Major Service Update. WHAT! WHY?

Well stated. We must present a unified approach to the new person. Start off by saying that if Ferrari says it is 3 years then that is what we recommend. We can then give explanations otherwise but must conclude that the factory recommends 3 years and that is what we stand by.

aehaas

 

And this from the Department of Redundancy Department:

In matters of opinion, debate is superfluous. I’ll see it when I believe it.

And by the way, we know less about prostate cancer today than we did 50 years ago. In fact, one of the great debates (lessons) about prostate cancer is that more harm is done in chasing it (in many, if not the majority of cases) than in leaving it undiagnosed. And herein lies the lesson for Ferrari belts. While this is simply a guess, I suspect that as many engine catastrophes occur following a belt change service (owing to improper reassembly) as do from belt/bearing failure.

And this from the Department of Redundancy Department:

If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.

In the final analysis, The Great Belt Debate is an economic issue. Ferrari recommended 3 year/30,000 miles to cover their buttocks and to avoid Car and Driver and Road and Track from thrashing them when belts failed frequently in expensive cars. Ferrari engineers are smart people. They understood the statistical nature of time:mileage:failure:service-revenue. They simply picked a point that represented a compromise – that is, where the curves crossed. There is nothing magic or Newtonian about 3 years or 30,000 miles.

The same approach should be taken by this esteemed body of intelligent Ferrari owners (assuming that we have more brains than money). For my Boxer or Testarossa, 2 belt changes represents 1 engine. I’ll take my chances. My first belt change in the Testarossa was after 20 years and 30,000 miles. Belts looked like new, bearings like new. The first belt change in the Boxer was at 22 years and 30,000 miles. Belts looked like new, bearings looked like new. I saved both sets for my grandchildren to use on the next belt change! I don’t yet have grandchildren, but that is how long it will be before the next belt service.

Write a letter to Dr. Ruth. Maybe she cares.

Jim S.
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See Tex, I told ya. 20 posts, over and over and over...

 

Dear Santa,
I was going to ask you for world peace for my Christmas present, instead I want the next person that asks about when and why to change the timing belts on their Ferrari to be banned.
Thank you,
Johnny

 

Brilliant, absloutely F'ing brilliant.

If you are ever in Ca stop by I need to buy you a drink.

 

Tex.....Make it 21.

 

The belt thing is all a big conspiracy from big oil


When I had mine changed in my old 328 the belts were about 7 years old, with about 28k miles on them, the tech said they would have lasted maybe another 10k miles but I had them replace the tensioners also and one fell apart removing it, the motor had made no noises indicating the tensioner was almost done.

 

LMFAO!

 

Is this the thread (I've got a Corona in my hand now)...

 

Dis D place.

It's gotten quiet. I think everyone either went home or are getting liquored up at an office party and making a move on the boss's secretary.

 

Spicy no longer condones that type of behavior. I guess I'll stick around and beat the dead horse here.

I'm on the 5 year plan and I replace the bearings and the water pump "while you're in there".

 

I knew it. This whole thing smells like Dick Cheney.

 

Isn't that what a internet forum is all about. Exchange of info? If EVERY topic was banned from EVER being repeated, this place would be real quiet. If someone doesn't like a topic just don't click on it. There are new owners/ members that join the forum all the time and are looking for solid information on thier cars. Can't blame someone for that.

Stepping off my box now.

Darrell.

 

Now now, no one has been shot in a hunting accident here yet...

 

I agree, after 14 years and about 600 miles on the belts, I am now on the five year plan. I got lucky once already and don't feel like pushing the enveope, I'm just too old for that crap.

 

Still cheaper than a complete rebuild...

 

This was just my point...rather than fill a thread with non-constructive beatings on new owners for asking 'old' questions, resist the urge, don't click that mouse....

 

You guys are right!! Some times those older threads get so long that no normal person is going to peruse the whole darn 50 page plus thread to find one piece of information. There are lots of people rotating here.... no one is forced to answer anything.
That being said, some of those older threads have great info but not "everything" on a given subject or question.

 

I think the answer is quite simple and obvious. F-chat should have a technical library page accessable only by subscription. These threads could be cleaned of useless and attacking posts to list only the really pertinant information. While time consuming and a pain in the ass this would build a lot of value for users as well as the owner to this site.

 

Not only that, but it would take away an outlet for the oldtimers here to vent...

Merry Christmas Glassman. Go drive the 308...

 

Christmas day, 45 degrees, all cars get out of the garage.

 

Mine are all coming out on New Years if the weather holds...

 

Great idea. The info would be very helpful for those of us that are new to Ferrari cars and lets face it, there is a bunch of info out there that is not quite right.

As recommendations change, we need to be kept up to date. Even a database with info from these strings would need to be edited to maintain it. I think there are some of us willing to do that.

 

The thing of it is, that while these conversations seem to piss off the professionals I like to find out what other owners are doing and how well it works out for them. Then I think owners of older cars can make an educated decision as to what service intervals they feel comfortable with. Alot of people just want to blast you for defered maintinance when there really are other situations to think about. Like not all of us have the disposable income to pay for everything the car might need right now. Some of us like myself do not have access to a dealer or Ferrari trained independent and have to do a lot of work ourselves. And some of us just don't have that much time on our hands. Many people are way in over their heads owning one of these cars but it sure doesn't stop us from persuing this passion. Maybe we just don't deserve to own Ferrari's.

 

I don't think the recommendations have changed since last month when this whole subject was beat to death last.

I understand that the newer members here want to participate in the fight. I'm not suggesting that we don't discuss these things ad infinitum, I'm just suggesting that a search and a little reading first might answer the question without bringing it up again. If you really feel the need to bring it up again, re-starting an older thread at least shows that you read it and everyone knows where it left off! Besides, it's more fun that way because the thread gets longer. We can go for a record.

Hey whatever, it's just bandwidth.

Merry Christmas!

Birdman