Noob's 308 Must Check/Do List

Okay, so here goes...first, I've read damn near every DIY sticky on the 308 and have searched for a good list of tasks to accomplish on our 308s. Some lists are good and some aren't. I recognize that every car's needs are different in reality. My goal with this thread is to develop a decent list of tasks that one might consider doing on a newly acquired 308 that has either been sitting for a while, been driven very little, or has an essentially unknown (or untrusted, in my case) service history.

I am hoping we can keep the suggestions focused by recommending items that either impact road worthiness, and therefore safety, and also those that can prevent damage to the vehicle or it's engine if missed.

Hopefully we can prioritize as well.

Let's assume said vehicle does start and drive, so we need not deal with the items regarding starting a long time sitting vehicle.

Imagine you're sitting in your newest 308 driving down the road in your neighborhood, but you cringe as you do, like you just know the wing just fell off some airliner overhead and you're wondering if part of it is going to hit you any second!

I'll start off and would like those smarter than I am (all of you, probably), to add to it.

Simplest (and most important before even driving shorter distances before moving on to bigger tasks):

- PPI if not already done
- Brake fluid change, flush, and line check
- Engine oil/filter change, check for wear particles in old filter, check lines
- Gearbox oil drain and change (check for wear particles)
- Coolant drain and replace, check all accessible coolant lines
- Fuel line check
- Battery check, age and does it hold a charge
- Brake lights and signals
- Tire condition and alignment
- Air filter R&R

More involved:
- Ignition check by cylinder. Each plug, extender, wire, distro cap, coils
- Compression and leak down test
- Timing belt R&R with valve clearances checked, seals R&R
- Check water pump/AC/alternator belt(s)
- Carb sync n tune (with exhaust monitoring)
- Shocks to rule out seizure
- All suspension bushings (or bushes, for those of us that say aluminium)
- Include sway bar bushing check
- Engine mounts, including reaction rod bushings
- Wheel bearing change and repack
- CV rebuild/repack
- Brake rebuild, master cylinder rebuild if any issues or unknown
- Steering Rack rebuild
- Replace long coolant hoses in sill
- Radiator core flush or replace
- Fuel tanks flushed
- Shifter rebuild from grate to gearbox
- Ensure you have the proper cigarette lighter in working order

That's what I've got for now. Of course, any items that say check, I'd replace if there's even a hint of uncertainty. Yes, my car's 37 years old and I don't know a damn thing about it. What else can we think of? Safety and protection-wise...

I'll return to this thread and summarize others' inputs from time to time, so no need to re quote my list, unless part or all of it sucks...

Ciao!

Hannibal

 

I've done a few of those items.

 

Just thought about the clutch...anything to do there if it's functioning well?

Also:
- Clutch linkage preventive maintenance or check for the clutch cable...or just forget it if it's working well?
- Throttle linkage...same as above?
- Handbrake check and service?

I guess what I'm asking, are there common failure points that could leave us stranded or worse, that could be avoided by checking and possibly replacing parts of the system?

 

First thing any Noob owner must do is drain the transaxle fluid and double fill the oil

 

Double fill? Does that mean change oil and filter, drive to circulate briefly, then do it again? If so, how quickly...how many miles before re accomplishing? I like that idea, but never heard of it. Thanks!

 

He is joking. A rather common "noob" DIY mistake to get hte gearbox oil drain plug and the engine oil sump drain plug confused and drain the wrong resivoir and then "double" fill which ever fluid one was trying to change.

It's happened at mechanics shops too.

 

Copy! I'll add that useful advice to a list of things not to do.

I may still do my own run-in oil change at 200 miles. Might just be better for me than it really would be for the car!

Ciao!

 

LOL!

 

I did it before a track event in 2004

 

Yeah, but no oil starvation issues during a long sweeper were a bonus!

 

I didn't talk about it for years.

No transmission fluid and double oil.

I drove it to Barber's, about 4 laps, then back home like that.

I just drained the oil half out and filled the transmission again and went back to the track. What else was I going to do?

