Countach rebuild questions | FerrariChat
Buy

Countach rebuild questions

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by dan the man, Sep 4, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. dan the man

    dan the man Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    146
    Alabama
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    #1 dan the man, Sep 4, 2009
    Why do I see so many Countachs listed with rebuilt engines that did not have that many miles on them? What is it about these engines that require a rebuild so low?

    I could not find any discussions covering this question.

    Thanks,
    Dan
     
  2. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
    18,221
    Twin Cities
    Full Name:
    Tim Keseluk
    #2 2NA, Sep 4, 2009
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2009
    It depends on what you mean by "that many miles".

    The same car may have also had the clutch replaced (perhaps more than once) during a relatively short number of miles.

    Exotic sports cars in general are cursed with getting some pretty hard use and a Countach is right at the top of the list. How a car is driven can greatly affect how long things last.

    Italian cars of this period are frequently subject to leaks. This is annoying at best and often the only way to affect a solution is by completely disassembling things. After 30 or more years the old gaskets and seals just don't cut it anymore. Valve seals in particular (omitted completely from some Lamborghini engines) don't seem to remain effective and some blue smoke is the result. Original head gaskets leave a bit to be desired.

    Piston rings and valve springs lose some of their tension over time as well (particularly if an engine is stored for long periods several valve springs are in their fully compressed state). It isn't unreasonable that they might need replacing.

    One also needs to consider what a seller is referring to when they say "rebuilt". Do they mean a complete teardown followed by a nut and bolt textbook return to better than new or is it really just some new gaskets and a few other new parts? I've seen examples of "rebuilt" that weren't as good as "unmolested but worn". Who did the work makes a difference.
     

Share This Page