512M powered Testarossa back for a major

I do my belts every 10 years. And when removed the bearings and belt look like new. Of course the rubber has aged. and if life wants to throw me a curve ball the belt will shed teeth before then...

We keep hearing that testarossa's don't appreciate because of the maintenance, which is bullcr*p. Many MANY newer exotics chew through way more than $15,000 in maintenance every 10 years. And they are depreciating to boot... McLaren comes to mind...

 

does anyone here ever had a broken timing belt on the flat 12 family?
and if so after what time or mileage?

 

I think that's more a case of people finding reasons for something,
and also people repeating whatever they hear.

Those are the same people that would immediately jump on the new bandwagon, if it did appreciate.

 

I remember that Brian Crall was always posting examples of sheered teeth on "like new belts" that were over 5 years old...

I'm sure it happens.

I'm not even sure who, today, is capable of fixing heads where valves have let loose. It would probably total out the car. Would be more sense to sell as a fixer upper on Bring a Trailer....

 

Its funny, and I never thought I would say this. But vintage exotic ownership is becoming cheaper than owning and maintaining a newer Mercedes or BMW. Price out a set of brakes for a AMG Benz, or M series BMW.

 

Oliver koenig, the brother from walter, still is handling a little, but only what is still in stock. not produce anymore and also no tknow all the other guys working once with willy and walter

 

Me

 

sad to hear, but after how much time or mileage?
have the belt been oily by engine oil?

 

2 weeks & 50 kms

 

you are joking ! ! !
after 2 weeks and 50 km a belt never will get destroyed - except someone made a mistake when installing new. but then it is a warranty case. poor mechanic I only can say when he has no insurance

 

The mechanic can blame the belt manufacturer, the tensioner manufacturer, prior mechanics, prior issues, the owner, etc etc.
You'll be in court for a while, particularly in Europe.

 

No, this is not a joke.
I’m the mechanic, and I paid to learn.
I repaired the cylinder heads (after several months of trying to unstick them and designing a custom tool for the job). From now on, I strictly follow the procedure from the workshop manual — not the one used by most mechanics (with the painted marks on the camshaft and crankshaft pulleys) — when replacing a timing belt. This way, the tension is correctly distributed across the belt strands.
Since that mishap and its repair, 9 years have passed and the car has done 18,000 km.

 

So that was your car?

 

It's mine

 

with still the same belts?

 

If you want to share, what was your total repair cost?

One bank or both?

 

I don't want to know, I didn't count

Both

 

No, I just finished the fourth replacement (including the one when a belt snapped), and I'm taking it out for the first time next weekend. I took the opportunity to replace the differential (as a preventive measure), the suspension and steering bushings, the driveshaft (151651 – also preventive), the front brake discs… and a bunch of other little things.