The 355-Exposed? Covered Up? or Overlooked ????

Bruce, what type of info are you looking for? While I do get on rants occasionally (see my apology I just posted in the classic section), I'm confused as to what you are looking for.

If you're looking for data to back up claims (which I like, being a Six Sigma guy), I think thats a great idea. Wonder if we could get some mechanics to pull records and see how many valve guides have been replaced versus miles, versus years, versus whatever-other-varible to see if a pattern is discernable.

Again, not sure what all you are ranting about, but I'd love to see the data too.

James in Denver

 

I just had my major service done. All cyl. were at 2-4% leak down. The valve guides were not an issue. My car is a '99....

I can tell you I worried about the cost of break downs before purchasing the car. Though now that I've owned it over three years I'm more relaxed. I've paid for nothing but the major service and cosmetic details I've wanted to correct. Though I replaced the motor mounts during the major service.

Get it / don't get it....berlinetta / spider.... 348 / 355.... whatever....

All I can tell you is I enjoy just looking at the car driving it is just a super added bonus....

Good Luck

 

To cut to the chase, here's the deal.

If you want a cheap car, get a Honda or a Toyota.

Ferraris are expensive to buy, expensive to run, and expensive to break...

Interestingly the failure patterns of each model develope once the years go by so you learn "what to look for"........for any particular model.

Have fun shopping, drive a few, and establish a budget for both purchase and repair you are comfortable with, and work it that way.....and here's some advice from my favorite Uncle and one time Ferrari guy:

"A woman will forgive you almost anything.........except being too poor!"

 

....valve guides were updated early, headers remained as a problematic quality issue......avoid F1 trannys, at all costs!

 

http://www.thebestemployee.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38548&highlight=valve+guide+poll

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5554

 

LOL

What are you talking about (smoking?)

My F1 has been fine and a blast to drive. Stop scaring people! The major issue with the F1 is the pump relay that can be replaced every other year for $30(Thanks to Fchat for finding these things out). That should keep the pump from damage from over running. If you do have a pump issue, we now have the ability to purchase them a lot cheaper.

I replaced mine ($30) with the upgraded 360 relay.

 

I was referencing the pump itself, $15K or so?


Half the value of another 308GTB!


You are right of course, know your systems and take care of them!

That old drag racing slogan applies:
"You can't outshift an automatic!"

Glad yours is doing well!
Never mind what we are smoking! ROTFLMAO!

 

We've found the pump for $3k (Fchat) if it needs to be replaced. But, most can be repaired.

Don't smoke and type.... LOL

 

Ferraris last a long time, and many are driven quite hard (e.g. high temps, high rpms, fast starts, fast stops).

Speaking broadly, Bosch seems to ship substandard Bosch electrical components to Ferrari. Further, Italian electrical connections tend to accumulate corrosion, and Ferrari electrics in particular seem to use relays that demand perfect trigger voltages.

Weak mechanical points on the Boxer/Testarossa/TR/456 seem to be in the differential (and fuel lines).

Weak points in the 355 seem to be the factory exhaust headers for certain, and somewhere in the valve-guide area on many.

355 exhaust headers, if OEM and still intact, should be ceramic coated and heat-shielded and then re-installed.

Now, the 355 valve guide issue has not, in my opinion, been nailed down. Are 355 valve guide failures due to poor factory installation, poor quality valve-guide alloys (or manufacturing process), bad valve seats, heat-soaking, bad cam-timing, or some as-yet-determined driver or environmental issue?

And because the above cause isn't known, much confusion seems to revolve around that valve-guide issue. We can say that sintered steel 355 valve guides avoid the known 355 "bad valve guide" issues.

We can also say that simply swapping valve guides from OEM (whatever alloy) to sintered steel valve guides is only going to add ~~ $2,500 to a regularly scheduled 355 Major Service (the so-called "30k" service).

Frankly, that sort of additional maintenance expense is *not* prohibitive on what are often still 6 figure cars (used).

The above issues revolve around the factory. Most other 355 issues are more random because they come from having aftermarket service where things like cam-timing aren't properly set, or F1 clutches aren't properly set up with the Ferrari SD3 tool for things like POS and hydraulic bleeding, et al.

So if you buy a 355 that has had proper Ferrari maintenance, you should probably budget $2,500 extra for your valve guide swap (presuming that the prior owner hasn't documented said upgrade for you already) and some fee for either Jet-Coating your OEM exhaust headers or buying aftermarket exhaust headers.

