NEED HELP California roof failure, hydraulic line leak - quoted repair $30k????

If the leak is a flexible hose then I have had success getting those rebuilt (not specifically for Cali roof, but in other cases). You need to dismantle the hose and take it to a hydraulic repair place, the kind of place that does replacement hydraulic lines for tractors and diggers etc.

They will make up a hydraulic line to the exact length and with new end fittings.

Sometimes Ferrari use non-standard threaded connectors and if that is the case then often the hydraulic shop can reuse the existing fittings.

I did this for a couple of gearbox lines on my 355. It cost 1/20 of the Ferrari price and have lasted 15 years and still look like new.

 

As spaghetti_jet said - either go to a hydraulic specialist or if you feel really adventures you do a DIY fix where you cut out the section with the leak and put in a hydraulic hose coupling, and then just fill up the hydraulic fluids. If you have not done any advanced DIY before I would highly recommend finding any tractor/digger mechanic and ask them to help you. No way I would spend CAD $30k on repairing a leak.

A mechanic that knows what he is doing will be able to do this in less than an hour and the coupling is maybe $20

If the DIY route still sounds like an interesting path to explore, take a look at this step-by-step instruction. Maybe your local mechanic will be up for it?

https://cabriolethydraulics.com/products-services/hydraulic-hose-repair-couplers/

They say that their hose repair couplers fits Ferrari and Maserati among many others

And they also have hose sets for the California if you do not want to repair

https://cabriolethydraulics.com/products-services/convertible-top-hydraulic-hoses/

 

^^ these posts are why I love F.Chat.^^

 

I heard somewhere that the top mechanism is the same one used in a Volkswagen EOS. Maybe try a VW dealer

 

The top it is not the same. It's the same company (Webasto) that produces the two tops, but they are not the same and the wiring harness is not the same. You can compare faults and behavior of the tops, but it is limited what parts can be used on both models. I doubt a VW shop would work on a California. An independent shop may, but OP already has one of those.

 

30K quote to replace a leaking hydraulic hose is a bad Joke

 

This is awesome information!

I like the idea of a turn-key system, as re-using fittings (or finding specialty ones), and even finding hoses with the right flexibility, size and pressure rating can be hit and miss. Otherwise, even Princess Auto is an option if you are adventurous.

Would suggest doing both hoses while you're in there.

Hoping that the pump isn't damaged by running with low fluid.

Let us know how you make out, @walman

 

I would venture that you can try all options more than once until you have one that holds and you will still have saved $25k

When you are in there check all other hoses for wear. The leak is most likely a result of the hose rubbing against something.

And please keep us informed as detailed as possible. Pictures etc. will all help others

 

https://cabriolethydraulics.com/products-services/convertible-top-hydraulic-hoses/
Hoses are available in sets or individually. Call us for pricing at (941) 756-1300.
Hoses we make
Aston Martin: 1994-2004 DB-7 Volante, 2004-2016 DB-9 Volante, 2005-2016 Vantage Roadster, 2013-2016 Vanquish Volante

Audi: 1999-2006 TT Roadster, 2007-2014 TT Roadster, 2003-2009 A4/S4, 2009-2016 A5/S5

Bentley: 1996-2003 Azure, 2006-2010 Azure Mark II, 2006-2010 Continental GTC, 2011-present Continental GTC

BMW: 1998-2005 3-Series (E46), 2005-2013 3-Series (E93), 2004-2013 1-Series (E88), 2004-2010 6-Series (E64)

Chevrolet: 2005-2013 Corvette (C6), 2003-2006 SSR

Chrysler: 2004-2008 Crossfire Convertible, 2005-2008 PT Cruiser Convertible, 2008-2010 Sebring Convertible, 2011-2014 200 Convertible

Ferrari: 1995-1999 355 Spider, 2001-2005 360 Spider, 2004-2009 430 Spider, 2008-2016 California

Good Luck

 

If you are very experienced with plumbing then I would put your self as the second best option to do the coupling repair, with only the hydraulics expert above you. You are properly better equipped to do it than your auto mechanic

 

Would this repair be covered if you had extended warranty. Just bought 2019 Portofino from dealer and got 2 year power warranty extension.
The car is still under the 7 year maintenance program

 

This company is good
Hoses are available in sets or individually. Call us for pricing at (941) 756-1300.

