Dear Tiffosi, I hear you can change the cam belts with the motor in place. Last time I did all the tensioners, gaskets, repainted the heads etc. so its basically only a belt change this time. I have search this area for a thread to no avail. Can anyone direct me to a thread on this topic please or have any thoughts. Thanks
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=220237&referrerid=6175 http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233985&highlight=355+engine+belt JP, what is your main reasion for wanting to change the belts with the engine in place?
I have seen it done before. You have to remove the gas tank and get a special wrench fabricated (or cut a huge notch in the structural framing). Not the best way to do it, but it could save you some time. When I saw it done there was a large breaker bar (maybe 30" long) with a degree piece of steel welded on, and then a drive socket either welded to that or the square socket adapter welded to the other piece. This gets the socketin place without the lever that operates it in the same line which is blocked by the car frame. Someone in Houston (IIRC) had their car in for service recently and they discovered the large semi0circular notch cut in the frame. I would not want that on a car that I own! BT
I've seen cars that have been attacked with saws and air chisels instead of doing it right. It ain't pretty! Image Unavailable, Please Login
(credit to the photographer) Not my photo's, but I use them as a reminder..... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
can it be done? sure, but why? what are you really saving? you now have to remove the fuel tank, and you have to remove the engine mounts to shift the powerplant rearward to loosen the crank pulley and you are also going to be working in a cave with made-up special tools to just get the belt on and tensioned. sounds like a lot of work for a very sub-standard service. Advice I have is: If you are going to do something, do it right and to the best of your ability. anything less, don`t even bother. Daniel, like the can of worms....at least the pricing is consistant with Ferrari price matrix... Regards, Jim
I am one of the few do-it-yourselfers that has done his own engine out belt change, and has had to remove the gas tank. Having been there and done that I can tell you first hand that there really isn't the proper amount of room needed to do the job the way it should be done. If you take a look at the pictures in have posted in this link http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=137619317&postcount=43 it will be clear why you should just removed the entire subframe and do it properly. There is not room to get at the bolt on the crank pulley, and you will be putting unnecessary pressure on the motor mounts if you tip the engine up. Do it the right way and remove the engine on the subframe. It's only a bit more work to get the engine out. I speak from having done this in my garage at home by myself. Take the engine out.
It can be done. My friend is mechanic in F430 cup and he told me that it is possible and they do it all the time on their personal cars in fact I changed mine that way if you only have to change the belt alone it is no problem ( Belt change on mine took us about 4 hours). You have to remove rear exhaust can, gas tank and loosen the holders Swing the engine and change the belt. (That is how we do it in Europe) It is true that you are not able to clean the engine compartment, but it is a fast solution. I am going to change the belt this year the same way, as my engine compartment is clean, because I dont use my car in rain or bad weather and it is in the garage all winter. It is ok to take the engine out and give it a good clean, but it is at the same time a good propaganda from the dealers to take some extra $$$$ from the customer. Cheers Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
