CAM BELT CHANGE

I recently started taking metformin and after 4 months I can tighten my belt 2 more notches with the same tension.

Those don't resemble the pulleys on my '85 QV. February 1985 build.

 

Fair point. I would have been more concerned if the new one was shorter. The old one being a bit shorter makes sense from what I know/learned about springs, there is a loss of spring formula that relates to stress relaxation depending on the material type, temp etc. so I was not surprised. I suppose I could have a slightly higher tension on the belt with the taller spring. I would expect that is why you just go by hand feel, and having done one belt change I would probably be fine to tension to a hand feel next time round as well.

 

ok

 

Point being if you rely on the spring, new or old to get tension correct you do not know enough to be doing the job.

 

I honestly do not recall with any degree of certainty but I believe they were mostly 2 valve injected era.

 

I believe that "early" 308's had plastic pulleys, "later" cars used metal pulleys. My car is a OCT "77 build, it has plastic pulleys. As Windsock said, plastic cog with a metal center. The guide ring is also plastic, seemingly pressed on but I have found one ring with glue residue on it, factory or repair I don't know. No cracks on any of my pulleys, I checked them over carefully.

 

That could be said about virtually any replacement part for these cars.
- Dave

 

The belt change interval subject on all Ferrari's with cambelts has been done to death so much on Ferrarichat, that there should be an automatic re-direct to a site statement that simply says:

"Change your cambelts when you feel most comfortable, and change your tensioner bearings too if you think they're needed"

With cars such as the 348/F355/Mondial T/Testarossa series and other models where the cambelt change is very labour intensive, and expensive for those who do not work on their own cars, I can understand the thinking for extending the cambelt replacement service for as long as possible (especially looking at some of the prices Ferrari specialists seem to charge in the USA - UK specialists seem to charge a lot less!)

With the 308/328/3.0/3.2Mondial cars, the cambelt replacement is a straight forward job, carried out with the engine in situ, through the rear wheel arch, and the parts are cheap. It's not even labour intensive (compare the work required to change the belts in a Ferrari 308/328 to a 1980's BMW, a VW or a Lancia Integrale! )

I change my belts and tensioners every 3 years (and I change my oil every year - With a new filter! , along with the air filter, fuel filter and coolant), because it's cheap as chips and gives me peace of mind (yes the tensioners probably don't need doing so often, but they don't add a massive amount to the bill)

My thinking?: The cost of replacing the belts and tensioners is a damn sight cheaper than the cost of an engine rebuild due to a cambelt or tensioner failure!

Each to their own - As I say though, the cost of a cambelt service on a 308/328 engine is hardly a bank breaker

 

No, not true at all. A gasket fits or not, bearing size and quality is easily determined. Most parts suitability is generally very easily determined by a knowledgeable mechanic by at the most, basic tools at hand.
How many of you spent more than 8 seconds determining the suitability of the spring?

And it does not begin to address my point. If the spring is all that you have to establish correct belt tension put the tools away and get it done by someone who has a clue.

 

Another thing to consider is that timing belts in automotive engines was relatively new technology at the time with the Boxer being the first production Ferrari utilizing them only a couple of years prior to the 308. Not yet proven in long term use and failures in any brand car would lead Ferrari (and other manufactures) to adopt a short replacement life recommendation out of an abundance of caution. Witness Ferrari's slow adaptation of disc brakes, they let others do the development and jumped in only after they were proven to be reliable long term.

I would agree with 4rePhill, change the belts when you feel the need.

Those of thus around at the time when timing belts were starting to appear on engines can remember that they were truly advanced technology. My cousin bought a Pontiac with their OHC 6 cylinder engine when it came out in 1966. He opened his hood constantly for people (gearheads in particular) to gaze in wonder at the strange arrangement at the front of the engine. The Fiat 124 followed shortly after, another engine with a prominent timing belt arrangement at the front. As a side note my son recently acquired a Fiat 124 spider from an estate in his wife's family. It had been sitting for 30 years and after prudent replacement of some components (timing belt included) and a carb rebuild the engine fired up at the first turn of the key. The engine was designed by ex-Ferrari engineer Lampredi, a wonderful little unit. Parts for the Fiat 124 are, in direct contrast to Ferrari, amazingly cheap rivaling the VW aircooled Bug in low cost.

