348 Major service due when?????

FERRARI NORTH AMERICA, INC.
TECHNICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT
TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Area 1

Model All 8 Cylinder models

Bulletin n° 1215

Date: May 2004

Pages: 1
SUBJECT: Timing belt for 8-cylinder engines

For your information, all 8-cylinder Ferrari models, independent of the Model Year, must
have the timing belts replaced every 30,000 miles or every 3 years, whichever comes
first.


For information on Timing Belts for 12-cylinder engines, refer to Technical Information
Bulletin number 1003 dated October 2002.

 

3 years is official. 5 years is closer to my personal opinion. From what I've seen on 348's on-line and in my own vehicle, the problems begin occurring in the 6 to 7 year time-frame (so waiting 6 years or more for a belt change is a bad idea). Sooner for some, later for others.

 

My 348 has had the major done every 3 years around September, since the car has been new. So its due now, if I stick to the 3 year rule. Since the last major in 2003, the car has done around 3000 miles. I was going to do the major very soon, to keep in line with the 3 years. Or should I wait another 2 years or so you guys reckon. It doesnt bother me personally. But I was going to do it asap.

 

Pap I think 4 years should be right. My belt got changed last week. I pick up the car tomorrow and very interested to see what the old belt looks like.

I bought the car 2months ago and booked the major service ASAP. The last belt change documented was 5 years ago. And I drove the car hard before the belt change. I did a 1400km trip the day before the service. If the old belt looks in good nic, then I will follow a 4 year patten.

However we live in two different parts of the world! So it could be totally different and Im sure it might be.

 

Everyone has a little different opinion on this subject. Here's mine:

Every 5 years is extreme overkill unless the vehicle is driven hard.

I just did the FIRST 30K service on my 348TS with 24K miles on it. That's 16 years. The old belt, as well as the rollers, tensioner bearings, and so forth, still looked perfectly fine.

Now, while I don't advocate waiting 16 years (but 10 should be a A-OK), I believe that every 5 years is extreme, every 3 is flat-out neurotic.

People say "Yeah well, Ferrari says every 3 years..." To that I reply "Consider the source."

 

It was originally 5 years, but as u can see, FNA switched to 3-year cycles. There was no reason, IMO to do so other than get all the V8 cars on the F360 cycle of 3 years. I used 5 years and it was fine. In fact, I felt the last change at 5 years was probably not necessary due to my careful driving style - heh, U believe that?! Seriously, for 348's 5 years is fine. Save ur money.

 

Forgive the newbie question, but if the belt does let go, are these V8 motors interference engines or not?

I.e. Is a timing belt failure a collision of pistons and valves, or just an annoying tow back to the garage?

From my non-Fcar experience, every other belt from major manufactures can make it 5 years and 60,000 miles with year round use (ie major swings in temperature here in the north east). And even then, belt failures are extremely rare within that 5 year period. Unless Ferrari is using extremely poor quality made in china belts (I doubt it!), I'd say this is more likely about getting customers in to the dealerships for trade-ups and expensive maintenance than it is about being "required" because it is at risk of total failure.

 

These are interference engines; break a belt and you're toast.

And the bit about Ferrari trying to get owners into their shops is spot on.

Think about it: A Ferrari dealership can only sell a very limited number of cars annually. The money $$ is made servicing these beasts. Setting ridiculously often engine-out services means a continuous revenue stream for the dealership.

Mercedes and BMW used to do sort of the same thing with services. Then they invented the "We'll pay for all of your maintenance for the first 4 years" marketing scheme, and the time interval for oil changes suddenly increased from 3,000 miles to 15,000 miles.

So it's all a matter of WHO'S PAYING FOR THE SERVICE.

 

This has been talked about a thousand times. Change it when you feel comfortable, if thats 10 years then great. Just put the money you save away somewhere just in case.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96132&highlight=running+highway

In the UK it costs about £1100GB over the cost of a normal annual service for a belt and tensioner change. Thats about £350GB per year over the reccomended 3 year cycle. Not that big a deal IMO.

 

Thats a funny comment you made about BMW husker! It is interesting.

 

Thanks mate. We will see what happens. I may still do it though. It has been done every 3 years prior to me buying the car. The 2 previous owners spent alot of money maintaining the car. I have a folder full of reciepts for the car from new. Many many dollars spent. I will probably still do it soon to keep the service history up to date. Not that its really needed IMO. But I may as well do it, to get the experience under my belt. Its not such a big job either.

 

If your doing it yourself and not paying anyone, then should do it. It will be fun, interesting and a good experince. Plus when your good at it and if I own a Ferrari in Australia, then you can do mine

 

I had the belt done on my car done in March for the 1st time since 1997 , the belt that came off looked like it could have went for a long time . It wasnt cracked or dried out at all . The last time it was done was by the previous owner . I ve put 5k on the car since then . Cant be too careful . Thats for sure .

