MAJOR SERVICE A ON THE TESTAROSSA.

Search on any number of terms (belts, major, etc.) and you will see this debate raged over many threads and in them you will see endless opinions. It is all in how comfortable you are in taking a risk. Factory used to say 5 years, now 3. What changed? Good question. History, performance, greed...

I, like others, feel safe at 5-7 years as long as the car is exercised routinely and the belts don't have a chance to "take a shape" from sitting. So many other factors have to be considered as well but it all comes down to exposure to risk. Step up to the table and roll the dice...

CC

 

I would guess they are trying to clear out inventory of TR parts

 

Just for some amusement, ask to see an official document, if they are claiming it came from the Ferrari factory. Or FNA. Then verify it, no?

IMHO, the factory or FNA could completely care less whether older cars from 12 to 22 years old service belts at 3 years, 5 years, 7 years, or whatever.

I don't logically see how just a dealership, no matter which one, could possibly make this kind of call with any kind of serious authority.

 

Hasn't this been kicking around for quite a while?
I mean, this isn't new, is it?

From what I see - and I don't like it one little bit - Ferrari doesn't give a rat's azz about any older Ferraris at all anyway, so what do you care what they recommend for them?

You look to see what is found to be comfortable and workable for others, and the proved histories, and make your own decision.
As for owners dumping their TRs, just point them to me with their low priced, well maintained redheads.

 

I agree with all....exercise the car regularly and properly and you can go 5 to 6 years on a TR before servicing. I believe the flat-12 motors are gentle on the timing belts compared to a v-8, and the TR uses 2 belts instead on one long belt. If your TR motor develops a severe oil or coolant leak up front, and the belts get exposed to it....then you should do the service right away! But as a rule of thumb 5-6 years or 30k mile interval for a TR is fine.

 

I would agree Ferrari doesn't really care about the older cars. They are in the business to move new Ferraris. I think the belt change is all subjective to how you drive it just like clutches, tires and anything else that takes a beating.

 

I would say the belt works harder activating more valves than on a 16 valve 8, a testarossa is 48 valves. The TR belt is fatter than an 8 but not 4 times. Also only the 348 uses one belt, everything else is 2.

 

i was told that too, but on all ferraris, not just testarossas. i am still going to change the belts every 5-6 years. do what you are comfortable with.

 

It's really hard to say. I put a new serpentine belt on a Jeep I had, and about 2 years later it was cracked all over it. Heat is probably the biggest enemy to them. Still, three years is a bit excessive.

 

There is a bulletin out regarding the belts. It gave no reason for the change. Consider a dealer that has recieved this bulletin then telling their clients it is still ok to go 5-7 years. If a belt then fails the same person who was harping abought the dealer ripping him off at three years is now taking the dealer to court with a handy copy of this bulletin and having the dealer pay for an expensive valve job and possibly more on a expensive boxer motor. Iknow many of the deales feel 3 years may be short but they are backed into a corner.

 

A good point, but it doesn't address the question of why ferrari felt it necessary to issue the bulletin.
Obviously, every dealer in America didn't collude to make more frequent major services. - Or, at least, I hope not.

 

The V8 bulletin is attached the 12 cyl bulletinis 1003 but i do not have it in electronic format. I will see if I can get it scanned in the next few days. The recomendation was changed due to the high number of belt failures inside of 5yrs or 30k miles. Most of these failures came as a result of outside influentses causing belt failure, tensioners, oil contamination or prolonged storage without, or polution degrading the rubber. Specifically low level ozone that is a regional pollution has a very drastic affect on rubber. The premature failures resulted in the belt manufacturer revising their service interval.
I agree that a car that sees proper care and use should go beyond 3 yrs but I always inform the client of the factory recomendations and let them make the decision. It is amazing how many near dissasters we see during services.
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I'm not buying any "low level ozone" theory. Belts on every other car in America are not any different.
These belts are not rubber, and for all of the hoopla, they are pretty d*mn tough.

The big factor is how they are used.
Stomp on your TR and your belts are going to fail more often, period, but the same thing applies to a pinto.
Remember them?

