550 engine mounts... again

About eight months ago, while on a trip out of town, I took my 550 98 to a Ferrari service shop where a friend of mine knew one of the mechanics.

He lifted the car, took away the underside panels, and, in my presence, he measured the clearance between the anti roll bar and the bottom of the car
by placing his fingers in the space. Since there was close to one inch clearance, he concluded that the engine mounts were fine.

Last week, a different Ferrari service (the one where I have been taking my car since new) tells me that there is excesive sagging in the engine mounts and they need to be changed.

Who should I believe?

To be safe, the best thing is to just change them but, since I just took the car from service, probably not until next year's. Or is this something urgent?

Also, is this something I can do?

Thanks,

Antonio

 

Yes this is something you can do. So long as you have the tools and willingness, you can do it yourself. The best thing to do is check them out yourself. Then if you think they are shot change them. If you think they are fine then leave them. Don't be affraid to work on your car just because it is a Ferrari. It's still a car held together with nuts and bolts.

 

Hi ernie,

Thank you for your advice.

I feel pretty confident with tools and DIY, so I am up for the try. And it feels good to be a bit more in control of the car, and enjoy it at the same time.

One, thing. I have read that the engine mounts change does not need to remove the engine just to lift it a little bit. What is the best tool to do this and how?

Thanks,

Antonio

 

I would imagine that you could do it one of two ways. Get a cherry picker and use that to hold the engine up, or support it from the bottom using a floor jack. I haven't ever work on a 550 so I can't tell you for sure. But again it's still just a car held together with nuts and bolts, and motor mounts are motor mounts.

 

After jacking up the car and supporting on stands, then use the jack under the engine to just relieve the weight a bit.
Regards,
Ron

 

Thank you Ron. That makes good sense and seems to be within the realm of my possibilities.

I will get started by ordering the parts.

Regards,

Antonio

 

becareful when using jack under the engine. Besure support the engine with wide piece of board to distribute the wieght. good luck, send some pictures if you can, from engine mounts. thanks.

 

when my engine mounts were replaced, this is how the shop did it. no reason to pull the block.

just don't jack it any more than you have to - not everything that's connected to the block likes to bend .

it's pretty obvious if the mounts have failed - i've posted snaps here of my failed mounts.

doody.

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16564

Doody, None of your original pics or the PDF is there any more. Is it possible for you to repost them?

 

It's a fairly straight forward job, requiring no more than normal mechanical skills.

Access to the bolts is tricky. I drop the steering rack off it's mounts to help.

 

i have updated the original thread.

doody.