wonder why the oil, 10W60 Q-HP, does not have the capability to do the things you mentioned and therefore requires an additive? From what I understand the use of this additive was just specified about a year ago and that Ferrari actually manufacturers this oil in their plant. Is this accurate? Ferrari must have had some issues with the valves lifter ticking, etc, the "fix" was the oil additive? Thanks again for the information.
     
  10. TAFORZA

    TAFORZA Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2008
    296
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    Tony A.
    That is correct. Some engines run like a washing machine and almost every engine sounds a little different. The additive seems to quite them down. Think of it as an extra protection for the engine rather than a supplement to the oil. It cannot be bad but to the contrary, it will better lubricate the internal components. Swepco has been around for a long time and has been used by many other brands such as Porsche .... Tutela is made in Italy. Most delaers stock both. If ou can't find it, PM me and i'll send you some.
     
  11. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 19, 2008
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    Terry H Phillips
    Brian, Tony- Is this stuff worth using in older cars like my 575M with 17,000 miles? I usually am not big on oil additives.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  12. TAFORZA

    TAFORZA Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2008
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    Tony A.
    Your car has been running without it for 17,000 miles. It is not a requirement but rather a recommendation by Ferrari. We add it to every Ferrari we work on. It does help.
     
  13. bpu699

    bpu699 F1 World Champ
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    Dec 9, 2003
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    bo
    Hmmm. I guess Ferrari couldn't work out a deal with the folks who sell "RESTORE" at autozone...or all of the other 100w oils in a can that "quiet" lifters... ;)
     
  14. xto

    xto Karting

    Mar 20, 2006
    227
    Unfourtunately this oil additive has not worked on quieting down my lifters:(
     
  15. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #15 Rifledriver, Apr 26, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2010
    A waste of money. I used to drink the Kool Aid and used the Swepco too. I came to my senses though.
     
  16. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Snake oil.
     
  17. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #17 Rifledriver, Apr 26, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  18. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #18 Rifledriver, Apr 26, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2010
    The only additive that will is when Ferrari gets a quiet lifter design and adds them to your motor. Until then they are going to try and pacify the customers with magic motor honey because it is a cheap way to delay the inevitable and convince a percentage of them that they are addressing the problem.

    When hydraulic lifters were introduced in American cars it took a few years to make them good. When the Germans started using hydraulics they ignored all the lessons learned by the Americans because they knew better. Another case of the Germans reinventing the wheel. Mercedes lifters were truly awful. Well now it is Ferraris turn. They have been at it since 95. Any year now they will get it.
     
  19. xto

    xto Karting

    Mar 20, 2006
    227
    Can you tell me exactly what the problem is with Ferrari lifters particulary on the 599? I am not mechanically inclined so please make it easy for me to understand if you can. Thanks!
     
  20. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Brian- The solution, obviously, is to get a louder exhaust system so the lifters do not bother you. Since I was brought up on solid lifter Chevy engines (still have the clips to keep the oil from soaking your pants while adjusting clearances) and have an HGTC exhaust, lifter noise does not bother me at all. 20 years flying fighters helped, too.

    No snake oil for me.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  21. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    They are noisy due to a design fault. Specifically what I have never bothered to look into. Using additives to make a lifter quiet can sometimes work to free those that are sticking as a result of byproduct build up but that is not going to be an issue on brand new cars. They bleed down and fail to totally pump back up. It has not been a problem except for the noise. I under took to get rid of the noise in an early Benz with hydraulic lifters once. After about 40 lifters we found 16 that were reliably quiet.
     
  22. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    A couple of decades of high power rifles pretty much did it for me.
     
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  23. TAFORZA

    TAFORZA Formula Junior

    Jun 5, 2008
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    Tony A.
    Ferrari dealers are using both additives. Again, they use Swepco for all except 599s and 612s,where they use the Tutela product. It is a known problem for Ferrari lifters to be on the noisy side. This is by no means a solution to the design problem, but rather one way to quite down the lifters if your hearing is still good enough to detect the clicking sound. Considering what you spend on service, the cost of the additive is minimal. Again, you don't have to use it, it is a "recommendation" and not a "requirement" by Ferrari.
     
  24. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Tony- Cost is definitely not the issue. Band-aiding a problem and potentially causing another due to messing with oil properties is my only concern. Most wear on engines is caused by cold starts, and something that changes cold start properties is not something I want in my engine.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  25. xto

    xto Karting

    Mar 20, 2006
    227
    How can a great automotive company like Ferrari who has won many F1 Constructor Championships and built so many wonderful engines not know how to build and design hydraulic lifters that are NOT noisy?
     

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