Hi folks, I’m fairly close on pulling the trigger on a 348 Spider and had a question about the major service intervals. The 348 I’m looking at has 14k miles and it was last done in 2012 with about 11k miles on it. Regular service intervals from a reputable Ferrari Service shop, and all maintenance records. My question comes with major service; are they more miles specific or years specific? What truly drives that major service requirement? Luckily I’m very good friends with the owner of the car and know the history back to day one. Getting excited!!! Cheers Dave
Dave I hope you get this as the 348 is a fantastic model. To answer your question, realistically it is time driven as hardly anybody puts enough miles on their Ferrari to make it to the mileage interval. Ferrari says, for all V8 engines, 3 years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first. A lot of members here use 4 or 5 years as time interval, not many isr Ferrari’s 3-year. The 348 owners manual will say 7 years or 52,000 miles, but Ferrari came out with a TSB (technical service bulletin) that amended that to 3-years/30,000 miles
Thanks, Ace. Good to know. I know there is an irony there somewhere with Ferraris being “driven” cars, yet no owner wants to put miles on them! Although I do realize it’s not a daily driver so the miles don’t add up like they normally would do. I sold this gentleman my 97 Viper GTS and the only reason he bought it was because I did all the work myself and he watched as I did it in my garage condo next to his. He’s fanatical about maintenance and has a regular schedule to not only service his cars, but drive his cars weekly, weather permitting. I feel very comfortable with purchasing it from him. The time since the major service is a concern, but the mileage is nowhere near the service mark. What’s the longest some have gone between services? Cheers Dave
Why is it not a daily driver you realize? There is no compelling reason aside from not wanting miles to stretch service intervals. Which is ironically what your calling irony. Some people treat them like tentative investments, and fear miles may affect resale, and that's fine. I'm in NJ and don't want to drive in the snow with salt and rain etc but once spring hits I'll be driving it into the city regularly for work and going to home depot and drug store etc. Probably 7K miles over 6 months. If I still lived in Arizona or Florida I would indeed drive it regularly. Probably 15k miles a year. I plan on driving the hell out of mine don't care if I cant sell it for more than I bought it, ill just give it to the kids at 100k miles.
I know one that went 9 years, and he drove it hard. There’s another one that I heard was 14 years, but that one I cannot confirm so I don’t know if there’s any truth to that. But the one that was 9 years is a fact
Well, irony is ironic, especially in that....um...I’m kind of lost now! But it won’t be a daily driver for me, although I do plan in driving it as that’s why I’m buying it! I know it’s not the actual belt but all the other parts that go bad, and luckily during the last major service all if that was addressed. Interesting statistics, Ace. Cheers Dave
I would probably negotiate that into the deal. I am a 7 year guy and you are there. Factory Book is 5 years 30k Miles unless you follow the 2004 TSB that said 3 years, 15k but that probably does not apply to the 348..... so much debate and discussion and you can read different opinions everywhere. Rifledriver is the expert and others who know the book and the personally work on them for a living. All I got is an opinion. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Car just sold in CA, 1995 Rossa Barchetta GTB, no belt service and/or engine out, never done. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I bought a 95 355 in August. I have books and records from day one. The last major was done in June of 2012 and it had been driven 3000 miles from then until now. It's currently at my mechanic getting a major. I chose to replace the full exhaust system on it and replace both radiators, plus a few other smaller item things. These cars are getting up there in age and things will need to be repaired/replaced during every major service. Annual fluid change should be around $800 and I'm going to budget $10k per major, just incase a surprise happens. Now if I ever need the valve guides replaced, that'll be an additional $5k-$8k. With the hill engineering parts, it will hold up better than OEM stuff and most, if not all mechanics opt to go with the Hill bearings etc.
