Living the Nightmare...

So I guess I jumped the gun on my previous post...

So I just heard from the shop. I've pretty much written off hope at this point I guess. He said that they actually had only tested the problem bank when we spoke this morning but tested the other bank when doing the plugs. Corresponding cylinder on driver side bank is also a little low.

That cylinder was also the second lowest on the dealer's compression check but I didn't think much of it since that test hid a very wide range anyway.

Won't know any more until Monday.

Can anyone think of a reason why the corresponding cylinder would be bad? I assume that they would be independent and just a coincidence.

 

So, it's low compression. I doubt my 79 928 has 30 psi compression! but I still drive it. I'm try to think of a reason why this would completely trash an engine and require a rebuild... oh wait, it's going to need a top end rebuild anyway. Hmmm any reason why you can't drive this car..at least for the summer?

 

Yes. No.

Post up the dealer and follow up test results. Very little is coincidence on this engine, most is predictable if you turn over enough rocks.

Very detailed records of each of these test results should be kept as none of this happens over night or by coincidence.

 

Sounds like the opening of an Agatha Christie...

 

Seems like you're getting inconsistent readings from different sources. Didn't you just get this car? You don't know how it was driven in the past. Could have been the classic South Beach Cruiser. Full of carbon. Have you done an Italian tune-up yet? Put some injector cleaner in it? It it were my car-and it isn't so I can't recommend this to you-I'd take it out and run the p-diddle out of it. Then do MY OWN readings with the motor warm and see what I got. If I didn't know how, I'd learn-ain't rocket science, tools cheap and you need them anyway if you're gonna have an F-car. Whose do yours agree with? You've got a lot at stake here to trust a bunch of strangers....humans at that.

 

I voluteer to drive the P-diddle out of your car at TMS. Lets set up a trackday. Have leakdown tester will travel. Just a sidenote...THEY...don't let me drive the 358.

 

Say WHAT?!

 

Any update?

 

Well, kind of. The indy shop seems to have the same opinion that a couple people on here have expressed: Drive it.

With the fresh plugs, he said it pulls great, sounds smooth and fantastic. The problem cyl is holding over 160 PSI compared to the others in the 190 area.

So basically the decision for now looks like it will be to drive the car, enjoy it and monitor it to make sure its not consuming oil, etc etc. Honestly, given my situation with the car (< 1 month of ownership when this happened, high income/networth ratio) I kind of like this approach.

Having the fluids changed while its in there. I was going to wait until Friday to post when I go in, have a more detailed discussion with the mechanic, and collect the results of all the leakdown/compression tests (wet v dry, etc) to ask this question. But since you asked...

I'm interested to hear opinions / reactions to the "drive it" idea...

 

Drive it???? like ya stole it!!!!!

 

Drive it. Your worst case is you end up where you are today. The only caution I would give... Is don't skimp on maintenance because... "it's a time bomb" anyway.

 

Driver it. Your not racing. The biggest issue for me would be if it keeps throwing CELs. But if it passes emissions it's good enough to enjoy. Honestly, with what you are finding out I whish I had beat you to it.

 

Me: I'd fix it if I could afford it. Sooner or later the piper has to be paid.

Life sucks and tragedies happen but you can do the right thing and try to correct the problem instead of looking over your shoulder and wondering if and when the other shoe is going to drop. I can't see it getting better. At best it will stay the same until the next guy is faced with the problem.

We say Ferrari's are "just a car" and if this were a Camry, I'd just drive it. But, its not. It's more than that. It should not be treated as a disposable object IMO. I don't think that's why you bought it in the first place -- to run it into the ground.

If you can't afford it or don't think it's worth it, then sell it to someone else who wants to make it right.

I know this is an emotional response completely devoid of all economic sense -- but wasn't buying it that in the first place?

 

Since you asked If it was me, and funds available, I would address the issue to make the car right. Kind of dissatisfactory to have a sports car that is the pinnacle of sports cars, and then an engine limping along If you are "only" looking at top-end work then it may not be as bad as if the bottom end requires work as well.

I vote for making it right

Anyway, best of luck,
Jes

 

My 2 cents: make it right, but only on next winter Now drive it, enjoy it!

 

Definitely see your point but the characterization isn't quite fair. I will fix it... the question is when. I want to actually own the car, grow to love it, trust it, etc before I dump a 4-5 months and 50% of the price of the car into a complete rebuild. That would mean roughly 6-7 months of ownership of which I had the car for ~3-4 weeks.

My reasoning is as follows: If I am able to actually own the car for a while... grow to love it, etc... in a year I'm fixing MY FERRARI. Its a full rebuild either way. But right now I feel like I'd be doing a full rebuild on someone else's liability.

I'm ok with a $20K rebuild on a very special, unique engine on a very special, unique car (I didn't buy this thinking it was going to be cheap). When I write the checks, I just want to be fixing MY FERRARI.

I think thats why I'm currently leaning the "drive it" direction.

 

Yeah, thats where I'm leaning...

 

My opinion as well. Especially given what the independent shop said about it.

 

get the car out of that garage and get it ch.ecked by someone else the test could be wrong I have seen this before

 

You must not have read the whole post. This is the second shop to do the test.

 

Post 236: Your car has been in this second shop for a week now, and they haven't given you the actual/solid/confirmed compression and leakdown numbers yet? You can't be expected to make an informed decision on whether or not to drive the car until they give you the numbers. Could things get worse if you continue to drive it? Hell, yes, they could!

 

I'd definitely drive it. It will also give you some seat time to make a final decision on what to do in the long run. Go out and enjoy it!

 

Drive it for this season, get a new leakdown/compression check done at the end of the season. If it hasn't gotten any worse, drive it for another season. Repeat this process until it gets worse or you can afford to fix it. If however at some point you change your mind and want to sell it, give full disclosure so that the next potential owner knows what to expect.
This is not just me giving you advice, this is what I am doing since I am in a very similar situation as you.

 

By way of this post, I think he is already fully disclosing this situation.

 

I agree with your statement, but believe it or not some potential owners do not discover this site until after their purchase. By the way I full expect he would disclose this information so I shouldn't have mentioned that, my bad