Leaking 348 headgaskets

Elring was an OEM supplier. Good luck with Ferrari doing anything about it. They may answer your call, but put you on hold.

 

Same thing happened to me. All of them will tell you they never had any problem. Me and my friend Vitor have asked Ferrari, major suppliers in the UK and Elring directly. The first 3 never heard about it, Elring never bothered to answer (twice). But we know the problem is there.

If you want my guess (but just a guess, no more than that) there must have been a defective lot and nobody wants you to know about it. So now we play Russian roulette ....

 

Contact Dave Helms (Fchat: davehelms). He is fully versed with the problem and I believe he has a solution. The OEM Elring headgaskets have been known to be problematic for years.

 

The only way Ferrari would do anything about a failing new gasket is if their shop installs the gasket.

 

and it will still leak but it is OK because we are Ferrari and we said so....



Fixed it for you Mitch.

 

We have sold about 6-8 sets since this 'issue' was posted on FerrariChat. None of them, when installed by professional shops have exhibited any leaking.

If there was a defective batch from the manufacturer, it may have already been corrected and passed through the supply chain.

 

hey Daniel, did any of those shops express differing the TQ sequence at all at install? in a post exchange with Brendan, he said an initial install and test (with oem elring gasket on 348 engine) showed leakage, but re-install with more 'steps' in torquing the head bolts (an attempt to limit head distortion) gave good results, thanks

 

The same procedure has been described by the shops with which I've called for follow-up.

 

do you mean going strictly by the manual, or to increase the number of TQ down steps?


sorry, been a loong day, so my brain is on slow
thanks

 

Sequential torque with pauses in-between, then a final 90-degrees. Page B24 of WSM.

 

interesting....thanks

 

+1

 

I noticed in the Braden 348 thread that he applied some black silicone sealant to the head gasket. Is this common practice with the coolant passage areas on these heads?

 

Personally I wouldn't do it. I would be too afraid any of the silicone could enter the oil passages and obstruct them.
The head gasket alone is supposed to seal. If it is not sealing, something is wrong.
Just my 2 cents....