Insistent on steel valve guides?

This is exactly why it was suggested that the car that I PPI'd was a pass. It doesn't matter if its valve guides or pitted valves, the fix is the same. Thus the suggestion to pass on the car, re: CC and LD numbers.

 

Will a carbon deposit eat away at the metal? Those almost look like scratches into the size of the valve.

 

Excellent point. No use fixing just one area of the car without looking at everything. I told my shop that I wanted the whole engine examined & fix what needed to be fixed.

 

Carbon has always been a well known problem. No one suggests otherwise but to suggest that is mistaken for guide wear is just ignorance of the process.

A huge number of the cars were done under warranty and the scrutiny exercised by Ferrari to pay those bills would just not allow that.

 

Will any of the cleaner products out there help to lessen the carbon problem? Should I be adding something to my fuel tank from time to time?

 

The fix for this would be new valves and lap them? I guess the heads still need to come off?

 

Most of the carbon problems have been seen in cars used for short trips and never getting fully warmed up or driven long periods in a poor state of tune. It is also seen in cars being driven very conservatively and cars with bad valve guides and or seals.

We have seen carbon build up on the back of the valves so high, proper valve seating is not physically possible.

For a good mechanic to confuse this for bad valve guides (when they were not the cause) is laughable.


If however this "Revelation" helps to convince anyone that the 355s did not have a valve guide problem, by all means believe whatever fantasy works for you.

 

That is/was my understanding. I haven't heard anything in the form of a magic elixir to correct this.

When I did that PPI at Algar, this is precisely the discussion that I had with two of their techs. The diagnosis that their head tech came up with was carbon build on the valves and seats. The head tech had taken the car out for a spirited drive and the CC and LD did improve but two cylinders still were less than ideal. He did not feel that any seafoam or other stuff would change the situation and he did advise that I pass on the car because the fix was not budgeted into the ask price. Of course the final decsion was mine but the repair was head removal, valves, guides while your in there, etc.

That car had 18K miles and had 1500 put on in the last 3 years before I looked at it.

 

Did that car have the older bronze guides? Was the production number before the supposed switch over?

 

I don' know the answer to that. It was a 97 so I believe it was before that document numerically. The vin is on here in posts on that PPI.

The other cylinders were within range on the CC and LD and because it had improved with the "tune up" and the mileage history it all pointed to carbon build up. Algar wanted a LOT of money to fix it and when I went to the selling dealer (Porsche) and tried to negotiate that fix they passed. I wonder where that car is????

 

My apology. I apparently posted the wrong video link. Here is the correct one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY0jqb8Ld-4&feature=youtu.be

 

Got similar results on a recent 2.7 motor

 

Thanks for posting video. Really helps put things into clear prospective

 

My first post on Ferrari Chat ... I noticed that you used Algar for your PPI. I'm in Bucks County, and thinking of buying an F355 (although I have to tell you, I'm getting a bit scared off by all this valve guide talk!). In any event, I wanted your impression of them (Algar). Did you feel the techs knew what they were talking about? (I won't ask if the price was fair, because it's all too damn expensive). Is there anyone else in the area who works on Ferraris? Thank you! - L

 

wondering what ever happened with this?

 

Just like terrorist, Now you are scared for no reason. There are fixes, Many cars obviously have been fixed, some done wrong nothing new in the car world, Plenty of Hacks touch cars and cause more work down the line just to make a buck.

buy wisely and educate yourself on the model.


Also the older the ferrari the less and less I would take it to a Fcar dealer. I would find a good independent in the area that has messed with these older Ferrari. Or you can alwasy ship your car to a Well known Independent and get that piece of mind of them doing the work.

 

I just saw this.

Tony, the Ferrari master tech that worked at Algar and did my ppi opened his own shop somewhere nearby. If I was in the area , I would hunt him down. I paid $550 for the ppi at Algar.

 

Thanks very much for tip, I found him at: scuderia performante . Still trying to get a hold of original owner service records, if so will take next step and get this thing tested. If for any reason I don't buy it, happy to post info for others in case they're interested. best, James

 

I totally reconditioned my 355 GTS, and sintered steel guides with titanium bearings, reseated valves and new cylinder liners is considered complete redo.

Keep in mind what botched compression is doing to the motor over time? All those change outs will ensure a nearly zero mile build quality motor.

Spend the money and do it right.. I drive the heck out of mine and John Tirrell of IFS in Massachusetts said you pretty much have an everyday driver Motor after that... He did my work and is considered an authority in the biz


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