Car and transmission are still fine from it 10 years later.

 

Great story, Doc! Thanks for sharing it.

Bullet proof...except when they're not!

Ciao!

 

I can't believe I did it either. By then I had owned the car for 7 or 8 years and had changerd the oil at least a dozen times by then.

Just wasn't thinking.

But, yeah, they are really tough cars when they want to be.

 

Doc,
Just curious, what made you decided to go back home to correct the oil levels?
Were there any symptoms that made you wonder about oil quantities?
Keith

 

On the 3rd or 4th lap, I blew out an unbelievable cloud of smoke when I turned on the front straight and floored it. Probably, before then I was taking it easy until I got the fluids hot.

I crept the rest of the way in and pulled my dipstick and saw that I clearly had too much oil. I had nothing there to empty it in so I just drove back to my house. On the exit I started hearing a weird whining noise from the transmission. I live about a mile from the exit so I just went the rest of the way, still not really sure what the deal was with everything.

I jacked it up, crawled under and then it dawned on me. I unscrewed the transmission plug just to check.... dry as a bone.

Thing is I am really funny about my fluids. I always change the oil before AND after every track event. That's why I had been under there at least a dozen times in about 7 years. Probably 2 dozen ( I used to track a LOT). It was a mistake I could never see myself doing in a million years.

I freaked, then I calmed myself. Drained the oil and refilled the transmission.

I thought about it for a few minutes and just decided to go back. If I was going to rebuild something I figured may as well let it, at least, break first. What the hell.

Anyway, I finished the track day and started waiting and watching. Never told anyone because I just knew as soon as I said "look what I did and it didn't break", it would break that moment.

So weeks turned into months and months turned into years and more and more track days came and went. Nothing.

That was spring of 2004 - 10 years ago and about 30,000 - 40,000 miles ago. Maybe more.

I figured if I talk now and it breaks, it probably isn't because of that afternoon anymore. I believe the first person I told outside of my mechanic was Steve Ahlgrim at the FCA Nationals back in 2011 (and I was on the track that weekend too).

The oil was bad enough but the transmission really puzzles me. It was EMPTY and I put about 40 miles on it that way - some on the track. It is fine still. Shifts like it is new.

True story.

 

Thanks Doc, great story....great cars.
Keith

 

Adding to the more involved list of things to do:

Throttle/Accelerator linkage removal, inspection, rebuild or lube as needed
Steering linkage inspection (under dash), rebuild or lube as needed
Inspection/magnaflux axles when doing brake rebuild

What are thoughts on fuel pump/filter service, inspection, replacement?

Ciao!

 

Reviving my own thread from the dead...

My VR is fairly new to me and from the UK. First things done:

- Points ditched
- Swapped the plastic cam sprockets for OEM steel ones
- Fixed the Brico!
- Removed the Momo Prototipo steering wheel for another non-original but period 4-spoke wheel...I prefer them. The Prototipo is black and can let it go if anyone wants it...PM me for pics.

 

Electric windows?
Air Con?

 

Gotta love thread revivals!

The first thing I'd do with a new Ferrari is take it to an expert (as in someone who's worked on hundreds of 308s), have them go through the car and put together a prioritized list of recomended work. Then you can decide which jobs you want to tackle yourself.

Congrats on the VR!

 

Where were you able to source the steel OEM cam sprockets? I believe that mine are also plastic.

 

An indi in town ordered them for me $800 all four. New. I can check for you if you like.

 

Yes, please if you could determine if they have more available that would be great. Thanks!

 

Checking...

 

***Replace fuel lines- especially filler neck
Replace oil hoses
Fuse upgrade (birdman- etc)
Don't check the coolant lines- just change them all
Clean and grease every electrical connection- especially grounds
Big fan of rebuilding every brake component, new s.s. brake hoses
If your already doing belts- rebuild water pump or buy one of Nick Forza water pumps
Do an oil analysis, you'll never see wear particles in filter, if you do- you have a much larger problem.
Just my 2 cents.