3X8 Failures?

Call this the "paranoia" thread...

I haven't had anything fail on my 328. But - I had the water pump pre-emptively rebuilt during the last major (1/06). The coolant expansion tank was rusty on the edges and bulged at the top, so I replaced that. I had an old and suspect coolant hose replaced. I replaced the battery when I bought the car just because I didn't know when it was last done. One of the rubber fuel lines looked old so we replaced them all. Small money compared to an engine fire. Etc.

I'm not a mechanic, but when I take my car in for an oil/fluid change I ask my Ferrari tech to check over "the usual suspects" and point out what looks like potential bad news.

328s are really good cars. If you're taking it on a long trip, maybe have your tech change the oil, and while it's on the rack give everything a good look. Honestly, I could probably drive mine across the country next week if I had to.

 

I'd drive mine anywhere. I have triple A and a cell phone


The only time I've been stranded was a cooling hose failure, and I've put 40,000+ miles on my 328 in the past 5 years

 

I drove my GT4 over 250 miles this past weekend (YES, SHE IS BACK!!) without incident. It's always a concern, but if you care properly these types of incidents will be minimized.

JIM

 

I would think that water pump rebuilds at every major service, even if you go with 5 year intervals(or 30K miles) would be above and beyond what's needed to prevent water pump failure. That is of course given that the mechanic doing the service knows what he's doing. Am I correct in assuming this? I've never had a car fail a water pump until it gets into the 60K plus range regardless of age, not Ferrari's but MBZ's/BMW's and others.

Jeff

 

I think the recommendation to just go ahead and do it during the major service is because the pump rebuild is inexpensive, but the labor to get to it is significant. If the pump fails, you'll need a tow and the same disassembly required to get to the timing belts.

As to whether they fail frequently, I kind of doubt it. When I bought my car, there were no records that the pump had been rebuilt or replaced in 7-8 years, and (per Tom Jones at Sport Auto) it was in perfect condition. I didn't want to let it go 10-11 years, so Tom rebuilt it.

 

I've Never had a premature failure of any kind so far. (2 1/2 years)
My 308qv is more reliable than my 95' Lexus SC300 (and cheaper to run). Each year I try to improve its condition, this year I changed plugs, injectors, thermostat and fluids. It just(a few weeks ago) passed emissions easily(better numbers than the test 2 yrs ago) and runs strong. The prev year I changed tires, flushed brake fluid, oil, checked pads and rotors, installed Birdman's fuseblocks and replaced all of the relays. plus a few minor things (brighter dash lights etc). Just invest a few hundred $/year (DYI) and it's a super reliable car.

 

+1 and I have 300 miles of free towing

 

I had the Alternator fail on my car when i was about 20km from home.The battery died as well but I made it home

 

You mean the battery died after you got home. Otherwise I don't think you would have made it home

 

I've never had a problem yet....I had a new waterpump put on during the major last month...

 

Here are a few suggestions from personal experience...

Alternator failed on me the day I got my 308GT4. Didn't even get home. Plugged a battery into the cigarette lighter socket to get me the few remaining kms home. Reconditioned unit is cheap insurance.

For early 308s, 365s, etcetera, DEFINITELY get rid of the old sodium-filled exhaust valves and replace with stainless. Talked about in lots of threads but its an age not mileage thing. Expensive when they go - my experience cost me a fortune! (Photos of pieces of pistons, liners and so on that came out of the sump are scary!!)

If you have the motor out at any stage then replace the short water hose which is buried right way down at the bottom with a virtually indestructible neoprene hose, then never worry about it failing in the future. This hose is impossible to get at with the motor in situ, so it's good preventative medicine if you are already there.

Replace the crappy old fuse system with either Birdman's fuse blocks (inexpensive and very good) or Samsaprunoff's fuse blocks (more expensive but look more original), and eliminate a source of potential failure and maybe also fix a few electrical gremlins along the way (see many other threads).

Brake fluid - if you are going to push the car e.g. track days, replace the brake fluid with something serious with a high boil point (see other threads). I found this out at Oran Park Raceway when the brake fluid decided it had had enough at the end of the main straight - brake pedal to the floor at speed is not a nice experience - change of underwear territory. Luckily, there was decent run-off and the pedal did pump up just enough to eventually pull up ok.

Cheers,
Grahame

 

My water pump failed the day after I bought my car in 1997. About a month later the voltage regulator wore out. Besides that, not much else and both of those events were over ten years ago.

 

My car stranded me three times - for the same problem. My water pump/alternator belt kept snapping - all of them brand-new belts. On one such event, AAA was called for a flat-bed to come rescue me. As AAA towing is sub-contracted, they hired the nearest guy with a flatbed to tow a Ferrari - he was IN ANOTHER STATE, took 3 hours to find me, and tried to drag my 308 up the ramp BY THE SPOILER and not the tow hook.

The water pump/alternator problem was solved by removing the wrong washers from the A/C mounting bracket. An Indie Ferrari mechanic who worked on my A/C system had re-installed the compressor incorrectly (using the wrong-sized washers on the mounting bracket), and my alternator/water pump belt would come into contact with the bottom of the unit during normal driving on instances of quick throttle let-up (causing the belt to 'slack', fly upward, and contact the A/C compressor). A VERY intermittant and difficult-to-troubleshoot problem, btw. But one that stumped several 'good' Ferrari mechanics...

 

I forgot about the alt wp belt thing. Four failures for me. I updated to the twin belt set-up that Ferrari recommended in a 12/83 service update to dealers. So far the problem is solved.

 

The previous owner of my car had a starter problem (rebuilt by local shop) and the water pump belt broke. So far (1.5 years & 2000 miles) I have not had a roadside breakdown.

 

I broke the clutch adjustment rod on the GT4 twice, got her home though. $98 for the part, then I found one @ catapiller for 7$

 

My only on the road failures have been a fuse ( fixed my self) water pump belt... & clamp came loose on one of the fuel lines... car worked but did not want to drive a bbq!

The big road failure was a cam belt sheered all its teeth... that was a big one... happend about 1 mile from home... I drove my 308 back and forth from Atlanta to North of Pittsburgh PA a dozen times & never had a problem... did have a flat tire and hit a carcass of a dead dear... long story... but thats it... they are remarkably solid cars... but the fear of being straded in WV... does make one pause!

 

Cue the banjos....

 

I guarantee you he is wrong. They are either original or they are good, but they are not both. If they are original and they are braided cloth on the outside then your first clue that they are bad will be that they will seep fuel. I recommend changing them at least the day before that happens or sooner. Take one off and give it a squeeze and see how cracked it really is. (Go find that video of the yellow 308 at the gas station for inspiration.)

 

And for further reading...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170985

 

My family is from WV. They still live there.


...and I agree with you

 

One other thing that can let you down if you don't drive very often is the battery. I've had a couple of issues over the years through lack of taking the car out for a regular run. Just when you really want to go - it won't start. So I got a heavy duty deep cycle job and never had problems since.

 

Bought my 328 last winter and had a major done on it this spring. And I was thinking of going through all the brakes, wheels and suspension next spring. Well it caught me back last week when a bushing probably broke and started shaking the car. Roxanne is now on a lift waiting for new parts on its right rear wheel. At the same time I'm having a small electric gremlin fixed. And of course I asked for a complete look at the brake, suspension, wheel, bearings, etc...in these areas.