Those are the two recurring 355 issues, save for occasional electrical issues that are typically fixed (or better yet, prevented in the first place) by some owner-applied elbow grease with contact cleaner and Stabilant 22a (e.g. on all electrical connections and relays).

Ditto for replacing the F1 relay with the aftermarket upgrade (i.e. do this proactively if you have an F1 tranny). If you've got a 355 Spider then you might have to replace some electric seat pots and keep your hydraulic fluid for your top "topped up."

These are not insurmountable issues. Jet-Coating and $2,500 for valve guides, plus a $50 F1 relay and some Stabilant 22a on the electrics.

At that point you've got a 355 that is going to be able to handle some serious track abuse as well as lots of daily street driving. You're in fine Italian leather in a classic Pininfarina shape with a ton of horsepower at your beck and call.

Life is good.

Now go put an automatic fire extinguisher in your engine bay. Fuel burns, and we're driving some high temperature, high-performance Italian beasts.

Be smart about your fun.

 

"Bubba" in my case is totally fictional, as well.....LOL!

These other long time members know who I am........or you could Google 'World's Fastest Art Car Ferrari' and see what comes up.......

 

Quote from NoDoubt:
"355 exhaust headers, if OEM and still intact, should be ceramic coated and heat-shielded and then re-installed."

I personally, don't believe ceramic coating would do squat to prevent the factory oem exhaust manifolds from failing. The material is too weak, and too thin. Needs to be higher grade stainless steel, and thicker, like what QV London does to rebuild them.

Has anyone done this successfully (ceramic coating)?

 

No Doubt, great post thanks for sharing.

 

I personally, don't believe ceramic coating would do squat to prevent the factory oem exhaust manifolds from failing. The material is too weak, and too thin. Needs to be higher grade stainless steel, and thicker, like what QV London does to rebuild them.

Has anyone done this successfully (ceramic coating)?[/QUOTE]



I haven't yet. But when the motor comes out I wll have the INSIDE coated. It should help keep some of the heat out of the tubing.

BTW. My headers were replaced at 15k under warrantee. At 32k presently and runs better than ever. The seat potentiometers will have to be replaced. I simply have the 4 wire connector, disconnected and the seats function just fine. I simply have to push the buttons manually to put the top up.


Darrell.

 

Vern Cornell

 

OK, so to stay on topic I will state that I have a 1995 355 (Nov 1995 Production) and it has not had the valve guide issue. It currently has 25,000 miles on it and it doesn't use any oil between oil changes which I would think suggests the guides are fine.

 

Mine is a 95 as well build date April 95 and no valve guide problems. Uses no oil.

 

BCW if I read your post correctly do you have a 97 that has never been driven in 9 years? Never driven by YOU or never driven AT ALL? If it is at all then you are definately going to have a lot of work to do for the car to get back in running shape. As an aside how do you like your Renntech SL63? I had an 03 SL55 for about a year and loved it. I previously had a 2004 SL500 Renntech that was originally ordered for a pro athlete and that was just ok. I suspect yours is something truly special. Pics?

 

I thought I would use Dave's post on this because I can agree with him and disagree.
I have ceramic coated factory headers on my car. I would not recommend them to anyone unless you do exactly what I do/did. First off the reason I did the factory piece(why bother changing a crap piece for another but in my mind I had no other option)was because at the time there weren't many options ie; tubi was too expensive, QV took to long(I wanted to drive my car now, not 8 weeks later)and I only needed to replace one side. There wasn't anyone else doing anything.
I removed the shielding and left it off, the tubes look great uncovered. The sheilding is part of the problem, trapping heat in an already bad quality tube(what Dave said). I don't have cats on my car either, another heat trap. No muffler, another heat trap.
I insulated my alternator and brake lines(which should be done anyway). And lastly my car is my hobby I am in, under, around my car all the time, ie, I watch it like a hawk. I have 10,000 miles on the coated headers and all is fine.
So in my case I disagree with Dave but and that's a big but, for anyone else's 355 I agree with Dave, do something else, QV, NAPerformance, tubi, etc. Whatever you do get those covered factory headers in the garbage can as soon as you can, they can be replaced with new ones(factory)as many times as you want but you will keep doing it. With the others you will do it once. Regards, Vern