1995 355 valve guide question

If it's a 95 and the guides haven't been done to date, it will need them unless there truly is no oil consumption issue which I sort of doubt.

 

The valve guide problems are common. 95's are before they changed from bronze (bad) to steel (not as bad) guides. There is no assumption that they won't go bad in the future. There are to many variables that contribute to them going bad. My F355 had them replaced under warranty back in 2002 at 15k miles. Some went/go bad quicker, some take longer.

 

Yup. Checking the oil on a dry sump system like the F355 has is not as simple as it is on most cars. You can get varying readings depending on the technique you use. There are 9-10 quarts in there. Easy for some to get burned off without noticing.

Any 95 with the original guides probably is burning some oil. How much is the important question.

 

Bad valve guides are not limited to 95's. It is a problem that is wide spread in any of the cars with bronze guides and it is not certain exactly when the change was made but it is pretty certain most late production 98's had iron guides.

 

That sounds about where it starts. $5-8k depending on what all is going on in there and who is doing the work.

 

Does it smoke at start up or when running? Does the long term fuel trim show a lot of adjustment for a rich fuel mixture? compression/LD? Those would be things that I would be looking at as a baseline to start from. Budget it in for the next major and see where you are then.

My car is a 96 with 37K miles, no sign of oil consumption or smoking, and runs great. No history of valve guides being changed. When I do the next major (4 more years) I will check it closer. Until then I will enjoy it.

 

Or as little as $2500, parts from gt car parts in AZ.

 

Im not sure where I found this but here it is.
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I had to do them on my 95 spyder........if it a 95 budget for it

 

Chas, just curious as to what symptoms you were having prior to replacing the guides, or was it done during a routine major?

 

Aaron,
you alredy read this thread: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/5554-95-f355-valve-guides-fact-vs-fiction.html

 

I have often wondered how often the old guides are measured so see if they are really out of tolerance before new guides are inserted.

 

That has been shown to be faulty info.

 

When you can fit 2 stems down one guide there is no need. By the time they are symptomatic it is so far beyond the need for any accurate measuring device doing so would be a waste of time. I can take apart 50 good running Ferraris at random and 30 of them would be beyond the wear limit on valve guides.

 

Well, yea.

What is symptomatic? What are the derivability issues? I mean I read about so many cars that run good, don't use any oil, pass emissions with flying colors.... yet, LD numbers are interpreted as "It needs guides."

Also, in asking about checking tolerances I am further asking if there is any correlation between measureable wear and % leak down.

 

You read


I do

 

Brian is, as usual, on the money!
My 355 ran fine, no oil use or smoke, good power. When I was preparing to do my major I performed a leak-down test. Very bad numbers. Air leak primarily at the exhaust valves. Clearance was great enough that when I removed the cams I could wiggle the valve stem. No need for further measure. Regarding getting heads done for <$5k. In my experience, doubtful. Machining was $2500! I installed 360 sintered steel guides. Also had to replace all the exhaust valves. Not a cheap experience!

 

The price varies depending on where you are but a quality job is not cheap.

I quit arguing prices long ago. Quality dictates my subcontractors. You can always find a cheaper job.

 

If anyone is hinting on mine for under $5K.

That was just the head work, that didn't include R&R just the heads.
I delivered and picked em up.

my car has 15K on it and the issue was there so I just had them done.

Mind you I am doing all this work so it will be cheaper but My down time is WAY longer.

 

That's a huge amount for head work Johnny. Did that include all new valves too? Or just guides?

 

I had them done as part of my major at time of purchase......Bobileff performed it

 

When I bought my car the negotiated price included $6k for a major at a separate indy shop. When the engine was dropped the shop informed the selling dealer that it needed guides, some valves and some tappets, estimated at an additional $6k. The head work included all 40 new valves, 40 new guides, 14 Ferrari rebuild tappets, the machine work and R&R, $12k total for the major and head work. I could have walked away, and threatened to since the original deal was already $1k more than I wanted to pay. But the dealer agreed to split the additional cost, so I ended up paying an additional $3k over the previously negotiated price. To further sweeten the deal, since was unhappy about the additional charge, the major and head work was billed separately which reduced the sales tax by $1200 (No tax on service and reduced tax rate on car since it was now below $50k). So, in effect I got $6k of head work for $1800. When I look at the bill the parts and machine shop work associated with the head work (including associated gaskets etc.) total more than $6k alone. That excludes the R&R.

 

That was a heck of a deal for you.