348 oil pump kit (update)

DO IT. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO THE UPGRADE. Your engine is already on the bench; there is no better time to do it.

If the bearing fails, you have two big problems:

1. Pulling the engine again for the fix
2. Listening to the engine chew itself to bits from oil starvation or (more likely) bits and pieces flying around where they're not supposed to go.

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261292

A well known Fchatter is doing the same update this coming week. Another fchatter had his bearing fail, causing a big repair bill.

 

I've done that fix a few times on early cars over the last seven or eight years, one as a repair, the rest as preventative maintenance as part of the service. ferrarioldman supplied a copy of the relevant TSB on it to Daniel relatively recently. A ferrarichat search will uncover it.

The plastic roller cage of the rear bearing of the drive sprocket for the oil pump drive fails, the center race goes off-center, the chain gets slack and balls start falling into the sump. You need to take a few more pieces off than usual in the normal course of an engine out service (front cover, oil pan and scavenge pickup, IIRC) but it's something I'll be doing as a preventative measure to my t Coupe when I do the service this fall. It also includes a tensioner upgrade, again IIRC.

I've only heard of one catastrophic failure though, and the guy was alerted after the noise started. He stopped before it took out anything else, so don't get your BP up from Daniel's warning (easy, Tony!). Just a very good idea if you've got it out. Only affects early assembly numbers...

Your man is thinking ahead.

-Peter

 

Mr. Krause, any chance that I could get all of the 348 TSB's from you so that I could add them at one time to the 348 Primer webpage?


http://webpages.charter.net/aircover/348/1994Ferrari348Spider.html

 

I have a question. When I'm driving my 348 the oil pressure looks great. When I'm sitting waiting on lights it goes way down. Engine sounds fine, runs and sounds excellent. Is this a normal? Indy

 

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Thanks. Indy

 

Noce 348 Jack. I intend to paint my top and lowers just like yours. I have a few bigger fish to fry right now like aircon, and a new windshield. Suppose to pick up my new windscreen this Tuesday. I'm still learning a lot about this car. mine is a little rough but runs great, and tracks straight, just needs a lot of small cosmetic things. I had been wondering about the oil press a little, but it runs so good, I didn't thinks anything possible could be wrong with it. Thanks again. Best Regards Indy

 

Normal on the OP. Oil temp goes up, resting pressure (idle) goes down. I've had a few cars at the end of the change interval (3000-5000 miles or annually) light the low pressure warning light momentarily if the idle "cycles" really low when the oil is hot (210 F +). Again, not a problem as long as it doesn't come on driving down the road (engine above idle).

I just changed my oil yesterday for the first time since I got the car (2800 miles in seven weeks!?!) and used Castrol TWS 10W-60 (BMW Motorsport specified for the E46 M3). The old oil (Mobil One 15W-50) was just under twenty months old (the PO had put 35 miles on the car since that last oil change 10/04 and when I got the car 6/06 and I decided to continue on it) and I had had a problem where the car was idling very rich cold and intermittently hot (blowing black smoke, discoloring rear bumper cover).

Applying Stabilant to the MAF connectors fixed that and when I drained the oil, it was clear there was fuel dilution. Now, hot idle pressure is at the first (quarter) mark where it used to be just above the lowest mark. Running pressure is now two-thirds gauge deflection hot rather than just above the middle (second) mark. I don't think the type of oil has any more to do with it than just the fact that the fresh oil is not diluted and is, in fact, fresh. Man does that car drive well!

No Doubt, your reference page is marvelous. While I have been a full-time, Ferrari independent mechanic for twenty-five years, I have only a limited number of TSB's. I would be glad to assemble what I have and forward it to you for inclusion, but this one is pretty important, so I'll try and put my hands on that ASAP. Daniel, you posted it not long ago, didn't you?

-Peter

 

Numbers in this old TSB have been superseded.

144713 -> 171177
149241 -> 185343
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Thanks, Daniel!

-Peter

 

Okay fancy pants, how about one for the "updated" rear main seal.

 

148672 -> 174249
172429 RING (174249+148671 REPLC BY 183581)

183581 is the currently spec'd rear main seal.

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=208961


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