348 overheating? - don't panic

Last sunday my 348 started to overheat.

My first thought was the water pump had gone, which means taking the engine out to replace. Plus the cost of a new water pump is around £700 plus!!!!

Dale suggested I change the thermostat first in case that was the problem.

Take off the bonnet, loosen 2 jubilee clips, remove 3 screws and out comes the thermostat. However, you'll need to lie down on the engine to get access as it's at the front of the engine.

Pic below is the old water pump which appears to jam when opened.

Thanks to george for changing it for me.
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Good catch!! A thermostat stuck closed is a lot cheaper to replace than rebuilding a good water pump. I wonder how many people get shafted on that one? I once thought my starter was fried, then realized it was my timing that was too advanced. One thing I've learned is you don't start replacing expensive parts until you make sure you've checked the cheaper and more obvious possibilities. Friends who have been around the block a few times are invaluable!

Ken

 

Nice catch.

 

I used to have that same exact problem on my 1963 MGB.....That was my first thought as well when I saw the head line of your post. ....glad it was an easy fix!

.....M

 

Off topic, Ken, does timing affects the starter? How does it affect & what's the remedy?
Jon

 

That's not recommended. On a new engine, laying on top might be fine, but if you've got an engine that has 10 or 15 year old head gaskets, there is some small chance that putting that much weight on top could scratch, nick, cut, tear, or smush the old Italian seals in some tiny way.

And a blown head gasket is an engine-out, engine-apart affair to repair.

 

Thats the thermostat pictured there angelis Im sure thats what you meant to type but.

 

I have the specs here somewhere,but how many head bolts are there and how many Nm are the headgasket bolts tightend too? Do you really think that they would even hint of getting scratched,nicked,cut,torn or smushed with your body weight on top of the engine? Hell no! Where i come from,10-15 year old heads take alot of prying with a large bar/screwdriver to remove after all them years. Or am missing something here? has it happened before to somone on here? Highly unlikely

 

If I were to make a guess, I would guess that there is a 0.00% chance of damaging the head gasket on a 348 by lying on top of the engine. It just does not seem possible to me. If the gasket was that fragile, how would it stand up to the force of the compression in the cylinder? How would it be able to handle the variations in temperature? Sorry, ND - I don't believe it.

As an additional guess, I would say that there is about a 0.01% chance of damaging a correctly installed cam cover gasket by lying on top of the engine.

 

I still havent checked the engine specs ND,my manual is at my brothers place,but think about it brother. You have around 30 plus headbolts,tightend to say 150Nm and you have dowel pins in the block that locate the headgaskets and the clyinder head. There is no chance that would happen. Are you ok today man?? It seems you are only firing on 5 cylinders lately

 

I must be all wet on this one. Sorry guys.

 

Thats ok man.

 

Ferrari 348
People don't love their Ferrari *THAT* way......
Do I have to explain EVERYTHING to you !?

 

No Doubt about it Q

 

No other way to access the thermostat. Would be intersting to know how Ferrai mechanics do it.

We did have to lay a rug over it, beacuse as its a GTB it has a higher plenum chambers and dig deeper into the chest.

Ferrari 348: yep, my mistake.