Help! Screaching noise from new 308

Hi all,

First day that I took my 82 308GTSi out for a short 6 mile drive. On the way home, a chattering noise started under the mid section? of the car. Then it turned into a screaching noise and I pulled over. It started in 2nd and 3rd gear... continued intermittently and steadily increased. Did not make any noise with enging running on side of road so I don't think its a belt. The car was shifting fine and I resumed slowly to get it home in 2nd gear. (Hazards work, yipee) After 3/4 mile, the noise died down to chattering again and for the next 2 miles, no noise. I pushed the car up to 3 gear, down to 1 and up to 3 again trying to get the noise again, nothing. After parking in garage, their was 1-2 ounces of antifreeze on garage floor which I'm not too concerned with. I don't know what size cap I have but I'll look and possibly get the 1.1.

Anyone familiar with the screaching noise or have any ideas?

Thanks!
Christine

 

With those symptoms and the leak, I'd look at the water pump.

 

Christine (Alaskagirl),

Welcome to Ferrari ownership and fchat !!

You have an Italian car, you need to speak to it in a mock Italian accent and tell it (her? him?) how you want to take good care and how beautiful she is, (BELISSIMA !! MI AMORE !! Why'a do you make-a the funny noise at me !!?)
She is just getting to know you and needs some love.


Seriously, my take would be dry/glazed/loose tension belt on the A/C compressor, mine used to clatter like a can of marbles and make a moan at just off idle rpm. Once it got warm, it went away. I sanded the glaze off the near new belt, and tightened the tension up properly, and it was CIAO to the noise.

I also told her she was my only Ferrari, and the most beautiful and sexy car in the world, while I was performing this service (I don't know if that helped, but I have not heard a peep from that belt since).

Best,

-Luigi

 

Alaskagirl,

Henry makes a good point also with the waterpump thing. Where was the coolant puddle? If it was just inside the right rear tire I would be looking close (and soon) at the waterpump. What is the service history in regard to that ?

-Lou

 

Sounds like the waterpump bearings are starting to go. I had same symptions when mine went. The pump would size and then release and run ok then it would size again . You'll know when it goes and burns the belt . Then you can't turn the pump anymore. Go loosen the belt and turn the pump by hand and see how it feels. My 2 cents

 

Water pump will grumble/rattle when it's ready to go. Not too hard to rebuild or do an exchange.

Squeals can be.... loose water pump/alt belt, when the pump seizes momentarily, or the A/C belt.

I occasionally get a small drip or two of coolant out of my overflow/expansion tank. It's been that way for 7 years and I just figure I get a little splash into the hose while driving.

 

IF it was the belt, you just used about 3/4 of it's life. With that much noise it heated up pretty good. Those things are real thin. I have broken about 4 myself in 10 years.

 

+1

That's normal, but the quantity of coolant she describes - assuming it's not under the radiator - sounds like a water pump issue.

 

Yup....I've eaten three water pump belts in less than a year - when they start to slip, they squeal like a banshee, melt, and turn into a molten rubber donut around the water pump or alternator pully. Sometimes, puffs of black smoke would billow from the rear of the car as the belt disintegrated.....letting you know when to reach for your cell phone and call AAA, 'cause you are going NOWHERE.

'Knowledgeable' people like to yarn about how easy water pumps are to play with. They aren't....if something is not perfectly aligned/tuned in that area, you will be stranded on the side of the highway. The belt is very tight - when it breaks, you don't just throw on a new one and keep going. There is such a thing as too-tight, and too-loose, and if your hand isn't calibrated to know the difference, you'll destroy bearings and make things even worse. If the water pump shaft is not properly aligned with the pully/impeller, the internals will not 'pump' coolant as efficiently as it should through then engine, and your engine will run hot. I've had 'professionally rebuilt' water pumps fail because the 'professional mechanic' installed (pushed in) the inner bearings with a screwdriver, puncturing the seal that keeps the bearing grease from being washed out by the hot coolant. I could go on-and-on.....

Rant off.

 

Personally, I believe the belt design is the source of the Ferrari 3X8 water pump problems. I would be interested in knowing what the % of water pump failures are on single belt cars vs duel belt cars. Those with one belt may have to be so tight that the bearings suffer. I updated my car to the duel belt set-up that Ferrari recommended back in Dec 83. So far so good.

 

With the money I've spent, I coulda/shoulda done this twice already....LOL.

 

Well, you should determine what is leaking first. Is it the water pump? Or is it coming from the expansion hose? If it's coming from the expansion hose, than it's just a weak radiator cap. You can get one at Napa. If it's coming from the pump, than it should be leaking out of the weephole on the bottom of the pump, and you'll need a new water pump. Usually when a water pump goes, it will PISS!

If the water pump isn't leaking, it could be your A/C compressor that is making the noise. Sometimes they won't make a noise until after a few minutes of idling. Then they will make a noise until they are warm, then stop. I have no problems with it in 70+ degrees ambient temp. If it's below that, then I will experience the noise, until it fully warms, and I don't always get the noise. You said you took it out for a 6 mile drive. It sounds like this is what could have happened to you.

Jim

 

I changed the waterpump when I first got the car. No problem since then in 15 years of 308QV ownership, and I have NEVER had a belt break.

 

AFIK, my 328 still had its original water pump when I had the most recent major done in Jan. '06. I discussed this with a previous owner. It may be a different pump than the one on the 308. But it may come down to being serviced by someone who knows the proper deflection tolerances for the belt.

At any rate is wasn't a big expense to rebuild during the major, but the labor to get to it was basically the same as would be required for a belt service. If Alaskagirl's water pump is leaking, this is the right time to change the timing belt and go through the car properly.

 

I changed my waterpump the day after I bought mine 10 years ago. It has been fine too ever since. As far a not breaking a belt, you are fortunate to be in the "lucky 80% club" there. I unfortunately have one born in the "unlucky 20% club". She's fixed now that I have the factory upgrade duel belt design (thanks, Brian!)

At least I have been lucky so far...

 

Pulley/belt glazing is a problem, try Belt Dressing and see if it quiets it.....

There are water pump lubricants you can add to the coolant to give it some love......

If it's an A/C or air pump belt just cut it off with a pocket knife and drive on.......

If all else fails try drinking some Italian beer ......sorry for your first experience, I drove one 11 hours home throwing flame out the exhaust tips once.........