How to tell if 360 tensioners and bolts are upgraded? | FerrariChat

How to tell if 360 tensioners and bolts are upgraded?

Discussion in '360/430' started by modificator, Sep 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM.

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  1. modificator

    modificator Formula Junior
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    Experts, the topic has been discussed at length, but I still don't see a clear closure. Bulletin 1315 states that
    below chassis number 136507 (assembly number 54662, engine number 83762) left tensioner with a bushing should be installed and updated bracket has a 10mm hole for that bushing.

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    Bulletin 1236/A also states that this tensioner should be installed with updated bolts

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    My assumption is that the original problem is that vibrations of the tensioner have caused original bolts to sheer in some cases. Ferrari used two solutions to address this single problem: a bushing around the upper bolt and stronger bolts. 1315 states that upgrade to the bracket is not necessary, and the bushing can be removed if a new tensioner is installed in old bracket, so it makes the new bolts a sufficient fix according to Ferrari. Questions:
    1. Are the new tensioners fixing any other problems (have any other internal changes) except what is listed above?
    2. New tensioner is easy to tell by the bushing, but how to tell if the new bolts have been installed? I have looked at 3 engines right now and the bolts are either not marked or marked with strength 10.9. Are the new bolts having a specific marking or visual difference from the old ones? Ferrari lists yellow or silver galvanizing but it does not mean much as most such bolts are galvanized. States material improvement from R80/100 to R120 but what does it mean? Those are stainless steel bolt gradings so Ferrari is contradicting itself stating this designation for galvanized (not stainless) bolts. Any clarification is appreciated.

    As each of those bolts are over $80 and not everyone reads service bulletins, some unqualified people may skip using the upgraded bolts, so how to confirm that the upgraded bolts have been installed?
     
  2. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 World Champ
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    I recently went through this, I think I have a thread on it from a few years back, you can tell the upgraded bolts by the marking on the heads. As far as the bracket is concerned, I (and others, including well known Ferrari mechanics) suggest modifying the existing bracket by expanding the hole and adding a helicoil. I tried to find the new upgraded one to no avail so opted for this route. The only thing missing is a hole for a bolt to go that will "stop" the tensioner if it happens to break. Hopefully I'll never have to deal with that as my tensioners are brand new.

    Edit: here is the thread https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/whats-so-special-about-these-50-screws.629734/
     
  3. modificator

    modificator Formula Junior
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    Hi

    Thanks for the info and yes, I have read that thread very carefully before posting. Except for the manufacturer VT/VU marks mentioned it does not state how to recognize the new bolts. Also photos of the bolts on Ricambi website show VG and VS.

    But what is that marking? I see either no marking at all or 10.9 class marking on all the 360 bolts I have seen.

    So what do the professionals do when they do belt changes (in the absence of car history)? Do they simply ignore the issue and pretend it does not exist, or do they always buy and install new bolts?

    BTW, Ferrari documentation incorrectly calls those bolts "screws" but it does not really matter.
     
  4. modificator

    modificator Formula Junior
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    And thank you for the suggestion about the bracket as well!
     
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  5. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
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    @modificator Just reuse the existing bolts if you do not see any visible sign of thread deformation. That'd be my suggestion.

    Current batch of bolts are not stamped in any meaningful way from Ferrari.

    205693 "VU"
    185234 "W"
     
  6. modificator

    modificator Formula Junior
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    Thanks guys, I've also talked to a Ferrari mechanic meanwhile. According to him unfortunately there is no way to tell if the bolts have been upgraded or not. So I appreciate all the suggestions, but to be on a safe side I've just ordered the new bolts from Ricambi America for the car I'm working on now. Thank you! (Of course if anyone has any more info contradicting what has been said so far, please chime in)
     
  7. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 World Champ
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    I assumed that those markings would be more uniform across those bolts, and I don't think the old style had any marking whatsoever, I reckon I should have clarified. There are no markings from Ferrari...why they didn't use a cavallino like the used to for that price?

    I'd say even though they are expensive for bolts, it's still cheap insurance to replace them. I did both tensioners when I did mine and had @Ferrari Tech modify my bracket so it accept the new style tensioner without removing the centering dowel. Maybe he can answer about the belt change, I would assume that the service would have been completed on most cars by now, but since mine still had the old variators, it had been among the many things that had been neglected on that car.
     

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