 

RITIS -
Run It Til It Snaps!

 

I would add to stay away from SKF bearings (double race). Had them installed by a Ferrari dealer because that's what Ferrari recommended and when I went to do my own belts, the grease had flown out of the bearings and made a nice line around the inside of the covers. In addition, the bearings were noisy when I changed them. I use only Hill Engineering bearings now and have not had that experience since then.

 

Fiat used them far before Ferrari. Fiat owners in the USA did not take preventative changes seriously and they became famous for belt failures. It killed the Fiat market in the USA and they have never returned.

 

(PDF) DEVELOPMENT OF TIMING BELT DRIVES

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TIMING BELTS

Timing belt is a relatively young drive, firstly designed as a drive for a sewing machine by
engineer Richard Y. Case in 1946. It was a rubber belt with trapezoidal teeth profile. After
twenty years, in 1962, the timing belt was for the first time built in an automobile, Glas
1004. Engine of Glas 1004 was the first engine where the timing belt was utilized as the
camshaft drive (Synchroflex). Valve train was very simple and the timing belt drive had no
belt tensioner, Figure 1. Massive use of the timing belts started at the end of 1960’s on Fiat
125 and Fiat 128 automobile and, at the beginning of 1970’s, on the first Golf automobile.

After initial doubt, almost all producers of Otto and Diesel engines for passenger cars have
utilized the timing belts. The timing belt is today the most frequently used camshaft drive.
Application of the timing belts is mostly linked to automobiles, though just 2% of timing
belt production is intended for application in automotive industry.

Glas (company) - Wikipedia

 

Not very up to date information.

 

I just want to leave this here, and thank Rifledriver.

THIS is a "cam belt and tensioner service"!!!
See ya'll tomorrow!
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I would be tempted to replace those fuel lines while I'm there, too.

 

AI version of a belt change in progress...

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Of course, the original problem was: Won' t run bad gas.

But as the Service Department knew me and the car, they started with First Things first.

So with the belt change, comes:
Degree the cams
Check the cam drive bearings
Inspect the cogged drive wheels fior cracking and fence damage.
Check the shims at the cam lobes.
..and on and on and on.

As they "back out of there, they have to clean the carbs (rebuilt less than 5K miles ago), I had installed fresh plugs and fuel pump.
Fuel filter
All fuel lines to modern spec.
They certainly can replace all that braided hose you see there, but those are not fuel lines....
WUR I think......

I did agree they can finish the cam covers with flat aluminum as on our North Amercain cars they do not match anyway.
So they will make them match!!

Adding a shut off valve at the LH fuel tank would be a nice mod, so you could change the filter without drsining the tank

 

It's funny, I have a Ziplock from the 'first problem" when I bought the car:
Exploded front header failure from intermittant operation of MSD aftermarket ignition.
That was a tough self repair as the header is in place when Ferrari drops it in.

And the flames blowing out of the collector against the RH fuel tank COULD have been exciting too!

QUIZ:
What important part do you see here, that needs to go back in????

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Answer:
NOT the asbestos from the header wrap.
NOT some of that braided hose like you observed.

The sheet metal screw/washer is at the top[ of the inner fender into the frame of the engine compartment.
The most importsant bit is that Intake Trumpet Base gasket bushing.
I knew I was missing one as there's 16 and they are easily dropped when pulliing the airbox and trumpets off.

I knew I only had fifteen, and the Tech on my engine does too!
They go on the carn studs as kind of a "crush limit" to the base gasket, I think.

There was a tiny metric machine screw/washer in there too, that holds the forward lower inner fender in at the front edge.
Ferrari just had odd ways of building things, pop rivets being the favorite body fastener of all!

 

I just swap each belt to opposite banks..
Tension that had been pulled in one direction for last 4 years is then pulled in opposite direction returning the belts to new condition.

 

This is brilliant and thanks for the money saving tip. With now knowing I can go for several belt changes with the same belts and oil filter......... owning a Ferrari is actually saving me money. Now if I can just figure out how to use Penny's for valve shims the savings will be rolling in!!!!

 

So these line are not fuel lines?
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I'd have a serious case of the ass if I saw my mechanic put all that crap on the roof of my car, dirty oily parts in the trunk and zero blankets to protect the paint. Does he have any respect for your property?