Hi guys, Thought I should some pictures of the work that has just begun on my 355. It is a very clean, one-owner-from-new, 27k mile car, that has been maintained well. I just bought it and knew it needed the belts done. While the engine is out, I'm also replacing the headers (getting them reconditioned in the UK) and the water pump. Everything else seems to be fine, so the rest is just a few new hoses, all fluids and filters. The interior sticky bits are also out to get fixed. The pictures are from taking the engine out, but no work has really started yet. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
A few more pictures...enjoy! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
According to the mechanic, the belts hadn't been replaced in quite a few years and showed quite a bit of cracking, one of them being quite loose!! Fortunately nothing happened and all is well with the inside of the engine...he said the car was very clean and original, all intact and just needing a good refresh. **big sigh of relief**
Fantastic work! I really like it when owners go to the trouble of showing us the work on their cars. Thanks!
I would be happy to set you up with a set of Fabspeed Headers thatare proven to be made of better material than the stock headers.
Very nice! Im happy to know that it needs just a refreshing treatment. Thats honorable work on a gorgeous car. Id like to see this beauty roars when ready. Temos de combinar!
Thank you for your offer! I have opted to send them to the UK to be refurbished. My mechanic has a good friend that apparently does an excellent job (he's used him many times before) and is relatively cheap, at around $950 per header. Turnaround time should be 10 days.
Yes, so it seems! The car's records indicate that it was serviced at Ferrari from new until 2006, when it had its last proper tuneup, at 20k miles. Since then, in the past 7 years the car has only covered 7k miles and was serviced at an independent mechanic with whom I've talked over the phone, and doesn't recall a belt change, only oils and filters annually. I have a feeling that the last belt change was done in 2006!! eek. Luckily all is well and being made right again, ready for some more miles to be piled on. Hopefully the next pictures will be of the engine with the service already performed... Thank you all!
Yeah, the mechanic also recommended it and, according to him, by the sound the car made at idle, they were pretty shot (I couldn't tell!). Better now then when they can cause real engine problems...
Great information and pics - keep them coming as you can. Mine is due for major next year (leaning on the more frequent side and doing it a the 4 year mark) so anxious to see how others are faring. Good luck although it sounds like you already had some! Cheers
Not necessarily in 2006, but possibly even prior to that. The records show that it was serviced until 2006 at Ferrari, but does it show a major in 2006 at Ferrari? Its last service in 2006 at Ferrari could have been just a fluids change, or some other minor service/repair.
So the timing belts have been replaced, engine cleaned and looking way better. I've also changed the water pump and painted the cam covers. Still waiting on the reconditioned headers from the UK, which should arrive shortly. Apart from several hoses, filters and the usual stuff on the major, we've also replaced the ball containing bushing (part 154741) and the ball join seat (part 127446) in the gearbox to eliminate some vibration it had at higher rpm. Should be ready soon... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sure. Basically at higher rpms, when accelerating, the stick would vibrate against the gate. You could stop it by putting your hand on the gear lever, but that's not ideal, especially when this car likes to be revved! It seems to be relatively common, as I found several threads on the subject, all indicating to one of the parts that I changed. The other part was just for added precaution, as neither was very expensive. Hope this helps.
My F355 is currently in for it's major as well. I opted to go with the aftermarket Fabspeeds as my stock headers had already been rebuilt once before. I'm looking forward to getting her back sometime next week (I hope). Good luck and happy driving!
Finally picked up my car from her major. It took so long because between August, a summer month when everything stops and business trips, I could only pick the car up now. Sorry that I have no pictures of the complete engine going back in, I just took a few pictures with the whole car back together again...not sure you can see much, except for a very clean and shiny engine. The good part is that the service has transformed the car. The engine is an entirely different animal from before, loving the revs and soooo smooth. The vibration from the gear stick has also gone with the parts we changed. The reconditioned headers (done at Stainless Steel Exhausts | Custom Made Stainless Exhaust Specialist - no affiliation) sound fantastic. The interior stickies have been repaired locally and came out great. Got a complete detail and paint correction, looks almost new. Very happy, now I just have to drive her...often! Thanks for all the interest. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
And a picture of her rear end right before she left the shop, all clean and glossy...only to be covered in squashed bugs on the drive back home Image Unavailable, Please Login
