US homologation test: 120Kmi w/o cam belt change ?

Maybe they simulate 120k miles. Just like they simulate paints and such. I know they beat the hell out of cars to get them approved, but I can not believe they put that many miles on one. The gas alone wasted without me getting any of those miles under my belt starts to upset me.

How do I get a job with the governement to put that many miles on all the new cars Manufacturers are wanting to bring to market?

 

Because these tests, like the crash test, are one time events.

Usually sacrificial to the machine involved! IMO one wouldn't want to replicate either one with their personal car!

Anyone else have better info?

Glad to see the Elise finally make it over!

 

I think you will find that there is a big difference between how long a belt will really last and how long a manufacturer will warranty a belt to last.

Ferrari recommends that the belt be changed every X # of months or X# of miles and if you do that Ferrari will warrant the engine/or parts there of, however you can drive it for the next 10, 20 or 30 years if you want and put 100,000 miles on the belt and it may never go bad, howeve if it does, it is your responsibility, not Ferrari's.

This is the same with anything, oil changes, spark-plugs, etc. The difference is, that when a belt goes on a highly stressed engine with lots of valves and moving parts....it get's pretty expensive to fix.

Don't confuse warranty with Guarentee

 

Ferrari considers belt changes part of "standard" maintanence.

 

I would also guess that going 120K (exact same/simulated) miles would be very different from how an average Fcar driver might drive their car. That 120K mile car probably never saw redline, a trackday, or comute traffic in hot sun, cold rainy days etc.

my .02
Joel

 

Somebody told me Ferrari was now recommending a cam belt change every 3,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes sooner. Furthermore, this can only be done by an authorized Ferrari dealership because the work is so difficult. My rule of thumb, just to be on the safe side, is have the cam belts, tensioner bearings, and water pump replaced every time I fill up with gas. Since a re-build costs upwards of $20,000 in the event of cam belt failure, it makes good sense to spend $5 to $10K once in a while to avoid that.

 

what does a 120k mile emissions durability test have to do with how long the timing belts will last ?

 

I could see the 120k being done on a dyno in 5th or 6th at 2500rpm with no disturbances, weather or throttle variations. This gentle behavior repeated for dozens of sessions. I could see a Ferrari engine doing that.

I wish Ferrari would just go with chains though.