Timing belt due last month

My timing belt was due november. I want to get it done feberury ideally. Does anyone know any real story about timing belt break? I have heard more about variator breaking. I guess everyone try to change their belt on time.

 

It's a little over exaggerated the whole timing belt thing. You should be fine. **snap, kuchunk** What was that?

 

+1 many mechanics say 5 years 25k non track miles . Make sure when you do it use Hill Engineering parts like cam tensionors etc. That's what usually fails not the belt . The factory parts are inferior and there lies the problem

 

I'm no expert on 360 issues but is it really true factory original parts are inferior? I assume the use of non factory parts would invalidate any of the factory extended warranties that can cover engine and gearbox up to 10th year?

 

As you say, there seems to me more horror stories out there about the variator failure than belt failure. My own car suffered major variator failure at 14 or 18k miles (not sure which, I wasn't the owner at the time) resulting in a brand new engine being installed at that time.

Personally I really wouldn't worry over being three months (8.33%) over schedule.

If you're concerned you could always carry out your own visual inspection but taking out the seats, opening up the engine compartment cover and taking a peek at the belts. If there's any obvious damage you know you must replace now but assuming all looks fine go right ahead but just don't put it off forever.

 

There was one engine in Oz destroyed, after the NEW cam variators failed.......

 

Depending upon age of the car, remember to factor in leap years, one extra day for February, etc.

Wouldn't wanna be LATE, would we??

 

+1

Definetely get the Hill Engineering parts!!!!
I had my belts done at 20k miles and the belts looked great, it was the rubber bushings in the tensioners that went bad (the metal screw inserts were no longer centered).

Seems that the push to develop new models and high tech enhancements leaves a lot of room for stuff that does not last (CATS, Tensioners, Fuel leve sensor, etc...) They don't 'build' on past experience and improvement, it is new, new, new.

I am staying with my 360 because I know what I have.

 

I'll be 3 years this spring. When my car goes in for the annual fluid flush this spring there is a small leak of anti-freeze coming from the front of the car...my mechanic said he'd look at the leak and depending on the fix for that we'd determine if we do belts...if he has to do some hoses in the motor area we may do the belts to save on some labor, otherwise he seems fine waiting for the 4th year...

I plan on doing the hill engineering parts as well (the prior owner of my car used the Hill parts at the 2008 belt change too...)

 

If your car is a keeper I'd be pretty relaxed about the belt schedule in terms of time so long as you havent put excessive miles on the clock. I did mine in the summer, it looked like the original belt (6 years old and 14k miles) despite ffsh, but other than some light cracking in the inner teeth when you bend it over backwards, the belt looked fine. I didnt have to take the seats out, just push them forward and have access to a car lift. There's lots of internet noise about variator failures, but I think this too is overplayed providing you have the (2004?) upgrade. If they were that crap we would all be much more aware of the issues. Great cars. My tuppence worth.

 

Andrew, not sure this info might help....I had similar leaking problem before, turn out to be water pump dripping onto the belts(running fast), and splash right on the engine cover, sipping thru onto the carpet behind the the seats. the fluid also ruined my alternator.

 

Raymond- Belts do break, but there is slop in the recommended three year interval and three or four months (or even a year) will, to a very high probability, not hurt anything. The belts are not designed to self destruct at 36 months + or - 24 hours. The Hill Engineering tensioner bearings have proven to be very, very reliable at a reasonable cost. Same for their throw-out bearings.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Are the Hill Engineering parts comparable in price to the Ferrari parts. Can someone give a cost breakdown please. Thanks Fellas!

 

I believe that hill engineering parts for slightly cheaper but you never have to worry with them failing. check with Ricambi.

that is the 1 thing disappointing with ferrari , you pay top dollar but do not get top quality parts . lesser price cars I have better parts and reliability for example porsche

some days I feel like I get beat by buying a Ferrari

 

Ah yes, but then there's the passion of Ferrari and all that goes with it.............

 

This is Not always true. I had a bad experience with a hill engineering trust bearing. After I install it starts to leak oil! Not cool when the tranny was installed and had to take It out again.

 

Ok nothing is perfect , regardless Hill Engineering is better than factory ...no?

 

Well, I do have the tensioners and no problem so far.

 

So Dave how much the Hill Eng parts Vs the Ferrari parts? I'll be doing my belts in the spring.

 

David,
It depends where you buy it.
OEM parts cost around $360 to $420

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partsListing.asp?M=1&Mo=688&A=1&B=40641&S=&ID4=1657886

http://www.ferrparts.com/search.php

Hill Engineering cost around $416 sell by Ricambi;

http://m.ricambiamerica.com/custom/quicksearchResults.cfm

Also Capristo makes it for;

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/usedPartsList.asp?partNo=181264

 

The Ricambi link doesn't work....

 

He linked from our mobile site.

the proper link is this:

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?cPath=600_519&products_id=224307


.

 

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=181264&osCsid=5ur39h5b8j6uacgk2o3qba8nq5&x=10&y=3

 

Actually the leak is coming from under the car in the front, no leak in the cabin. I'm thinking its a line or coupling going to the front radiators...I've just been keeping the antifreeze level up in the expansion tank until the spring service (and now that there's salt on our roads the car is parked for the winter anyway)

I agree with your thinking Terry- well put.

I can't speak to the 1999 and after 911s, but at least on the air cooled 911s and even the Cayenne we had for a couple of years this is correct- the germans didn't cut corners with their cars (although this varies from make to make and model to model-i.e. some mercedes/vw/audi models have crap build parts). The ferrari motors themselves seem unbreakable (excluding variator failure which is low probability), but the drive train "support" items seem like crap and don't have the expected life they should have- stuff like the clutch, some people have issues with the exhaust manifolds/cats, and even the mass air flow meters seem to have diminished life expectancy (and that is what seems to be a generic Bosch MAF part!). And why did it take until the 430 to fix the sticky interior parts? 360 is way better than 355 regarding the sticky parts, but why didn't they change the finish back in 1995 with the first or second model year of the 355 when they must have realized the rubber coating was a bad idea?

Regardles of my rant, can't get enough of my 360 Timing belts every 4-5 years (or 3 if you're anal) is just part of the price of admission I guess

 

I was looking at my service book and notice that my car is actually using capristo timing bearings! I went to the site I bought my service kit from and found this video which is pretty amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXBdyznAB80&feature=youtube_gdata_player