95 F355 Valve Guides.....Fact vs. Fiction !!!

+ 1 - well said

 

This 9 year old post should be sticky! At the very least it's required reading for all owners, and potential owners of the Ferrari 355.

If you still think that a less than perfect leakdown PROVES beyond a shadow a a doubt that a car needs a valve job or an engine rebuild, or that ALL 1995 355's are "time Bombs" to be avoided, this is a good read.

If this doesn't change your mind, then you probably still think that Benghazi was caused by a Youtube video.....

 

This is a great thread. It dispels many myths about issues with these cars, and how some inaccurate statements get blown out of proportion and start to become fact.

 

95 spider here. Relived to say the least.....

 

That entire story was disproved some time ago.


Ferrari was lying to cover their butts the same as they did in 1980-1982 when the 308's were burning more oil than gas.


If you really need to believe that your copper valve guides are good , go right on ahead we won't stop you but in the intervening years Ferrari admitted to the problem and spent tons of money fixing lots of cars, many outside of warranty.

 

OK, interesting. I thought that Ferrari did not cover valve guides as some sort of recall for dealers to perform and that caused a big upevil. False?

 

I don't understand what you are trying to say.


Recall is a legal term and applies only to safety and emmission control related items.

 

Oh ok. Thanks

 

I am not going to be put into the position of defending the crap valve guides Ferrari put in the early cars. Like the BMW Nikasil fiasco, it is true and well documented. Rifledriver is 100% right, if you have the crappy, copper guides they are going to fail. Period.
My only purpose in re visiting this post, is to try and mitigate the damage that those issues have caused to the perception of otherwise good cars. Cars that either have had the issue addressed or have the improved guides from Ferrari.
My selfish interest is that I currently own two of them, with one perhaps being sold soon, and I am tired of having to answer this question over and over. There is a large percentage of people who are convinced that every one of these cars should have a valve job as part of every Major service or perhaps even as part of a freakin' PPI!. When I was shopping for my first 355 I looked at a 1995 car with 12,000 miles, that had had its valves done three (yes THREE) times in it's 12,000 mile lifetime. Does anyone here actually think that it required all three of those valve jobs? It probably never had a chance to get its coolant fully warm before the heads had to come off!
Maybe we can put FORD 7.3 Powerstroke diesel heads on 355's ...my truck has 345,000 miles on its valve guides!

OK Rant over

 

Ferrari was probably dealing with 2 suppliers during the 95 to 98 period and most cars got the steel valves and some the bronze.

The myth that it only affects 95s is not true and the Internet just scares everyone.

My shop is specialized in Ferraris from the 80s and 90s. He's got a ton of 355 customers and he has never done a valve job on a 355 nor has he seen one that needed it.

 

"That's right! We can't have anyone freakin out ok??!! We gotta keep our composure, we've come too far!!" If you know which movie this quote comes from, then your valve guides are fine

Much like the dreaded cambelt snap leading to a 20k engine job, lets get info together on how many 355s on here actually NEEDED new valve guides.

 

The situation is well understood and well documented. Prior to mid 98 all the cars had the early valve guides. The sintered iron guides have been in use on all V8's since then.

Valve guides, like tires, brakes, and clutches are going to wear according to use. It is little surprise some are still in use.

 

1995 GTS

57000 miles

Original valve guides
Belts changed 2006

Runs super sweet and has always done

Engine mounts last 2 years though...they could do with heat shielding.
Easy to change though with engine in.

 

1995 F355 GTB. Currently ~48K miles and valve guides were replaced under first owner ~1997. So far so good on my watch. I bought the car at ~38K miles. The last major was on March 30, 2012.

 

Good luck Ed! You keep beating that drum as your victory will help the other models too. The 355 has so poisoned the "well" that newbies all over the continent are stressing about leakdown test's in their PPI's on "every" Ferrari. I can hardly justify a PPI let alone a leakdown test. But that is a discussion for another thread.

 

That well was poisoned for Ferrari about the time I was born. A little truth and a lot of fiction has always surrounded luxury goods of all kinds. It is a very popular way for people to justify not owning.


Not going to change that now.



What really pisses people off is they bought uninformed, then when they are the seller an informed buyer comes around asking uncomfortable questions.

 

How true is this !

Great perspective, with a lot of truth behind it.

 

Ok fine, I will accept your answer but when you say well documented, I assume you have a reliable source, please share...

 

I am going to answer that about the same time I'm going to answer another "prove it" about timing belts.


I am not the Shell answer man. Research it yourself.


Like I said a few posts ago, believe whatever you like. Some people still believe Elvis is alive.

 

My car ran great but 3 years ago when we had the engine out for service we the a leak down and the valve guides were cooked. We did them while doing the 30k and no big deal. My shop has done a few of them. Many dont even know. I didnt burn oil and the car ran great.

 

That is very true, but just wanted to be clear that this does not describe me! What pisses ME off is when the uninformed buyer, who has never even seen the inside of any engine, comes lecturing ME about what a pile my car probably is

 

Tell them it has a new expensive exhaust bullhorn and watch them say "wow thats great" Then show them the door

 

Sorry but I'm still not buying it....my research indicates that many 355s (including 95s) had original steel valves from the factory and several did not need to have them changed.

 

So let's say I'm looking for a 355 (I am). Let's say I want a 95. Let's say it has 27k miles on it and has good leak down and compression. Why should I worry what guides it has? I'm supposed to believe that it a problem has not occured in 27k miles that it will in the next 5k?

 

My understanding is that the failure mode of bad guides is excessive oil burning. People seem to act as if the car is sentenced to death if the leak down numbers are less than ideal due to this issue.