 

I have had my 348 for 16 years. 3 majors during that time...2 that I did myself, and the belts were always in perfect shape when changed.

My manual says change it at 52,500 miles. I think the 3 year thing is to make owners paranoid and drum up more service business.

 

Maybe dude, but if u compared the old to new one, you'd probably see the older one is a bit longer, i.e., stretched.

 

Too easy mate. Ill do anything to help a fellow fchatter. I have nothing else better to do.

 

I was informed by my local mechanic that my 80K mile Honda minivan needed belts at 60K miles. He said Honda uses an interference motor and if belts break the engine is toast.

I know the Honda does not cost as much as Ferrari nor would it cost as much to replace engine. The belt service is around $400.

If Honda uses an interference motor why are they not more worried about belt failure? Or why is Ferrari more worried?

Is it a liability issues? Design issue? Are the replacement belts "old" new stock and maybe replacing a 10 year old belt with new 10 year old belt?

Or is it a dealer issue?

 

I blew a Honda belt at 70K miles in an Accord. Engine was indeed toast.

 

How often do you rev the Honda minivan to 7000 rpm?

I'm sure Ferrari is playing it safe, on our dime, thus the recommended 3-year/30K mile limit. But on a 348, with its single belt design, I think you have a smaller margin for error -- and if the belt stretches or something in the path seizes up and strips the threads, you have a very big bill.

Also -- and I can't be the first one to post this -- Ferrari doesn't design its cars to be economical to maintain. A lot of us who buy these cars for the price of a new Boxster S forget that the original owners were in the "money is no object" tax bracket, where service costs will be what they will be. If major services were provided at no charge by Ferrari NA for the life of the car, we'd all bring our cars in every three years without complaint and not even question why our expensive, intricate, high-revving Ferrari engines need so much attention.

 

nice to see.In Italy its 3years and 30000 kms (Now 30000 miles is one thing 30000 kms is nearly 2/3 less!!!!)

My sincere advice is when you buy a second hand Ferrari from a non official ferrari dealer or private.Do your timing belts and tensioners immediately!!!!.
I have a friend which deals with Ferraris and he reccomends doing the belts immediately, as he had bought cars with service records and all, and when he looked at the belts on some of them, they really needed to be changed.He says that he trusts his own service and does not want to play with engine failures! Thats big time money.

30000 miles may be recommended ,but we all know you could probably get away easy with 40000 miles.But why risk it!!!!
Belt changes are getting cheaper with time and parts are becoming easier to find at competitive prices.Changing belts is far cheaper than changing an engine!!!!!!

On the 360s and 355s remember first belt change (belts only !), second one onwards change belts and tensioner bearings.

On 308s 328s 348s engine does not need to be pulled out to change belts.
I know many mechanics pull out the engine to do this job.But do they know what their doing or are they trying it on you!!!!
My friend changes 348 belts without pulling out the engine.Imagine the money you save not pulling out and reinstalling that engine!!!!


Remeber also if you hardly use the car and its sitting around for over 3 years ,change the belts.A guy had a ferrari in a garage for years and just turned it on everynow and then!.The guy then went to wash the car 5 minutes away from garage and stuffed his engine.

True Ferrari Mechanics also says use your car atleast once every two/three weeks.These cars have less problems than a car thats sitting in a garage.
I would be scared to buy a classic Ferrari with very low miles!!!

we also know of a guy that has a testarossa here in Italy and uses it as a daily driver, he know has well over 500000 kms. Ferrari asked the gentleman his car for analises at maranello some time ago.I even heard of a guy with a very high mile (kilometer) F40.
The Ferrari engines are very strong engine cars and take very high revs compared to normal cars.Ferraris aren't constantly drivin to the max. this means that Ferrari engines can easily be high mile cars with less problems than other standard engines.

Thanks for the time to read.

 

We have discussed this here before. Remove the fuel tank ect.....Alot of stress on engine mounts if you try to bar the engine up to remove the belt. Can be done, belt only. But do major properly, the engine out is best. And was that 500,000km on the Testarossa! My goodness. What is the condition of the car. Is it mechanically/cosmetically A1? Or is it showing lots of wear from 500,000km? Unbelieveable. Cheers for your post.

 

I'll check up with the 348 belt change.

the testarossa cosmetically seemed o.k.I do not know if he redone interior or exterior ,but i guess you would need to.

 

Ah, thanks friend. Do you know what the factory said after they looked at his Testarossa? Any pics of it? Was the engine/gearbox rebuilt that you know of ect......Thanks for any info.