348 major service

My '91 348 technical manual tells me the cambelts should be changed every 40,000 miles or TWO years and the valve clearances checked/adjusted every 20,000 miles or TWO years. No mention of water pump or cambelt tensioners.

 

Great question.

Ferrari specifies every three years or 30K miles in a technical service bulletin. With the 348 single-belt configuration -- and no margin for error -- I would adhere to that schedule if I owned a 348.

 

Marc,

I recommend that you use the search function and take a look at the many, many threads on this subject and raise the white flag before the backlash against you begins. This is a subject that has been discussed and debated time and time again.

That said, the shorts answers are as follows:

-The 348 manual says to do it every 2 years or 52,000 miles, whichever comes first
-The Ferrari North America conventional wisdom largely ignored that; and it used to be recommended to do it every 5 years
-The new Ferrari North America wisdom is to do it every 3 years on all the cars
-The Ferrari conventional wisdom is that on the 348 especially every 3 years is important since everything is driven on the 348 by a single, lengthy serpentine belt
-Some people agree with the three years; some people say 5 is fine; and others think the car can last much longer than that so why do it if it's unnecessary

 

You asked your question in a very specific way. I assume you intended to do that in an attempt to bypass opinion. Here ya go...A scan of my 1993 model 348 owners manual mantenance schedule.
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Cheesh here we go again with this one.

The car says 15000 mile intervals. Or 5 years according to your independent mechanic. Ferrari was having issues with the 360 so they modified the interval to 3 years retroactively to all belt driven models.

Ferrari used belts because Sr. Ferrari believed them to be quieter than chains.

 

You said it Joe.

 

Does anyone make an aftermarket belt that is ulta strong, and ulta resistent to stretching, drying or breaking?? Materials technology, especially in Formula One, quantum leaps every year. I would think that if someone was to create a carbon fiber laced belt, and titanium or ceramic infused tensioner bearings, they would sell like crazy to every belt driven Ferrari owner.

 

It wouldn't sell------Ferrari owners will still change there belts every 3 years, 5 months, 6 days, 14 minutes and 36 seconds as instructed by the owners manual.....

 

Here is the deal.

The owners manual says that you should change the belts at 52,500 miles.

However the workshop manual says that you should changed the belt after 21,700 - 27,900 miles (35,000km - 45,000km)

But then again, Ferrari put out an official letter saying all belts on all cars should be changed at 30,000 miles or 3 years, which ever comes first.

So.............take your pick.

 

I say 7-10 years.

When you get a service "recommendation" from a source that sounds ridiculous - such as changing out a timing belt every 3 years, it's a good idea to consider the source. In this case, the source is Ferrari, and it's no coincidence that Ferrari shops are the direct beneficiaries of these silly services.

In 1999, I bought my wife a new Mercedes. As I was leaving the lot, the salesman reminded me "Don't forget to bring it in every 3000 miles for your oil change." Of course, an oil change was $120 minimum.

In 2000, exactly 11 months later, we traded for another new Mercedes at the same dealership, by the same salesman. I was happy to learn that Mercedes now covered oil changes for the first 4 years. As I was leaving the lot, I told my salesman "See you in 3 months for my oil change." He looked at me, smiled, and said "We have a new 'flexible service' schedule - your car won't need the oil changed for AT LEAST A YEAR."


Now...what's that line that P.T. Barnum said... ????

 

There are probably 340 other threads that discuss this, but belt-breakage is only one factor. Failed tensioner bearings or, on a 348, a seized water pump can also toast your engine.

So,economize as you deem proper.

 

ROLMAO !!!

 

+1. Another reason for longer intervals. Any time you go tearing into an otherwise perfectly-running Ferrari engine, you risk putting something back together not quite right, or replacing a perfectly good part with a faulty one.

 

+1 "When you get a service "recommendation" from a source that sounds ridiculous - such as changing out a timing belt every 3 years, it's a good idea to consider the source. In this case, the source is Ferrari, and it's no coincidence that Ferrari shops are the direct beneficiaries of these silly services."

Remember when all of those jiffy lube billboards used to say "Change your oil every 5,000 miles" and then mysteriously one day they changed to "Change your oil every 3,000 miles"?
Since the average consumer drives about 12,000 miles per year, it meant you changed your oil 2 about times a year and in one fell swoop of advertising they doubled their business and profits by getting people to come in twice as much.....always consider the source, read your manual and of course check Fchat.

Jeff

 

Does anyone happen to have a scan of this infamous "3 year interval" bulletin?

I'd like to read it over & include it in my car's records.

Thanks!

 

I will provide some pictures for visual demonstration.

The top photo shows the 348 Owners Manual which, as Ernie has pointed out, indicates to change the timing belt every 52,500 miles.

The next three photos are from the 348 Workshop Manual. That manual states to change the belt every two years or 35,000-45,000 km (about every 21,000-27,000 miles)

The last photo is from the European Owner's Manual. It states to change the timing belt every 3 years or 31,000 miles!!!

As Ernie says, take your pick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here is a useful thread on the same subject. Notice how young I was at the time (in Ferrari years )...

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=134642796#post134642796
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Yes it is on FerrariChat somewhere.

Does anyone remember which timing belt thread it was posted in? I remember seeing it but my searchign skills aren't as good as I'd like. And neither is the search tool on F-Chat as good as I'd like

 

I can't believe I just spent a half hour scanning pages and editing pictures for ANOTHER TIMING BELT THREAD!!!

AHHHHH!!!!!

 

Here you go.
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Ahh nice. Now this thread is complete.

 

Hi Marc,
I'm not sure what the factory says, but I personally get mine done every 3 years ie engine out cambelts etc, had to replace waterpump last time. But I also have it serviced annually (oil change, tune up if needed). they usually always find something else to fix or replace.

 

Marc, alas my 348 was sold back in March...but my belt lasted 7 years since the previous major was done in 1999 with 9k miles...but the tensioner bearing didn't...it destructed at 30k and the whole top end had to be redone...Point of the story is that there are other components in there besides the belts... I think the 3-5 year point is safe, mileage is pointless unless its your only car. If a belt, tensioner bearing or waterpump bearing seize...your done...and you might get lucky and only have bent valves like I did.....one of the valve stems break, then your really done....