575 major service

OK, I have noted to ask for injectors pulled out, cleaned and flow matched on my next service for all my Ferraris. Thanks..you learn a new thing every day here. Last record of that for my 575 was in 2011.

 

The PO of my car had the fuel injectors removed, cleaned and their injection pattern balanced and optimized in 2009 by Ferrari of Seattle when the car had just over 9k miles. The service record didn't indicate prior drivability issues so not clear why that work was done. Car now has 18.5k miles with belt service due in 2024. No drivability issues whatsoever. Is this something to do as a matter of course or done to address drivability symptoms?

 

Man o' man, good luck getting her back in your garage soon! The guy I take my 550 to here in Omaha is $150/hour. He always has a big backlog of work in his shop, too, including race cars being prepped and several full restorations going on, but seems to be able to get my 550 turned around in a couple of days for most things. Longest it's been in there was about 10 days last Sept when I had the cam belt change/major service done plus some other "while you're in there" stuff. That was a $7k+ bill.

 

This is what I got from a known and reputable local Ferrari service guy. If both cars (F355 and 550) are running well and no need for work other than timing belt replacement due to age and oil service, the 550 is $3.5k while the F355 would be about $4k. He can replace the F355 belts with the engine in. For more comprehensive service like timing adjustment, oil leaks, water pump, etc, which require the F355 engine to come out the cost would be around $8k for the F355 compared to about $7k for the 550. Even though belt+ service for the F355 seems to be about 15% higher than similar service for the 550 I'd call them within shouting distance especially when the marginal difference is prorated over 5 years.

 

Hey Root - curious if you’d mind sharing which local shop quoted this?

Thanks,

Ruben

 

PM sent

 

Note also Ferrari recommends a belt change every three years on the V8s and every 5 years on the 575M and later cambelt V12s. Not that everybody does either.

 

2002 456M GT Timing Belt Service from 05/03/21
Timing Belts-2 $300
Tensioner Bearings-2 $500
Cam Seal & O-Ring kit $150
Valve Cover gasket kit $150.
Side Plenum gaskets-2 $75
Oil filter-2 $70
Fuel filter-2 $76
Copper seal washers-10 $15
NGK Spark Plugs-12 $180
Serp Belt (A/C)-1 $40
Serp Belt (wp/alt)-1 $32
Water Pump $657
Thermostat $125
Thermostat seals $15
Mobil 1 (0/40)-12 $120
Anti Freeze-3 $45
Black wrinkle paint $12
Engine sealer $51
Labor $2600
Total = $5200 + tax

NOTE: 30000 miles, car runs great & engine compartment looks like new

 

Seems absolutely reasonable!!

 

Affirmative, that is a ton of work including the water pump and spark plugs. The last five year on mine was last year and labor was $2400 including belts, tensioners and all fluids and filters. 575Ms do not require cam removal for cam seal replacement, as mentioned above, but mine were not leaking and did not require replacement this time.

 

Hey guys…new to the forum here. Thinking about purchasing my first Ferrari. It will be a 575M bc that has always been my favorite.

Quick question regarding the timing belt service. Is it totally necessary to replace the belts at 5 years even if the vehicle has only been driven a thousand miles over that span? The dealer I am talking to it saying that the last belt replacement was done in 2015 bc it’s only been driven a thousand miles since then, and it’s only recommended but not required since so few miles.

Do the belts really break down with time even if the car hasn’t been driven much?

Thank you!

 

Some guys have a greater tolerance for risk.

I did my belts early last time because the car was getting other work done and my independent had a waiting line a mile long…

Im personally not interested in risking a Ferrari V12 or the interference belt driven engine in my Ducati 916.

That red 575 SA on BaT right now has only 3k miles in total but 9 year old belts….just me…I wouldn’t even start that car….I’d push it on a trailer to the mechanic….

The professors here are more knowledgable so we can see what everyone else shares…

 

Timing belt changes are the most posted query here and no-one agrees BUT what is forgotten is the failures typically derive from the tensioner bearings not the belts and that the likelihoood is increased by lack of use - in your shoes day 1 belt & bearings (Hill replacement) - check also the water hose in the vee is newish - if not replace day 1

Then enjoy to the max

 

Jimmie- The large hose in the 575M valley is silicone and long life. Some of the smaller ones are just rubber, though.

Adam- The dealer is trying to sell you a car in need of a belt change. Use that as leverage and then have it done as soon as possible with the money you leveraged. Unless the records for the car are really complete, always a good idea to change out all the fluids and filters when you buy her. Especially the coolant, which tends to get ignored and should be done regularly, actually very regularly.

 

In 45 years in the Ferrari business I have yet to see a tensioner bearing failure that caused a belt failure. I have seen untold number of belt failures.

 

Tire manufactures say that tires are only good for 5-6 years no matter the mileage driven. Very few disagree with that and in some cases will fail a safety or tech inspection with tires older..........no one questions it.
Timing belts are of the same construction and materials and everyone questions it. Make any sense to you?

 

Thank you for the correction

 

This is all great info thanks guys! Definitely makes sense to me that the timing belts need to be replaced every 5 years regardless of mileage.

I have a copy of the service that was done at the Ferrari dealership in 2015. They charged $11,120 to replace timing belts, seals, gaskets, o-rings, spark plugs, oil change, air filters, and pollen filters. That seems outrageously high to me…thoughts?

 

Yup, very high compared to what most of us have been paying. Has she had any service since then?

 

rifledrivers comments piqued my curiosity. I tried to find out what was worse for rubber...light or heat and was unsuccessful. Every article I read just said they are both bad. The timing belts are unexposed to light but exposed to heat big time. Tires are exposed to sunlight but not the severe heat cycles that a timing belt endures. Anyway , this article edumacated me somewhat on rubber degradation for those interested...

https://thegraduateengineer.com/rubber-deterioration-over-time-and-what-causes-it/

 

Interesting. So if the belts are not exposed to heat in a vehicle that hasn’t been driven much, what is it that makes the rubber deteriorate over that 5 year period?

 

What would be a reasonable price for that service?She has had all of the annual oil change services done since then.

 

Prob 6-7k at an independent.

prob 6-7k at an independent. In my experience dealerships charge at least 50% more

 

Cross-linking between the long carbon/hydrogen chains of uncured rubber happens with heat in the presence of some sulfur....at least in the good ol days sulfur was the reaction catalyst. Compounds are significantly more complex these days but in any case, the presence of free oxygen is sufficient to cause a slow degradation of the cross-linking bonds. When these bonds are degraded, rubber becomes stiffer, brittle, and cracks. UV, with high energy per photon has much the same effect.

 

Your list is nowhere near comprehensive enough to determine a value or consider their price. When I write a bill for a service like that is is typically a 4 or 5 page list of parts and materials used and labor operations performed. We are really supposed to make a judgement on 1 1/2 lines of information????? Really????

Its what I love about the internet. People cannot wait to tell you now how you were ripped off based on such scant information.