Don't splice it, it will leak overtime I have already replaced a few hose's due to the splice. Some of the hoses its necessary to remove the complete top assembly from the car to gain access to replace parts/hoses.

 

In case anybody is wondering, I have used TopHydrauics many times for Mercedes and BMW and have always had good service.

 

This thread definitely goes into the ‘future reference’ file for my 2013 Cali (knock wood) and please do keep updating it.

 

I am also in California Top Hell right now. I bought a 2010 with 1800 miles on it from the very excellent Foreign Cars Italia dealership in North Carolina, who has some regular customers who buy large numbers of cars to sit in their museum man caves without much use, recycling them when they want to look at something new (another car from the same owner was swapped out with only 400 miles on it at the same time as my California). The car was perfect and everything worked, including trying the roof many times. Unknown to anyone, the seals had apparently dried out in the nine year old pump, and enough fluid leaked out so that the pump would not function and error codes appeared when the car arrived to me on the Pacific coast, 3000 miles away from the selling dealer. There is a catch tray under the pump that catches fluid, unlike in places where a line might fail. My selling dealer had included a two year warranty, and I took it to my local dealership, who replaced the pump and charged Ferrari $15,000 for the work. I am not a huge convertible fan, but I want the darn thing to work. Over the next two years, I lowered the top maybe half a dozen times before it stopped working again, this time with a terrible crashing noise on the final time returning to closed position (thank you Jesus for that!) at less than 6000 miles. The car has been at my second most local dealership for a week and no word yet, but the warranty clearly covers roof operation, and I would never open the roof with anything in the trunk that could be caught in the mechanism. It will be interesting to see if they will tell me what really went wrong, but until the situation is finalized, I won't throw stones at anyone, although there were other issues with other dealer servicing that makes me want to explore other alternatives. On other specialty vehicles, I have often used a good hydraulic line shop for custom lines. HINT: if you are asking for a brake hydraulic line, DOT regulations could be a liability problem for the shop and they may turn you away, so tell them it is a part for your tractor (wink, wink). Each year of factory warranty extension requires other costly expenditures to satisfy the dealership selling you the warranty, and so going it alone on your Ferrari repairs requires the development of aftermarket suppliers and service options. Hydraulic work should be a simple job, but make sure that any independent service shop is going to do a good job removing and replacing all of the beautiful interior trim panels involved. I printed a copy of the Top Hydraulics page and will keep it in my Ferrari file for as long as I own the car. I will post again when my issue is resolved. In the near future, I will post my experiences with a battery life solution, fuel tank door that will not open, and sticky buttons, all successfully self-resolved at minimal expense.

 

https://rbisj.com/parker-hannifin-products/hoses/

check this place out, if you’re able to, given them exact specs and they can make you a line, if you’re unsure, send them the original, good luck

 

Hi. Mercedes, Aston’s, Ferrari’s & Porsche’s even buying them at a discount from MSRP, with frequent visits to a dealer, you get closer and closer to to that original MSRP!.

 

Its always interesting over time. I have a 2010 cali - and recently had my independent shop replace pretty all the drive train seals, hoses and such. His cost is always a small fraction of the dealer cost. A month ago I had the battery on the PORTOFINO go completely dead kind of in the middle of nowhere. Even though it is only 3 years old, I don't want to get caught out again and asked the dealer for a quote to replace it - $2000. I said it is impossible to cost that much - the Interstate battery is only about $250 and labor can not be $1750 to change out the battery. He said that is the Ferrari shop cost, So - back to my independent repair guy - $250 for the battery - $350 for labor and 10% for tax. I was hugely disappointed in the dealer and except for the "free" annual maintenance, everything else will be at my independent shop.

 

Yes it's covered - RHT under Bodywork
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I still believe that the most reliable Ferrari is the one that gets driven the most ... internals can get gummed up and seals can dry out. Using everything regularly seems to be the best idea. Even if you're not putting the top down or driving it very much, I would raise and lower it periodically just to keep everything lubricated and working.

The Ferrari New Power warranty covers the roof but also excludes "seals" and "leaks" on many components ... hopefully that would not apply to a leaking hydraulic line or leaking pump seal on the top.