Major Service woes

Most likely an unfortunate coincidence. Still makes you wonder why up to now there was no such sign of an alternator/battery/charging issue, eh? since it was an engine out before this appeared, it seems to me that something isn't grounded well. That is where I wolud start - checking everything that is grounded in the ingition system. Possible faulty cables somewhere. Next, I would look for something that may be sucking power, maybe a short or an ignition disabling device.

 

I might start then back at the dealer. Ask them to check all the grounds for you, double checking whatever they would have touched for their engine out service. Tell them you don't feel it's your responsibilty (to pay for this) since it was fine when you brought it in. Then go from there. Make sure you know the alternator checks out fine before you go in case they want to lay that off on you.

In the pictures, the oil dripping is a concern. I'd like to know where it comes from. Might be a leaking seal they installed. Or something else. It doesn't look like any cause of your charging light issue. The white stuff is dielectric grease and it's perfectly natural for it to be on that green fitting.

Last time I saw this problem it was battery cables, the negative one. Since your battery is in the front of the car, you have a few places to have checked. Sometimes the connectors look fine but the cables themselves deteriorate.

 

Most likely cam seal leaks or leak from valve cover gasket. There are several likely places to screw up. That is a lot of oil on new major. Take it back. Ask the alternator rebuilder to give you a reason it failed after 1 year. It can fail due to oil soaking the alternator internals.

 

Hi Sdiamond, This exact same thing happened to me right after a major, don't go ape**** on the dealer just yet....(the oil is another story, but I think sometimes seals weep a bit when new??)

I had to have this green plug rebuilt because of symptoms identical to yours after the same sequence of events. 12,000 miles and 2 years later, I had to have it rebuilt again just 3 days ago because of the same thing. My money is on a failed plug, not coincidence.

Your tech probably pulled off the plug for the major and applied the grease, then plugged it back in and the car ran perfectly on their 3-4 mile test run. The problem with these plugs is that the internal connectors expand when the car REALLY heats up, and over time they get too loose. Rebuild the plug!

I'd bet a fair bit of scratch your alternator tests out perfectly. Not any kind of expert, just stuff my awesome mechanic told me.

 

Had the same problem and reckon its cam seals

348 DIY "Restoration" - Page 99

 

Probably cam seals. If I remember correctly, the cam seals have small directional ridges indicating the correct rotation of the cam(s). During my major, the parts supplier mistakenly sent Testarossa cam seals (they looked correct), my mechanic caught the mistake and got the right seals. Something similar may be your problem.

 

Again why I do **** myself.

 

?

 

Just be glad you're not as unlucky as this guy. Gut-wrenching recent story in case you missed it:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ferrari-discussion-not-model-specific/413589-motors-blows-after-annual-service-dealer-refuses-honor-warranty.html

 

Good advise, and wrong, if it leaks at first, it will only get worse.

This is Ferrari's problem, they changed what was getting supplied to all of us with the seals, Orings and gaskets. For decades you could just throw a 4V together and it would run for years, just collecting dust.... no longer. Being as gravity is a bltch and shlt rolls downhill, it has become the tech's problem when they use what is supplied in a yellow box.

We spent the entire winter learning how to deal with this leaking problem and a host of others related to the 4 and 5V engines. Sometimes it takes extreme measures to understand these things... what appears quite simple, is anything but. In this case we had to design and build a run up stand where each engine gets run up multiple heat cycles where we can measure what was happening to cause these problems. Now that we understand it and know how to fix it, Every subframe engine is heat cycled numerous times before reinstall Just to check for leaks and make positive the other gremlins have been dealt with.

What is defined by the term "Major Service" is in reality a moving target, changing positions based on the parts we are being supplied, no longer is it a replacement of a rubber band.
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Dave, that contraption to run an engine out of the car looks like something NASA would have to test their Shuttle!

That is what I call taking Quality seriously!

In the end I realize part of the reason you do it is to help ensure customer cars don't come back prematurely. I certainly appreciate the extra attention to detail knowing the chances of my car having to go back after a Major performed at Scuderia Rampante Ferrari would be slim to nil.

Let see now, Ottawa to Boulder, CO is about 2,800km or 26 hours of driving if I drive non stop, hmm what to do what to do...

 

This was built because two cars HAD to come back and I HATE working for free!

Damned expensive to design and build but in the end it will pay for itself, the water brake quick adapter is already in the works to make it a full load cell. When I can hook up and have an engine running in 25 mins from when the belt is tensioned, that makes it viable and charging for the time then has value.

Watching and noting belt seat in, belt tracking, cam timing changes, waterpump seal set, oil leaks, intake balance.... the list is endless, each time we do a run up we identify yet another area issues to keep watch for in the future.

It is very easy to get carried away playing with it..... we have given away a lot of time when we were first learning what to do with it. Now that we have a routine in place, have a fairly good idea of what "Normal" is. After the first half hour of close monitoring, we flip the "Automated" (auto shut down) switches, push it by the door and just let the engines run for an hour or two without having to babysit them. SO much has been learned... at a very high cost but WTH... this is supposed to be fun and little to do with Ferrari is cheap.... if its done right!

 

I have just requested a Quote from Intercity Lines, Inc. in case I don't have the time to haul the car to your shop myself

 

Dave, you should post a vid of an engine running on your very cool test rig ;-)

 

Some of the early testing of the stand, parts/components being tested..... It has grown exponentially since its concept went on paper. SW, having no more of a life than I, was changing Pat drawings as quick as we morphed the design. I didnt want an engine dyno, too much time is wasted pulling engines from the subframe and I would never be able to test trans rebuilds. With this method we are testing exactly what goes back in the car.

Search videos for scuderia rampante on Vimeo

My whole point in this is dont be too quick to blame the tech for these oil leaks, it is the new norm and it might not be his fault. Some bean counter higher up the food chain, looking to maximise profit margins, owns this one.... some of the times! The other point is now we Know how much these engines grow, in what directions....... the list of what can be identified/learned is endless. Our only limits are with the questions we can come up with and how much off the clock time we can afford to monkey around. The Daytona Comp engine running on this is a hoot. We found a new way to aggrivate the neighbrs, it makes the walls shake.

Care to discuss cam belt resonation, tensioner expansion rates, hot tension spec's?... this list is long.

 

Great vids, thanks for posting Dave!

 

A source for a lot of technical topic's to be discussed, if nothing else

 

Properly done!

 

Looks like a nice test stand. Answers the questions that typically have to wait until you think you're almost done.

 

Of course If the parts supplied were incorrect or just plain prone to failure right out of the yellow box then Its not really the shops fault, but they should do a shakedown and check for any possible leaks and or issues.

Those drops of oil remind me of my helicopter after I get back from a flight, the Aft transmission is always covered in a assortment of oil drops. But its a Boeing product so it leaks.