An "UH OH" sound in engine bat

So I started my 355 Sunday (sorta chilly) and from the engine bay closest to the large cogs in front of engine was a clankety-clank sound very pronounced and rhythmic.

If you revved the engine a little it would go away until idle return, and once engine hot it was gone.. Early thought was timing belt but it was done 5k miles ago after huge engine rebuild (guides, liners, new belts, bearings)

Is it likely the timing belt already!?! FML I can't bear another engine out after spending 28k in work to get her redone just a couple years ago..

Please advise this newish owner.

Chris~

 

All you can do is check the spinning stuff that is not connected to the timing belts, i.e. alternator, tensioner, A/C, etc. If you don't find anything then you have to look deeper, what ever that entails. There are plenty of things on the front of that engine it could be.

 

When you did the belts, did you check the condition of the tensioners? (Not the roller, but actual tensioner) and were they set correctly.

 

I had a similar thing on my 355

Turned out it was the flange that holds the silver firewall to the bulkhead.
Nut had come loose and the flange was rubbing against a pulley wheel.
Bent it back out of the way.

 

It sounds like you need to update this thread : http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/463047-poll-355-how-much-did-you-have-spend-your-355-first-2-years.html

With the poll I created (if you haven't already voted).

I'm sorry to hear that you had to spend that much on your 355 in such a short time.

 

Have to ask, what did you spend 28k on and who did the work.

Really impossible to diagnose anything by saying it goes "clankety-clank". My car makes noises that I could call that and they are normal. There is a lot of valve noise and it could just be the lifters pumping up when cold.

BYW, I see you are in Madison. I'm in Marlborough. Have you ever considered coming up the Sunday Gathering in Glastonbury? See the on going gathering thread in the New England forum.

 

My Indy mech has a special "tool" to locate strange noises. A three foot piece of hose slightly larger than a pencil ..... One end in the ear and the other touching suspect areas. I had a clicking noise at low rpm that was getting louder and louder, it was driving me nuts, he figured it out in about 1-2 minutes, leaking exhaust gasket.
Getting access in the front of the engine may be difficult, take the May out of that ..... Will be.

 

A good, and long time Ferrari shop has probably seen and heard this before. Also, an indy is probably better than "real" Ferrari shop since they see most of our older cars.

 

It is likely the hydrostatic tensioners. Do a search on the word hydrostatic.

 

I am curious and had a moment....found this to be interesting...and possibly applicable.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/362418-355-hydraulic-cam-belt-tensioners.html

 

I am actually experiencing this as well in my 98 355 spider....would be curious to know what it is

 

Read the link Watson posted.

 

Same thing on my 95 355 B occasionally, especially when sitting dormant for a week or more which is rare for me. There are a lot of spinning things up there, and as said earlier it probably isn't anything to get your panties in a bunch over in my non-expert opinion. Get it looked at by your mech.

Your title made me think you had an engine compartment-dwelling flying pet rodent that was having digestion problems or something...

 

Watson's link takes me to a post about a TV show on PBS

 

Just checked it....it goes to a link about the noise you desciribe and the solution.

 

Ha! What?

 

Hey....at least it wasn't some porn site!

 

Ok, now the link takes me to a proper thread, thx

 

Chris, I sent you a pm.