How awesome is the 355 ?

So awesome, you’re willing to drop 15k on a major service & clutch job !

THAT’S how awesome !

 

It's a week in the Caribbean or 4 years of driving bliss. Wise decision!!

 

can't be! everyone knows those are rumours.. no such thing exists as $15k majors!!
Several threads around here that explain how cheap a 355 is to run... ...

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login After four years of relatively trouble free ownership, I’m bitting the bullet and doing a very thorough major with a new clutch and flywheel repack.

I’ve seen some items that have made me lose confidence in the quality of work done at the last major. Despite this work being done at a reputable shop, it’s clear to me that it wasn’t as in-depth as it should have been. Can you imagine dropping the engine but failing to change the gearbox oil ? Yep....how about no spark plugs, despite obvious corrosion from failed spark plug cover gaskets, etc. One of those service the car to sell it type deals.

I’m going all in and doing the service with no short cuts. Could I go further without the new clutch, flywheel re-pack, Hill throw out bearing, new F1 sensor & new front of the pumpkin $300 bearing ?
I Definitely could. That would save about 5k, but my goal is to have a thoroughly refreshed, mechanically superior car. Once this work is done, the car can have general maintenance for a very long time based on the mileage I drive.

If you guys would like to follow the process, I’ll post.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Thanks to Daniel at Ricambi for helping me pick out all the parts. I wasn’t expecting a crate !

 

awesome thread!

 

It’s 6 & 1/2 the dozen.....
You could have a 360 / 430 (which I do) and pay less for the belt change, but more for the clutch replacement. None of this is inexpensive.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login The last straw occurred when one cylinder was dropping out. I wonder why ?

I won’t name the shop or dealer, but I won’t be buying anything in the State of Florida again. The reputation fits.

Keep in mind this car is great overall and has been hassell free for 4 years, mainly due to my diligence and improvements, but these oversights by the dealer and shop who performed the last major are criminal !

The great news is compression testing was very strong.

 

Was that one plug not even threaded in all the way?!?

 

Not entirely sure, but I believe it was. All this corrosion is being removed. I believe this was a result of washing the car / engine and having failed cover gaskets.

 

Rule #1 when buying an airplane: Never buy one that spent it's life in a Florida coast location.
Salt water / humidity in coastal Florida is brutal for corrosion.

Apparently it applies to Ferrari's as well.

Imagine how cool that ride will be when you are done...

Keep the pictures coming.

 

Thanks Watson. The car never actually lived in Florida, just brokered through Florida. The car lived a salt free life away from the coast. No corrosion anywhere on the car other than these spark plugs which was due to failed spark plug cover gaskets and people who should have checked failing to do so. My gripe is simply with the dealer and shop that did the last major and flipped the car to me. Those two dropped the ball, but nothing I can’t correct. I just shouldn’t have to.

Since the car hasn’t seen rain or been washed with water in the 4 years under my watch, I know for a fact it was like this when sold to me.
Regardless, I still feel fortunate in that there are many worse things I could have encountered (valve guides, blown headers, etc.) It just angers you a bit when you pay someone a price that should avoid these type things.

 

wow...glad you're getting it sorted.

someone should cue the "should I get a PPI or not" thread.

sjd

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Onward and upward.
Look at this thing of beauty !

 

Now that's a crate! I want one...

 

It's better to overpack for safety, than under-pack and have stuff get broken in transit. Those crates are pretty darn useful in the garage for years to come.

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Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

So, what oversight do you attribute to the last shop for getting water in the spark plug holes? You had it for 4 years?

 

I had it 4 years with no water touching the car and based on the invoices and money paid that it would be fine and has run well for four years.
Someone at that shop or dealer sprayed the engine down with water and caused this situation. So, one of the two was incompetent.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Getting ready to pull the engine.

 

Here is my experience with seeing many and having two 355 myself.

The sparkplug gaskets do not keep water out in the rain, or while car washing, or parking your car in the rain, even for a couple of days. Once the water penetrates, it does not evaporates very easily so it sits and rusts out your spark plugs.

Your having own the car for 4 years makes it difficult to pass the fault to a mechanic 4 years ago. Anyone episode of rain, wash, or heavy mist could have caused it.

My experience has caused me to not leave my cars out in the rain, or if I have to, cover the engine bay with plastic.

 

Mitch, come on. You know it's always someone else's fault.

 

Does the car have stock exhaust manifolds? If so, will you replace? I think it's not if, but when they give out.

 

I need to take a look at the plugs on my 98 as I had the car 5+ years, it had a major right before I got it and I wet wash it all the time and have been caught in heavy rains twice.

 

thanls for the input guys.

Moving on from the rusty spark plugs. It’s not a big deal either way. I’ve been wanting to do the major anyway and this just sped up the fun by one year. Regardless of the cause, they are being sorted and everything suspect will be replaced.

 

No stock headers. I replaced those with Tubi about 1.5 years ago.