I just bought a 348 that has 42k miles on it. The last major was done 7000 miles ago, but also 9 years. So I took the car apart to see what I could find and to have a little fun. Here is what I found plus a few photos. - Slight leak between cylinders 6 and 7, showing 13% on the leak down test. So ... the head was coming off. Compression was good with over 204psi on all. - Head gasket was visibly perfect which I was surprised. Could not find visual indication of sharing between 6 and 7 ... but we know there was. - Replacing head gasket with a 355 head gasket. Why .... it is a long story and good for another post and has been covered on this forum in the past. - The engine tore down more easily than anything I have ever touched. Everything was clean and in incredibly good visible condition. - No leaks anywhere. - Valve lash was perfect. - Belt was 100% visibly perfect. Will be replaced. - Water pump appears to be perfect. Will be refurbished. - Chain tensioner and idler appear perfect. Will be replaced will Hill Engineering set. - Oil pump chain tensioner was almost perfect, must have been replaced earlier. I will replace with 360 version. - Drive pulley inner ball bearing is perfect. I really thought it wouldn't be but it was perfect. Very hard to remove. I will replace it. - Drive pulley outer bearing perfect and will be replaced. - Timing chain tensioner pad is half warn. Will be replaced. - Valves have plenty of carbon on the intakes, needed to be cleaned. - All valves stems are perfect and so are the guides. Valve seals are nominal. I will replace only the seals. - Head surface was perfect, brought it back to standard surface at the "spa". I will lap all the seats which are also perfect. - Springs, buckets, shims, all perfect. - Fuel tank was making a noise as if something was floating in it. Of course we all know what that is because eventually it will happen to most 340's, the baffles rip off the side walls. This is dangerous and I suggest everyone test their car for this condition. Best way is to sway the car forward and back with a half tank while parked in a quite location with the engine off. If you hear a noise then you need to take the tank out and bring it to a surgeon. Mine had to be opened in three places and properly welded. This is a true blue Ferrari defect and it is dangerous, as the process of ripping off the wall could puncture the tank and result in sudden a fast fuel leak and fire. It happens, don;t screw with this point. Starting to put it back together soon. Fun stuff! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sweet Jesus! Nice work 348Steve! Looks like your car is in great condition. These are good discussions on this topic. Lots of considerations and I’ve done several searches on it but just wanted some more thoughts. I’ll have a PPI done for sure at the Ferrari dealer before buying despite knowing the history. Always good to have that expert eyes on it since I’m new to the Ferrari world. Thanks for the input guys! Cheers Dave
Paging Pap, paging Pap! Pap you have a call waiting for you. I have owned my 348 coming up on 18 years, and have performed 2 majors on it in that time frame. The last engine out was finished in 2014, 5 years ago. Before that I went about 9.5 years between my first engine out and the last one. The issue isn't the belt because the belt a TOUGH, it's everything else. In particular the bearings, water pump, the pulley belt fences, chain guides, and seals.
Must add - the crappy stock arms for the tensioner bearings! When I did my major, it was discovered that I was a well-tensioned nut and washer combo away from a catastrophic meeting of valves and pistons! That was all that was holding the arm together as it was cracked completely in two, and who knows how much longer that could have held up?! We ordered billet pieces from Ricambi and I seriously doubt there will ever be another failure...but the stock pieces look like grade Z minus pot metal!
Wait... stock arms for the tensioner bearings... I get the timing belt tensioner bearing what what arm is available in Billet? Wwhat part number are you referring to
Jeeze, I can't remember now...I know I have pics somewhere. Let me see if I can dig 'em up. I posted a thread on it about five years ago as well.
I think he is referring to the bracket that holds the idler bearing, located on front side of the 5/8 bank. This piece.
Here is the Ricambi link for the Hill Engineering part. https://www.ricambiamerica.com/147132-bracket-hill-engineering.html
Dang... did not know that was an issue I would have done it for good measure, have to wait another 30K miles now. Thanks for the info and link.
It’s only an issue if the idler bearing is not removed properly. The hole that the bearing fits in is not secured to the block, other than by the 2 nuts on the right side. The problem come when someone tries tk remove the bearing from the bracket by simply pulling on by bearing. You mush have something (I use a long socket) incerted into the hole, through he bearing & bracket, to be use as a fulcrum to press/pull the bearing out. If that is not done then that bracket will crack right in front of the nuts. My very first engine out I had to replace that bracket because it was busted.