When I used to speed shift my 1st wife's little darling it would shed belts faster than a two dollar whore.
Of course the engine did not turn into expensive junk when it did.

Again, you go with what you are comfortable with given the manner in which you drive.

 

GABRIEL: I see your point, that does support what I've learned. I'll also expand my earlier statement about 12 cyclinder motors being "easier" on the belts than 8 cylinder motors. If something is under a constant stress, it tends to last longer than if the stress is cyclic. Driving a car gently, shifting gears smoothly, puts less stress on timing belts than abrupt shifts and rapid rpm changes. Our distinguished fchat member NEWMAN points out that the TR's motor with 48 valves may strain the timing belt more than a lesser vavled v8. That does make sense. But perhaps it's more about "changes" in stress and overcoming inertia....I recall reading through some technical information years ago where it was said that while more valves can exert more strain on the belts, the "ramp up" and "ramp down" oscillations caused by cam lobes and spring pressures may play a bigger part in belt fatigue. The TR motor's oscillations are more frequent, but the "amplitudes" or highs and lows are closer together or have less range because there is more lobe overlap than a v8 motor. A v8 motor has more severe oscillations, although less frequent, the "amplitudes" or highs and lows are farther apart.

Bottom Line: I guess belt life depends on many factors, camshaft resistance to rotation and oscillations caused by; 1-valve spring pressures, 2-the number of valves, 3-the cam lobe shapes, heights, and overlaps. Another variable is how many rpms the motor will see (v8's generally see higher revs than a v12). Then there is the physical timing belt routing around the pulleys - more bends and tighter bends being detrimental. Lastly is the environment in which the belt operates, heat, fluids, fumes....etc.

This is just my opinion of course....I very much welcome further comment from those in the know...

 

Funny thing is i stomp on the tr all the time, and i went on the 8th yr with mine before i changed it. The tensioner and belt both seemed fine, could have easily gone another year or 2. What forced me in was the gaskets (leaking) and the drain plug for the antifreeze was blocked. Though 3 is excessive....7-10 i think would be the max. After all these years i still havent heard of a tr/boxer belt failure.....and didnt Bob B the Tech guy from FCA go 15 yrs on his 89tr without changing them ?

 

I recall it being 16 years on Bob's car and were only changed years after he sold it. When they were changed they reportedly "looked fine".

 

I was wondering when the timing belt whiners were going to reappear.

It's your car.

It's not under warranty.

Get it serviced whenever you wish 3 years, 5 years, 15 years.

Obviously it's just a Ferrari conspiracy to screw you.

What could possibly be the risk?
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Have '91 Testa..engine out service 7/14, with other issues bill was 27K +...now it's time for me to sell and got email from a Ferrari dealer in Philly "let us sell your Ferrari" talked with dealer who informed me she's ready for another engine out service and not interested in selling but only buying. I just can't believe she needs new belts. I've read the various chats dealing with this issue and for me..I bought it in '94 (6500 Mi.) and service was over 20 yrs...maybe I was lucky...but never had an issue and for sure not now.

 

6 year old timing belts look new when they come out so unless you just really need to drop 6-8k, keep the interval around 6 years.
The newer belts are incredibly strong and durable.

 

F says every 3 years
if no oil or coolant on the belts I would say every 6-10 years but not more than 50.000 km
but this is only my personal meaning ! ! !

 

fwiw my 28k mile TR has six years on the belts (will be seven years in May, '19). I plan to do them this winter. Only about 2300miles since they were last done though.

 

Did mine after 10 years. Doing it myself was a huge time killer, wouldn't do it again. Times to precious...

 

time killer?
next time you will be faster because you know what to do and where the problems are. also you may think about the money you save and also the more knowledge you get from your car. only thing you may not do is to set yourself under pressure to be finished with the work.

 

I hear you... when I was younger, I had time. Last major took a year, on and off. I would rather be with my kids while they are young, rather than myself in a garage.

Time... is too valuable. Spending hundreds of hours on a car I love, but drive 10 hours a year, no longer makes sense...