Threw a Belt

I don't know... what would smoke if the belt was off? I would suspect maybe something is locked up rather than off the rails... sorry to hear about your trouble... and I hope it's nothing serious.

Mike in Kuwait

 

hmmm..... you're right...it's one of the above.... any brothers out there ready to guess what?

My money is on your A/C compressor locking up...

But that's just a guess.... and I didn't even sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Mike in Kuwait

 

Had the same thing happen on my daily driver S2000. Idler pully bearing failed... belt came off a/c compressor and wrapped itself up. Friction caused smoke and noise...easy fix and little damage. I think you will be ok... keep my fingers crossed for you. Just so you know my 328 made very little noise and no smoke when the crank bearing failed...new engine needed.

Christopher

 

I was actually present when a carburated 308 GTS (1977, I think) had its cylinder 5-8 cam timing belt break due to over-revving a cold engine. NOT PRETTY! Horrible bang, clanking metal-on-metal sound, but no real smoke. Also, the engine would not run - it would stumble for 2-3 seconds and then die.

I agree with Mike and Chris. My GUESS is that: (i) the bearing in electromagnetic clutch on your AC compressor has seized; (ii) a piston(s) in the rotary AC compressor seized; and/or (iii) the belt tensioner bearing is seized. Since it occurred after you turned on the AC this is the most probable scenario for your problem. Remember, the Ferrari AC compressor is just a regular Sanden rotary AC compressor. Daniel at Ricambi has a replacement for $500.00 that is identical to the OEM Ferrari AC compressor (except for two extra pulley grooves), has the advantage of a sight glass, and is about $1000.00 cheaper than the OEM Ferrari part.

My heart goes out to you and I sincerely hope that its just a simple, relatively inexpensive problem (like discussed above). BEST OF LUCK!! Keep us informed. Take care.

 

If I knew how, I'd post a poll...

What happened to Loser's car?

1. Water Pump
2. Alternator
3. Power Steering Pump
4. A/C Compressor or Clutch
5. Slipped Belt
6. None of the above...

But, I can't figure out how to post a poll...

So, I'll stick with my first WAG: A/C related...!

Mike in Kuwait

 

Yeh. I don't know why my post got repeated. I didn't post it again. Deleated it. Strange.

 

my guess is timing belt smoking against a tensioner - since it's the RH side

 

I was just talking to the Auto-elec at work the other day again about A/C compressors seizing up. He said in his 30 yrs of running his own workshop, he has only seen around 5 compressors seized. It is NOT very common he said. Has never seen a clutch bearing seized either.

The A/C compressor, should last the life of the car he said. As long as the compressor has oil in it and is not over-gassed when being serviced, it will last he said. Over charging A/C systems "lugs" the compressor and it reduces its life ten-fold. No oil in it, seizes it, of course.

Not saying that it is not a seized compressor in this case, which I actually hope it is. Because that A/C compressor is on the right side of the engine and the A/C does does not have a tensioner bearing, if you look at the pic.

It may also be a seized alternator tensioner bearing. That is possible and the 'smoke' could have just blown over to the right side of the engine?? Ya never know.

But.........worse case. I am with Joe.G. It could be a seized cam belt tensioner bearing.

Ya just dont know until you get under there and investigate. Please let us know what you find Loser.
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My 355 did the exact same thing and it was an A/C compressor...........

 

Dont stress too much about it, until you get it checked out man.

I dont really think its the cam belt tensioner bearing, but ya never know.

 

Cool cool. Your 355 compressor is on the opposite side to the 348 compressor, but thats cool.

Did you find out why it seized??

 

Hey Pap:
Thanks for straitening me out. When I re-read my post I really wasn't very clear at all! Typing too fast and not reading afterwards! I should have expressly stated a seized alternator or cam belt tensioner bearing. Mea Culpa!!

Hey Tom:
Once again, best of luck! If you do have to replace your cam belt tensioner bearings make sure you use Hill Engineering parts rather than the Ferrari OEM parts - less money, better quality, IMHO.

 

+1, get under there and take a look. You should be able to see something going on if you're looking in the engine and someone else starts it for a few seconds. Or best case you can see the damage without starting again....

 

Tom. have you tried starting it with the AC turned off with the "stop" button?

 

I feel your pain.

I had a slave cylinder go on my Countach a couple of years ago. Damn thing cost me $65.00 to get a deck truck to take it to a shop. (Small city and towing companies that don't try to bend over Exotic owners)

Best of luck. Hopefully it is something relatively minor.

 

First of all Tom.......DO NOT START YOUR CAR ANYMORE PLEASE!!

You dont know what is going on under there.

Are you able to do some minor checks on the car Tom?

Can you jack the car up, place it on chassis stands and remove the tray under the A/C and alt belts??

If you can, with that removed, have a visual inspection and see whats going on there.

If you cant see anything obvious, take off the belts one at a time to see if the alt/alt tensioner bearings spin freely by hand.

If they both spin freely by hand, then you know there is something wrong behind those cam covers.

As mentioned, do not start the car. It could lead to catastrophy brother!! Bent valves etc...is possible.

But........dont stress yet Tom. Check those belts first.

 

It actually somehow failed in the off position. To sum things up the free wheeling clutch bearing burned up. If the AC was on no problem....Off was the issue...


It was actually so hot from the bearing going out in the clutch that it was melting the belt from heat not slippage....Really weird

 

Strange.