348 burning oil on left bank | FerrariChat

348 burning oil on left bank

Discussion in '348/355' started by Harry348, May 29, 2023.

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  1. Harry348

    Harry348 Karting

    Nov 20, 2012
    64
    Middle of France
    Full Name:
    Harry V
    My 348 was in storage for 10 years, so now I am retired I have more time to play so the first thing was new cambelts, thermostat, waterpump, plugs etc.

    So now we are running and she pulls great and a smooth tickover, the right bank is ok but the plugs on the left bank are all equally black with a whitish tip, there is white oil smelling smoke from the exhaust and oil around the first exhaust joint.

    All 8 cylinders have the same 11.75 bar compression, I have reset the resistance in the MAFs and swopped them over with no difference, I have tried the Italian tune up with no difference. (I am chased down the road with white smoke). There is no oil contamination in the water and vice versa. All the 4 plugs on the left bank are exactly the same so if it were a valve stem then surely it would only be one plug. If it was a head gasket then it would affect one or two plugs, I have swapped over the pressure relief valves with no difference. So what is putting oil equally into all 4 cylinders ??? Please help. :(
     
  2. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
    Sponsor Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 28, 2018
    5,728
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Eric
    Did it smoke before the major service? Assuming the car is warmed up to operating temps, white smoke is not usually oil that has a bluish tint to it, white smoke is usually is coolant. If it is coolant it may not be related to the plug color.

    I'd try replacing them with new Iridium plugs gapped properly and go from there unless the plugs are actually new and you confirmed what's actually in the car is correct not what someone said was in there.
     
  3. Harry348

    Harry348 Karting

    Nov 20, 2012
    64
    Middle of France
    Full Name:
    Harry V
    Hi, Yes it did smoke before the major engine out service. (I hoped the service would sort it), The plugs are brand new from Ferrari suppliers and the same plugs in all 8 cylinders. and as I mentioned before there are oil drips at the first joint in the exhaust pipe.
     
  4. e21jason

    e21jason Karting

    Jul 27, 2015
    69
    Dubai
    Full Name:
    Jason
    I would not rule out the stem seals until you check them, thy can crack and harden with age
     
  5. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
    Sponsor Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 28, 2018
    5,728
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Eric
  6. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    13,555
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    You might need a valve job to replace valve stem seals. Dripping oil from the exhaust is not a good sign. Valve stem seals failure does not show up with compression and leak down tests.
     
  7. Harry348

    Harry348 Karting

    Nov 20, 2012
    64
    Middle of France
    Full Name:
    Harry V
    Ferrari Magic Faries ?????

    Well I started up the car to bring her to the front of the garage to do a leak down test and check oil level and I thought, hmmmm theres no white smoke. So i ventured out into the driveway and did a couple of circuits around the block. - No white smoke and looking at the plugs they were all clean. So today I ventured out and did about 20 miles and temperatures seemed stable. No white smoke and afterwards the plugs looked normal. So that 20 miles is the first road test in 10 years and everything seemed normal touch wood. So any ideas about the white smoke and oiled up plugs ????
    :)
     

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