348 broken timing belt-how much damage?

I have never in my life criticized what another person does if it's an honest days work for an honest days pay, but to borrow a term from Maranello Man, I guess that is what I should expect from an asshat from France.

 

Sure does. Most mechanics have. But how many do you stare at over the course of a year? Look, forget my earlier posts. I was just funn'in.

348 belts break more often than you can change your underwear. I hear about at least one on F-chat every hour or two.

 

Excellent point. Many of the 348's are still running on the original belt. Once they start breaking, we'll know what the "real" life expectancy is. Let's see...that would be in the neighborhood of 15 years +/- so far.

Knock on wood, I won't be one of the "experiments"; I just changed mine.

 

Brian,

please accept my most humble, humble apologies. My comment wasn't intended to be malicious at all - quite the opposite! It must be because I live in France that my view of reality has become so distorted.

'asshat from France'

 

Personally know of 1 348 failure. 348 with about 25k miles. Maintained per Ferrari standards. Do not know if the belt failed or tensioner allowing the belt to jump teeth. Saw the $16k bill from Ferrari to repair heads etc. Also recall an early 308 belt or tensioner failure, similar bill.
Regarding references to catastrophic engine failures due to belt failure. On the motors I have personally worked on with belt failure, the damage noted has been bent valves and minor scars on the piston tops, easily smoothed. I did have an early Porsche 911s that had a cam stop rotating when the timing dowel failed due to the cam not tightened properly. Bent valves, broke the rocker arms and scored the camshaft. Expensive repair! My early Porsche education.
Limited knowledge based on my DIY experience.

 

This part, I've never quite understood.
Aren't the Ferrari belts made by the same manufacturers that produce belts for other car companies, like Audi, that lasts twice as long?

I was discussing the beltchange with the workshop and they asked back
"do you dare not to change it, given the potential cost?"

Of course I don't!

/Peter

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll explain. I'm thinking of buying a motor as a spare to repair in my spare time-it has a broken belt, and that's about all I know about it. Sounds like I should consider it a "short block" purchase.

As for the Audi-Ferrari belt change intervals, it could be a function of gearing. I run 3500 rpm just cruising on the 405 in 5th(when I'm lucky). The Audi probably is geared to cruise at a somewhat lower rpm, therefore the belt gets considerably less wear. The Audi probably doesn't see 7000 rpm very often, either. Sound logical? (Given of course that with an F-car, NOTHING is logical)

 

FWIW, I'm with the mechanics on this one. I race my 348 and it gets a new belt EVERY year. If guys are too cheap to pay then do it yourself. The belt cost 50 bucks and the job is really easy and you don't need a lift but personally I would never work without one. Finally, you can't compare on car to another regarding blet life. There are all kinds of engine harmonics and belt trauma that results from design and unknown design issues. Everything is a compromise and so is belt life. Look at 960 series volvos they broke belts at 15k miles and the manual said replace at 60kmiles. Do'nt ask me how I know this...All I can say is I'll never own another Volvo even if it is free.

YMMV

 

Oh, one more thing that the mechanics will agree with me on. I have many FC'ers and other ask me when belt is changed about not doing the water pump or tensioners. Many people just change belt not wanting to pay the price. Some of those cars are breaking not because of the belt but because the belt can't take the abuse of a seized tensioner bearing or water pump. To those people I say...what do you expect? Everything is a system. The belt, waterpump, dampner, belt cover and tensioners are a system. I have some discount parachutes with only some small insignificant holes for sale...any takers?