DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE OIL !!!

Yes, I check the oil with the engine idling and after it is fully warmed up.

One trick I do is loosen the oil cap before it gets red hot. Because that oil cap gets red hot and then cools every time you drive the car, it can get quite tight on its threads. It is a lot easier to get a good grip on it and twist it loose when the engine bay is cold compared to when it is red hot. So, I get it loose and then tighten it back up finger tight before I get the car warmed up. Works well.

The other trick is to have one of those long plastic funnels if I'm going to add any oil. I add oil with the engine off. The farther away from the hot engine the better for pouring the oil. I always put in half of what I think it needs and then start up the engine again and re-measure the level. Worst thing you can do is overfill it. If you do, you'll know it when you start it up. Oil gets into the intake and makes a cloud of smoke. I've seen this done on a 360, not yet on a 430.

My car rarely needs oil, at most 1/2 a quart. YMMV because I'm only driving it about 2k - 2.5k miles per year and I get the oil changed typically twice per year (once in the spring and once in the fall). So, each oil change tops off the oil level back to full.

Biggest piece of advice is don't accidentally touch any part of that exhaust system when your checking the oil level - it is a hot piece of metal at that point.

 

Now one more concern, and this is when measuring the oil level.

You remove the cap and swipe it clean, but then when you put it back in where do you rest the cap before removing again to see the level?

At first contact with the oil reservoir or play with it a little and let it fall at the spot just prior to tighten it?

The book doesn't tell you and the dealer doesn't sound as if they are too sure also.

 

This is what I do.

 

What brand/type and rating vicosity of oil do you guys put in?

 

Me too.

I buy my spare oil from the local Ferrari dealer (FOW).
I believe it is Shell 5W40 synthetic oil.
I think it takes a total of 10 quarts when I do an oil change.

 

+1 here.

 

noticed that my 430 drinks it as well. plastic funnel, rag, and oven mitt are definite prerequisites for this procedure! also have a nice round scar on my leg about the same diameter as a 355 exhaust pipe...

 

As a former 360 owner and current 430 owner, I appreciate this thread.
Thanks
Frank

 

You suggest checking the oil with the engine fully warmed up and the car idling....is this procedure recommended for all cars or just Ferrari's in general? Or even more acutely, just the F430.

I have a lowly Subaru and have been told its best and most accurate to check the oil cold and with the car off. If you are doing it after a drive, turn the car off. Either way, there should be seperate marks on the dipstick for hot and cold engines....of course I've never checked the oil on a Ferrari before and I am unaware of its idiosyncracies...I was just curious to find out if there is a means of higher accuracy when checking my own oil.

Also, checking the oil while the car is running, wouldn't you be afraid of splash back?

 

very interesting as you NEVER need to check the oil in a 360 or even CS, now why is that ????????????????????

 

I always seem to have a hard time reading the dipstick because of all the bubbles. Does anybody have any trick or advice other than to turn off the engine right before you check it?

 

My 430 has never needed oil between changes, 11K and counting. Perhaps it's because I broke it in according to the recommendations in the owner's manual. I know most owners do not, especially if they do not intend to keep it very long.

Dave

 

Although you may be absolutely right, many argue the factory drives the car hard long before we see it and therefore there is no break in required. Like you, I always break a motor in (maybe magical thinking) believing the car and I "need to get to know each other". Incidentally, my oil use, although I have never tried 11,000 miles without a oil change, easily goes 3,000 without need for oil. Best

 

My car came with 45 miles on it when new (picked up my 06 430 in Oct 06). So someone had run it around some. I've heard they take it around the track several times and local roads and rev it up quite a bit while doing so. I just hope the transport people didn't also have fun with it while it was waiting on the docks.

 

Thanks, I really should have known that.


As for breaking in the car...90% of engine "break-in" occurs in the first 20 miles on the vehicle. Those first 20 miles typically dictate future qualities of that particular engine (ie strong or weak, burning oil or not, etc...). It is also said that a "hard" break-in is recommended for those first few miles. The rest of the break-in period (about 600-1000 miles) should be treated rather delicate, with a run up the rpm band every now and then (maybe 3 or 4 times in the first 600 miles). Another important factor for breaking in an engine is to vary revs as much as 1000rpm as often as possible, do not cruise for any longer than a minute or two at the same revs (obviously no problem in a ferrari ). This procedure is true for econoboxes and race engines alike.

 

Mine has never gone more than 4K without a change but has 11K total. I know many people argue the factory breaks them in. Why then does the manual recommend a break in procedure? It would be interesting to compare oil consumption between cars that were thrashed from day as opposed to those who waited the recommended 600 miles. Most other makes require 1000-2000 miles for break in. I know for sure that some high performance motors use a lot of oil if not broken in properly.

Dave

 

Shell oil foams so it is impossible to check the level. I switched to Mobile and there is no more foaming.

 

+1

 

When I took delivery of my 430, Ferrari of BH specifically told me to check the oil level every 1,000 miles after running the engine hard and, as stated before, make sure to leave the engine running.

I have over 6,300 miles on it in 15 months and must have added 4-6 quarts myelf in addition to the 5K service.

I sometimes forget to check regularly so I keep the oil visible in the garage as a reminder. Last thing you want is to let it run dry which apparenlty happens a lot I'm told by the service center.