488 Spider engine pulled to replace head gasket - concerns?

It would be a valve cover leak. Very common, and very expensive to fix. Who ever designed that engine requiring so much disassembly to fix a very basic leak, needs a cement block tied around their neck and dropped into the ocean.

 

100 hours of labor is insane. One mechanic worked 2.5 weeks full time on your car?

Surprised your warranty covered a thing after installing a tune.

 

Right? Especially with increased boost.

 

Has a non-factory tune on the car and has concerns about a valve cover repair for reliability.. lol

 

Head gasket leaks are common enough repairs, that while the entire process may have taken 100 hours, the repair itself shouldn't have.
Regardless, with the dozens I have overseen, none have ever returned, one and done if you will.
Yes, its labor intensive, yes it looks horrible if you were to see your Ferrari apart, but no, it's not a big deal.
While it's out and apart, front covers, valve covers, and several other items are resealed, it's a nice perk when warranty covers it.

However, as mentioned already, having an aftermarket tune & exhaust may cause you more of a headache moving forward that this warranty repair.
Posting about it on the internet while assumed anonymous, has the very real potential to come back around and bite you and your dealership, even though the repairs are already completed.

Enjoy your Ferrari in good health, however you may put a little back for if/when future warranty-able repairs are denied.

Steve

 

What Ferrari dealer is fixing a 488 like this with aftermarket exhaust and tune? Please explain how you got around this with the dealer and Ferrari the manufacture.

 

Slight tangent, but is the head gasket replacement an engine out job on a California T as well?

 

For what it's worth, the OP did not specify, or make clear, when the exhaust and tune was done. Their post first describes the engine out work and the next paragraph says they recently got the exhaust and tune done. I think everyone is making assumptions but maybe he got the engine out work done and afterwards got the exhaust and tune.

Alternatively, everyone's assumptions may very well be correct, and if so, I'm also curious what dealership covered the work under warranty with exhaust and tune.