355 tapping noise from engine | FerrariChat

355 tapping noise from engine

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Robin, Dec 19, 2005.

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  1. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    I searched the board and it seems like a lot of people describe the cracked header sound like a ticking/tapping/gurgling noise that is pretty loud when the car is cold, but goes away as it warms up. This is exactly what my car started doing last night (99 355F1...) So I called the nearest dealership to make sure my manifolds are still covered in case they are cracked, but the guy said it sounds more like a cracked air rail. Obviously they haven't seen or heard the car yet, so he was making a guess just based on me describing what's going on. I looked around and couldn't find anything about 355 air rails though. Anyone heard of this? I've already been jacked by one F dealership by paying for unnecessary repairs, and I'd rather not do that again.

    -R
     
  2. Joe G.

    Joe G. Formula 3
    BANNED

    Dec 9, 2003
    1,109
    Los Angeles
    Full Name:
    Joe Gazzani
    how long does it take to go away ? relatively quick, like 5 min ?
     
  3. 1Turbo

    1Turbo Formula Junior

    Jan 26, 2005
    675
    LA$ VEGA$
    Full Name:
    Jimmy K
    It "Sounds" like your Headers are going. Get an Auto Stethoscope & Pinpoint the Tick. If the Ticking goes away after warm-up, my educated Guess is that your Exhaust Manifold(s) are bad. It will get worse over time & the Ticking will become more evident.Sorry for the Bad News. Been there, done that @ only 18K miles.OEM Headers = GARBAGE !!!
     
  4. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 19, 2001
    22,574
    The Brickyard
    Full Name:
    The Bad Guy
    Sounds to me like you need to buy yourself a good set of tools and get your hands dirty.
     
  5. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    The air injection rails were updated somewhere in the 96 model year, so (hopefully) that is a unlikely source...more likely the headers themselves.
     
  6. Nick

    Nick Formula Junior
    Sponsor Professional Ferrari Technician

    Oct 31, 2003
    506
    Full Name:
    Nick Scianna
    Sounds like manifolds, chances are that the noise will be coming from one of the areas that is very blue on the manifold shield, that is where the hot spots are & the problem should be below one of those hot spots, seeing more & more of it everyday even on the 5.2 355's.
     
  7. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    Cool thanks for the info. It's a 99 with about 27k miles on it, so I guess it's about time for the manifolds to go... It does take about 5 minutes for the sound to quiet down actually. Unfortunately I don't have to time to deal with this stuff myself. Now I just have to figure out if I want a free manifold from Ferrari while waiting for the other to crack, or just go ahead and buy some good ones. Hm...

    -R
     
  8. notoboy

    notoboy F1 Rookie

    Jul 8, 2003
    2,531
    NYC
    Full Name:
    David
  9. mg54

    mg54 Rookie

    Jan 12, 2005
    48
    Massachusetts
    Full Name:
    Michael Gardner
    Before you rip the engine apart, try spraying some belt dressing on the water pump and air conditioner belts....Many 308s and 328s, mondials have that same problem and believe it or not it is the belts..
     
  10. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
    Full Name:
    Kenneth
    My Honda made a similar sound that also went away when the car warmed up. It was the heat shielding around tha cat. I don't know about your car, but if it has heat shields that look like an inverted gutter around the cats, that may be it.

    Ken
     
  11. Jerrari

    Jerrari F1 Veteran

    Jul 24, 2001
    5,463
    Michigan
    Full Name:
    Jerry Wiersma
    Robin, my 308 did that exact same thing and my TR does it now. I have not worried about it as it goes away in about 2-3 minutes. I have a hard time believing it is anything serious.
     
  12. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    Welp I'm having it looked at in a few weeks when I get home, so I'll see what's up. It sounds a bit like a tractor, which makes me think something really is hosed up...Better safe than sorry I guess. Thanks for the info guys!

    -R
     
  13. Jerrari

    Jerrari F1 Veteran

    Jul 24, 2001
    5,463
    Michigan
    Full Name:
    Jerry Wiersma
    Is it more like a tick or a knock? Mine is a tick.
     
  14. Robin

    Robin F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    2,931
    Arlington, VA
    More like a loud tapping noise at first, then over the course of about 5 minutes it reduces to a ticking noise. Always varies with RPM though. It's so loud at first that it really does sound like a tractor though... quite embarassing actually.

    -R
     
  15. wlracing

    wlracing Karting

    Dec 14, 2004
    234
    UK
    Full Name:
    wally
    Hi,
    Your explanation sound as though it is one or more of the hydraulic tappets that have not pumped up, not too series probebly a blocked oil way in the tappet .
     
  16. mgtr1990

    mgtr1990 Formula 3

    Mar 30, 2005
    1,580
    Naples Florida
    Full Name:
    Martin Graham
    My 355 does the same and I agree with the embarassing part I have a Tubi and Hyperflows so under accelaration the car sound great but if I am idling around it sounds like a tractor I had assumed that it was the on going battle with the rattling Exhaust by pass but reading this thread I am not so sur now.
     
  17. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    Examine the heat shields on the exhaust manifolds...if you look at where the heat shields terminate (each end) look for bits of insulating material blowing out...whitish, or gray looking fiberous stuff...if you see it working or being forced out, then you have manifold failure...and that is the exhaust escaping under the heat shield, and forcing the insulating material along with it.

    Fix it fast, before it damages the exhaust valves.
     
  18. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    That's a great tech tip, and I know that it's been confirmed by several people as being accurate here...but I have difficulty understanding the theory behind exhaust escaping...damaging exhaust valves. Is it a heat problem?
     
  19. cf355

    cf355 F1 Rookie

    Feb 28, 2005
    4,208
    Full Name:
    chris
    The reason the valves are damaged by exhaust leaking at the manifolds is because the valves cool too fast which results in a lean condition (read :eek:verheat) and damaged (burned) valve seats.

    Of course the 355 also has a problem with valve guides and this only exasperates the problem.
     
  20. jakermc

    jakermc Formula 3
    Owner

    Jan 17, 2004
    1,792
    Palm Beach, FL
    Full Name:
    Rob
    I've got the same sound on my '98 and suspect its my passenger side manifold. Last year I had both cats and the driver side manifold replaced and had a similar sound before that work. With my valve guides already replaced and a new TO bearing 2 years ago, this should be my last repair of the known problem areas.

    Last year I was in a rush to get the car back in service and had Ferrari of Dallas (Boardwalk) do the work. This year I am thinking of ordering a replacement part from QV and doing the work myself. I assume this should be no more than a bolt off, bolt on kind of job and I have a lift to make the job easier.

    Has anyone posted step-by-step instuctions of this repair in the past?
     
  21. GordonF355

    GordonF355 Formula 3

    Aug 13, 2005
    1,017
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Gordon
    I am not sure if it is the exhaust manifolds, as I had ticking with the bad stock manifolds, and still have the same ticking with brand new aftermarket manifolds. You can really only hear the ticking at idle and lower rpm's. At higher ones I cannot hear it due to the jet engine sound of the capristo and test pipes!
    gordon
     

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