New 355

I'm finding myself in the market for a 355 and would like to know what year is considered to have the valve guide problem fixed? Also, is it early in the year or later where it was resolved? I think its 97' but just wanted verification.

 

Welcome and congratulations on your choice of next car.
I think your best bet is to use the search function on the site, this subject has been covered many times with various out comes

 

PURPORTEDLY, the newer, improved valve guides were after Assembly No. 27,689. However, there have been anecdotal reports of the older style valve guides being installed after this number.

 

Wow, Dec 2006 join date and only 3 post's, Where you been?

Welcome Back, And good luck on your search.

Cheers!

 

Lurking and dreaming, until now.

 

Thanks, that helps. When i bought my G-wagen there were supposedly issues with production periods before a certain date and I bought after that day and didn't experience any of the reported problems, so I just want to take the same course with my 355. Not saying it will be a guarantee problem free vehicle, just want to minimize the risk.

 

Just get a compression and leakdown. You have to do this anyway, even if they tell you the guides have been done in the past. Unless you were there, you don't really know.

If you do have to do guides, it's not THAT big a deal if you do it with a major. If you have to do a major because of it... well that's gonna cost you.

 

Why not find one that was sorted by the owner? You don't necessarily have to get one that was remedied from Maranello.

 

I haven't ruled that out.

Looking for a place to do a PPI in and around the Costa Mesa area?? Any suggestions for an indy mechanic or shop?

 

Some guys will say that 98 & 99 cars had this issue taken care of however all 355's can possibly have valve issues. The reason I say this is because I had a 99 Fiorano with bad valve guides. Just remember that a PPI is your friend and good luck.

 

This is taken from page 6 of this Ferrari Buyer's Guide http://www.focfloridaregion.com/guides/355.pdf

"One myth on the F355 is that the valve guides are a major problem and must be replaced. In reality, the problem occurred in 20% of the 1995 models and a small
number of 97’s and 98’s."

 

FWIW my guy told me that in his experience by mid 98 they seemed to have fixed the problem- but +1000 on the PPI- without a compression test and a leakdown you're copletely in the dark