355 - 6yrs since service | FerrariChat

355 6yrs since service

Discussion in '348/355' started by PiersR, Apr 13, 2021.

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  1. PiersR

    PiersR Rookie

    Feb 27, 2021
    16
    Full Name:
    Piers Ronan
    Hi, I have just bought a 1997 355 GTB with around 50k miles. It had a major 6 years ago and since then has done about 2.5k miles and as far as I know, not so much as an oil change. I want to take it somewhere ~400 miles away for a new major (..and I know to expect plenty of ‘extras’..). Car starts up beautifully.

    My question is: should I drive it 400 miles as it is? Or do I need to get an oil change? anything else to consider before I drive it to the place I want it serviced?





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  2. Targatime

    Targatime Formula 3

    Feb 22, 2014
    1,212
    Los Angeles
    I would flush the oil before the drive if it's really been six years but otherwise if it's running well, go for it. To me as long as it has Hill tensioner bearings six years isn't that close to the danger zone. I'm going to shoot for 8-10 years.
     
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  3. emac

    emac Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 14, 2014
    851
    upstate SC
    Full Name:
    ernest
    Check the tires, they may be very old and dry.
     
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  4. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    if its synthetic oil it will be fine. the oil filter is the bigger point of weakness. if it had no leaks you can drive it 400 miles with much worry. synthetic oil doesnt degrade by staying idle
     
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  5. Boaf 32

    Boaf 32 Formula Junior

    Aug 23, 2016
    390
    US
    Change the oil, cheap peace of mind. At least top it off.

    Good luck
     
    PiersR likes this.
  6. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    So I’m nearly done with my major after a 10 year gap and similar mileage, and I would say go ahead and drive it. Everything I’ve taken off the car has been in great shape. The cam belts looked far better than I expected. The main issue has been waxy bearing grease in the wheel hubs.
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  7. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    that belt in the pic is from 10 yrs ago? thats rather clean!
     
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  8. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    The belts were manufactured in 2010 according to the date codes, I fitted them in May 2011 and took them off the car last week. "Due to circumstances" I used the car very little, around 3,500km over that timeframe, but fully intend to recover all the lost km this summer :D

    So yes, the belts have been on 10 years, photo taken last week.
     
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  9. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    makes sense. that has been my experience as well with cars i wasn't able to drive much.
     
  10. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    After seeing the condition of these belts after being in service for for 10 yrs versus the belts you took off in 2011 that had the curves and stiffness to them after much less service time proves the point that the newer materials are holding up much better than the older stock. So back when these cars were new, and Ferrari put a 3 yr service interval on them it kinda made sense not to wait too long. But here we are today looking at 10 yr belts and cant tell them from new, even though there wasn't many miles put on I feel that the 3-5 yr service interval is just waaay overkill. And lets not forget the improvements made with the Hill bearings too.
     
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  11. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Those belts were run for a total of 2175 miles (3500 km). They could have been made from al dente pasta, and still probably looked new, given the very mild service life.
     
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  12. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    As well as belts setting from lack of use; I’d be as concerned if not more so about the tensioner bearings, (even if they are hill, which I have had out of tolerance after 3 years so not billet proof)
     
  13. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    I have to say that I’m now far more concerned about running hours/duty cycle than how long they’ve been installed.

    In the first 7 years I had the car I changed the belts 3 times. Then I left it 10 years.

    My conclusion is that (based on how I expect to use the car) I’m going to go to 5 year intervals rather than the 3 year intervals I started off with and even then, the 5 year interval is more to inspect everything carefully than being driven by fear of the cam belts failing.
     
    MAD828 likes this.
  14. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    There is no set whatsoever in the belts. Literally none. They sit absolutely as if they are out of the packet. The new ones I put on had more set from being in the box.

    I swapped out the tensioner bearings this time too, but the old ones looked in great shape. You’re not going to believe it, but I had dated those and (the sharpie ink was still there) from 2005. They’ve been on the car 16 years and have done >20,000 km. If you didn’t know you’d look at them and say they’d be ok to leave on the car....

    Edit: the bearings from 2005 are OE Ferarri and came in a “blister” pack with horsey branding from my local F dealer.
     
    A348W likes this.
  15. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    Very true. BUT, I was referring to the OP's previous post from 2011 stating how stiff and curved his 6 yr old belts were with very little miles on them and vowed to replace them every 4 yrs. So if those stiff and curved belts that didn't hold up all that good were circa 2006, and now we are looking at these 10 yr old belts from 2011, then I think that is a testament on how much better the materials are getting as time goes by. I am living it right now trying to procure a new gear for my HVAC actuator because the old plastic one fell apart. :(
     
  16. emac

    emac Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 14, 2014
    851
    upstate SC
    Full Name:
    ernest
  17. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Condition look similar to the belts I took off my 308 after 25 years, 27k miles.
     
  18. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    too bad there is no way to stress test an old belt after it comes off of a car....wld be fun to measure
     
  19. Targatime

    Targatime Formula 3

    Feb 22, 2014
    1,212
    Los Angeles
    Does anyone know of an example of a 355 belt that's broken in the absence of another, outside problem, such as a seized tensioner bearing? Like, you're cruising down the road, everything's working fine, and the belt snaps just because it's old and tired? Has that ever happened?
     
  20. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
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    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    #20 johnk..., Apr 15, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2021
    Simple tension test. Start with 50# and lift. Let down, add weight, lift. Repeat until the belt breaks.Then do same with a new belt.

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  21. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
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    john truskowski
    I cant imagine any belt just breaking randomly without a cause. I have seen (Years ago) a Volkswagen belt have its teeth stripped off during a very cold start and was due to an oil leak that degraded the belt and the cold start was the end of it. I think most people here would agree that the reason we try to be timely with our belt changes is to replace the tensioner bearings and tensioners if necessary as well as belts, general health and fitness check. But as I mentioned in post 15 the newer materials we are installing into our cars keep improving with age.
     
  22. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    Belts definitely go. The 64k question has been how long shld one go!
     
  23. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    which is 4k too much to some...

    sjd
     
  24. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
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    John Kreskovsky
    Here you go. New vrs 25 yrs, 27k miles OEM from 308 QV.

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  25. bcar1

    bcar1 Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 2, 2017
    220
    NYC/NJ
    Full Name:
    Bob
    are new 2021 belts physically different than the 2006 or 1996 versions?
     

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