Here's a pic of me pulling the engine out of my 612 yesterday!

Dell550,

Was your issue hydrolock too? It looked like you got it worse.

Make sure you determine that your liners (and thus block) did not crack!

 

I think some of the biggest challenges will be resolving some electrical issues without the assistance of a Ferrari SD3 or SD4 tester. For example, the HVAC blower doesn't run. Not sure (yet) if this is a fuse issue (easy test), a control panel issue ($2800) or a blower issue ($800) or even a HVAC ECU issue ($TBD).

Also, the fuel door doesn't open. Dealer said could be a simple reprogram need. Also I think I have now turned on the airbag light by virtue of turning on the key with the airbag ECU out of the car.

So, likely I need to tow this thing to the dealer when everything is completed for some final support, but I am hoping to absolutely minimize that need!

New navigation system Pioneer NEX8000 coming soon and I have pulled out the Becker unit. The surrounding bezel is cracked and sticky and also needs to be highly modified to accept the new double DIN unit. That will be fun!

Will take some more pics and post...

 

Thanks all!

Yes, the parts list is from Eurospares in the UK. I have been working with Claudio and he has been great.

The big ($5K order) arrived yesterday and I went through it. Missing one module but will get that later (as there will be some follow-on orders)...

Believe it or not, there were no bent valves! The engine never jumped timing. So I just need a simple valve job. And, with just one cylinder bad, it appears the previous owner did NOT accelerate through the ordeal (thankfully!).

I dropped the 48 valve guides off to the machine shop yesterday. My heads and micropolished crank should be ready next week. All other rods and pistons (11 of them) were properly inspected for cracks and are fine.

We will tackle the one cylinder liner replacement sometime next week or the following. Then piece the engine together (slowly).

I just received my Pioneer AVIC 8000-NEX double din nav system and am beginning to line everything up for a clean install (fixing the sticky and cracked single DIN bezel and then modifying it will be a PITA).

Also trying to take care of those damned electric window rockers that break a tab and stop working effectively. I will let you know what my solution is but I am not about to drop $1,600 on new switches just for a small broken tab! Would like to find a way to produce these on a 3D printer at some point ($1000 3D printer will be widely available at big box retailers this Fall)...

Thanks all for your interest! And stay tuned. Will post more pics next week when I get the heads and crank back.

 

I've engineered a fix for the switches. Just requires one of the two attach nubs to be present on each rocker (which they are as only one breaks). Then carefully apply black RTV at the hinge points and VOILA! Perfect hold and compliance!

 

It pays to shop around for any parts. Eurospares is the best price I've found. They basically give you a dealer discount whereas others don't (or others mark up). With Eurospares you do have to pay overseas shipping and customs so on a less expensive, single item, it likely isn't worth it but on larger orders it is well worth it!

They were running a clutch special last week for the 612. I got a complete new OEM clutch for $1,600. Nobody can touch that price!

 

OK, here are some more pics on the 612 project. Currently focusing on the interior work as I await some of the engine machine work items.

First picture is just a shot with the engine out and draining old fuel out of the car. Thought you'd like the chair sitting where the engine once was!

Next shot shows the interior carpets out but also shows the new mirror switch. I used the Maserati mirror switch (which I found at Ricambi for $50) instead of $880 for the Ferrari one. Only difference is the Maserati switch is all black whereas the Ferrari one has the silver knurled perimeter. You make the call, is the compromise on looks worth $800? I think so!

Next pics are of the interior coming out. The purpose is to route back-up camera wire but more importantly to have all the leather out for the headliner re-installation. The 612's have a way of dropping their headliners in hot climates (Florida car). Since the headliner pad is glued right to the aluminum shell, it gets hotter on the Ferrari and the liner breaks down quicker and the headliner drops. You can see the Previous owner had someone try double-sided tape as a temp fix. I have an upholstery guy coming to my shop this coming week to reinstall it with me.

I will post some more pics of the window switch solution I've developed. No good-bye to buying $1,000 switches when your little black toggle switches come loose!
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A lot less than a non-hydrolocked Ferrari!

The good news is that when it is done it will be like a new car and I will have personally gone through every nut, bolt, knob, sub-system, sticky plastic, defects and restored them all to perfect.

Will be fully rebuilt motor, AC, clutch, fluids, window knobs, scheduled services, belts, and interior including state of the art double-din stereo and nav system, radar detectors/jammers, etc.

The block will get worked on next week. New cylinder liner being installed on the cylinder that was hydrolocked. Then I get busy putting the engine back together. I will post lots of pics.

Yes the car will have a salvage title still when done but the issues are fully documented and the car will be back to perfect. It will probably be worth more to me than to someone else with the salvage title, but time will tell. I may have to sell my Quattroporte in order to get my wife to allow me to keep the Ferrari!

 

Here are some pics of the switch repair.

The first picture shows my first attempt using JB Weld plastic weld. It failed as it just plain isn't strong enough to rebuild those tabs.

The 2nd and 3rd picture show the preferred and working solution. Simply insert your toggles into the switch base using just the one remaining side knub. Then carefully apply some black RTV to both sides. Carefully press a little RTV against both the toggle and the plate and let a little go underneath and between the two. The trick here is not to put too much so as to make the switch toggling resistance too high. The good news is that you can just take a pic or a razor blade and adjust how much you keep on, even after the RTV has cured. And if you extend it up along the sides too far, simply remove some after.

I don't expect to ever have switch problems again. And if these get bumped, they will still stay in place my virtue of the RTV''s compliance and adhesion properties.

$1,600 saved! Enjoy.
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More progress in 2 hours this morning...

Stereo bezel modified for the double DIN Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX. Coponents recoated with the famous Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati "sticky rubber" (hopefully not!) coating.

Second picture is inside roof after 1 hour with 3M adhesive remover and a scraper and a fan running so as not to pass-out from the fumes! All ready for the headliner install this week! Then interior goes back together. Need to run cable for reverse camera and the microphone before snapping everything back in.
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Disconnecting the battery can't fix broken things! For example, I've got two modules that saw water and must be replaced as it burned up the boards.

The only lingering electrical issue I haven't resolved is the HVAC fan power issue. I have just ordered the full electrical schematics so I expect to run this issue down quickly. Especially since I know it is a "power issue" and not a "control issue". I.E. likely not a major component causing the concern.

Also, since I connected the battery with the airbag module out, that fault like is now triggered and must be reset by the dealer. No biggie as I will have to have the dealer do a couple of things for the car at the end of this project anyway (program clutch kiss point, flush F1 fluid with SD3 computer, etc.).