I think there are many good oils out there but I am using Motule 15w-50 as I have heard and read many good things about it. If they use it in lemans cars and high reving motorcycles then it must be good. IMHO
Nobody drives their Ferraris here between Nov and April and most are kept in heated garages. So 15w is not a problem unless you start your car in close to freezing weather. The summers are very hot here and any 355 once up to operating temps needs all the protection it can get. They are amongst the hottest running Ferraris made. It funny though, a few years ago I was in Pittsburg for my sons soccer game in June and some of the americans there thought that it took us days to get there and that it was still snowing in Toronto. Its a 5 hour drive
Do you guys have any reading on the dipstick when the car is cold? Also, Eric, I saw a black spider parked outside Smith & Wollensky last week with some sort of Carolina license plate frame. Was that yours?
Another well regarded oil is Shell Rotella T synthetic 5w-40. Is is designed for diesel applications, but also for gasoline engines as well. When there was a shortage of Shell Ultra Helix 5w-40 back in 2000 or 2001, FNA authorized the use of Shell Rotella T synthetic 5w-40 as substitute standard for all Ferraris. Four quart jugs are availabel at Wal-Mart for $16 each ($4 per quart) http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=rotella-en&FC2=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/zzz_lhn.html&FC3=/rotella-en/html/iwgen/products/product_rotellasynth.html
Yo TC (Houston) that was me. Went for a drink at S&W and drove around. The car now has TX plates. Small world. I live right by S&W and am usually running aroung that area.
Awesome, I saw the car and thought I recognized it! Your car looked gorgeous, I had almost forgotten what a really clean 355 looked like, it inspired me to get mine out of the garage and wash it on Sunday.
Thats good if 5W-40 is good for a 355. If it is then check out the TDI forums. There is a group of VW TDI drivers that have been putting different milliage on their VW TDIs and sending their oil out to be tested after 6k, 10k 16k and some have gone further just to see which oils are best for their diesel VWs. There is quite a bit of reading there and I stumbled on it when googleing the best oil for my wifes TDI Jetta. There are many on there that swear by Mobile delvac 1 (delvac one) 5w-40 synthetic. Some guys who are into it big time are very technical about the tests on their oils and they say that if you use Delvac 1 5w-40 that you are throwing away good oil if you change it before 10,000 miles. So if you are using 5w-40 in your 355 then try this stuff.
I found through recent research that a person can obtain used oil much cheaper. This greatly reduces the cost of Ferrari ownership..... I reccomend pouring the used oil through a paint strainer prior to service. When the knocking begins you can get used 75-90W gear lube!!!!
I bought the Shell Helix because it had the little Ferrari symbol on the bottle and it gave me an excuse to got to FOH and mess around. Jetfixr, good idea on the oil straining idea, I'll have to give that one to my A&P for the next oil change in the Mentor since that must be an aeronautical secret that I didn't know. You know, maybe if I wiped the bottom of the plane off it may give me enough oil to top off the 355 given that I am at 1700 TTE on the Conti.
I enjoyed the detail that you are doing on your engine out. I will be curious how the chrome holds up on the bell housing as that was a great mod.
I use the walmart 5w/40 shell. Same as the dealer stuff at 8$ a quart. Lets me change the oil twice a year at $16 per gallon. Redline is great but paying that much for oil when I drive my car about 1000 miles a year seems excessive. I do use the redline in the tranny, best stuff on the market, just make sure to add limited slip additive to be safe.
Damn near fell off the chair this morning after reading this! I laughed loud enough the dogs came barking. I finished a very expensive full rebuild a few years back and had the owner watch as I poured in XXX brand 10w30 dino oil for start up and break in. His jaw near hit the floor and asked "can't you find something better than that!?" When told that I would be dropping that oil and the filter in 500 miles (he did not realize the new synthetic oils are too slippery for rings to seat) to put in good synthetic oil he asked "now is that really nessesary?". Nope, one could leave that swill in there for 10,000 miles and the car would still be running. With the cost difference being what, $40-50/yr between the best and the lesser quality oils, buy the best that money can buy what ever brand you think that is. Currently I think that is Redline and when something even better comes along I will look at changing again. Dave
Sorry Dave, I didn't mean to make you fall off the chair, or cause the dogs to bark.... Truth be known I change my oil every 500 miles including oil analisys for trend patterns, Yes, that is no lie...I do that with my Lotus and both Fcars....I put the best in that money can buy, right now I'm trying Amsoil. Another case of Redline on the way.... Point is, as I tell my aircraft clients.....Oil is the cheapest insurance you could ever buy.....They have taken my advice and are experiencing no coking issues or premature bearing failure...Period I had a client recently with I'll leave at this "mid size cabin bizjet" that took his oil changes too far or the previous maintenance simply wasn't performed.... Today I'm hanging his other engine "150K repair". Brings us back to the old "tripping over quarters to pick up dimes" P.S. I have some used turbine oil as well, complete with gold and gray glitter floating in it from the above mentioned engine
I know of several closed petrol stations, you know back in the day old oil was used to control dust. Maybe if I excavate and strain out the oil, put it in pretty package. How do I figure the viscosity? Could be a money earner, take early retirement (oh, too late for that...) B.
Always good advice, whats going cause more pain to my wallet 100 bucks in Redline a year or 25,000.00 for a rebuilt engine. vern
I couldn't understand the viewpoints of some of the guys on the thread below....but hey- if they think i'm stupid for not putting in mobil 1 or other SM oils then that fine. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178734
