The BORA | Page 74 | FerrariChat

The BORA

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by wbaeumer, Aug 11, 2011.

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  1. Cepat

    Cepat Karting
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    Yes, the claim is that cam lobes will wear down without the ZDDP but your explanation makes sense as to where that concern originates. I just like the way the motor is so quiet with this oil and feels smoother.
     
  2. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    This is how I fill the coolant on a Bora

    1. Raise the rear of the car
    2. Disconnect the small bleeder hose located on the thermostat housing
    3. Remove radiator cap
    4. Disconnect the heater hose located at the rear of the right head.
    5. Connect a funnel to the heater hose and start filling coolant
    6. Reconnect the small bleeder hose on the thermostat housing once coolant weeps out
    7. Continue to add coolant until expansion tank is half full
    8. Quickly reconnect heater hose

    Ivan
     
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  3. Cepat

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    I think thats an update to what you have on the car nut website. So I didn't do the heater hose thingy. I found two rubber hoses attached looks like one in front of and one behind the thermostat so I detatched them both. After putting about two gallons into the tank it wouldn't take anymore. I started the car and when it seems like the thermostat opened, I turned it off and was able to add another gallon. I was a bit concerned about adding room temp water to the tank with the engine hot. I drove it around a bit and the tank remained full, I"ll keep checking it. I have parts coming to add an air burp at the the hose coming off the top right side of the radiator and may install those if I can find the actual hose to do it.
     
  4. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    Filling in using the heater hose is a tip I recently received from a good Maserati mechanic.

    The hose in top of the radiator vents to the expansion tank so there is no need to add anything to expel air. Just make sure that hose is not obstructed by blowing in air.
    On my Bora I found that the vent hose between the thermostat cover and the expansion tank had a blockage.

    Ivan
     
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  5. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    The big old Maserati V8 isn't stressed like 4.0 L lamborghini v12 that runs much higher rpms which is why the Maserati can typically run for 100K miles but the Lamborghini guys are always getting their cams reground. Mine needed new followers and the cams reground @ 30K miles Bobileff's just before I bought.
     
  6. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    That's not the experience we had and it's so easy to do this mod.
     
  7. Ferraripilot

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    Age and type of oil they started life with and had through until about 30 years ago, and who knows how often it was changed and if the engine was abused, worn cams could indeed be a thing. I rarely see it with Ferrari stuff I work on though, which is mostly 70s vintage cars.
     
  8. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    I am not a fan of mods unless there is a really good reason to do them. Unnecessary mods add potential failure points and take way from the car's originality. Different from cars such as the Ferrari 308, which has a bleeder screw on top of the radiator, the Bora was designed for the radiator to be self bleeding. This is assuming that the rear end has been lifted so that the expansion tank is higher than the top of the radiator. Air can still be trapped inside the engine and that is where the thermostat bleeder plays a role.

    Over the years you seem to have made many mods to your Bora. Is it a running and driving car? Current photos of the last Bora would be welcomed.

    Ivan
     
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  9. Cepat

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    just a coolant update. After driving it around a while, I let it cool off and I checked the tank and it was pretty low. I was able to add a half gallon of distilled water into the tank again. Either burped itself, or drained off after the engine got hot and it expanded.
     
  10. Froggie

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    Half a gallon looks a lot!
     
  11. Cepat

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    Yes. Well it took about 2.75 gallons after I drained it. And the system capacity is 16L (4 gallons +). I don’t know how much the tank holds.
     
  12. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    One addition I've made to most vintage cars I've owned is to add a universal non-pressurized plastic expansion tank.
    1. Make sure the radiator cap has a rubber seal
    2. On a Bora, locate the overflow hose located in the bottom of the car just below the metal expansion tank. You should see two hoses; one is the overflow and the other is the drain for the fuel filler compartment. The original hoses were green.
    3. Using a hose joiner, connect a hose to the overflow and run it to the bottom of the plastic expansion tank
    4. The plastic expansion tank can be held with zip ties to avoid drilling holes. Make sure the tank it is vented on the top.
    5. Fill the metal expansion tank to the top and the plastic one half way.

    As the engine warms up, coolant expands and goes into the plastic overflow tank. When it cools down the coolant is sucked back in. It is important to have a good seal on the radiator cap to avoid air being sucked in.

    The advantage on a Bora is that it is easy to visually check coolant level plus it increases the amount of coolant in the system.

    Ivan

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  13. Cepat

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    Thanks Ivan, I think I saw this tweak on thecarnut in the coolant write up. I'm looking for the correct overflow tank.
     
  14. highwaybora

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  15. highwaybora

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    Thanks, all. Gear oil tip(s) appreciated.

    In regard to "..old Yahoo Maserati website" fondly recalled, NOT sure how to get into same nowadays.. ?waybackmachine?
    Also I tried download of the old MOCNA magazine collection but to little avail.. evidently I need better knowledge as to downloading/unlocking/displaying it on my laptop. Tips appreciated.
     
  16. Froggie

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  17. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    That is a really nice Bora with 15K original miles, original paint and interior. Only negative is that only 1,000 miles have been put on since I sold it on 2009. These cars do not like to sit.

    Ivan
     
  18. Cepat

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    With all my mechanical and maintenance seemingly up to date, I'm moving on to more mundane task. Anyone have any idea how to connect the vacuum lines to the recirc/fresh switch? everything is disconnected off the back of the switch. I searched the part number and didn't find anything. Its a chrysler part so there is probably an american car that uses the same part. I asked the cat, she didn't know anything.

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  19. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    I wrote a tech article on the Khamsin vacuum lines, most applies to the Bora

    https://thecarnut.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Khamsin_vacuum_article.pdf

    Ivan
     
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  20. Cepat

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  21. Cepat

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    Using the article from Ivan linked above, I was able to reconnect my fresh/recirc switch successfully. I was able to visualize the proper function of the flaps by removing the frunk panel above the battery. There were some difference in the Bora from the Khamsin. The way the mounting holes for the switch are positioned, slightly offset vertically, the switch can only be mounted to the dash in one position. and that would be upside down vs. the Khamsin, so that three vacuum nipples on the back of the swich are superior and two are inferior. The vacuum hose from the engine was easily found with the engine running. There were three choices of vacuum lines to choose from, not sure what the third hose does but leaving it open did not create a fault in the operation of the flaps and there was no vacuum leak from it. Because the switch is upside down relative to Khamsin, the nipples for the fresh and recirculation flaps have to be reversed for the function to match whats embossed in the bezel on the dash. Attached is a crappy diagram to explain. Since those white plastic hoses are pretty brittle and they are very short it would be difficult to work with those behind the dash so I checked the size of those hoses in the parts catalog and ordered a rubber hose that match (a Stihl fuel line) and some pneumatic fittings from Ebay. The rubber hoses were a good tight fit onto the switch and there was plenty of slack to switch the lines too and fro in order to get the switch to function as labelled. What made it easy was Ivans diagram indicated where the vacuum went and which nipples were to be blocked off. The trial and error to get the function correct took less than 5 minutes.
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  22. Cepat

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    Now I need some help with the charging system please. The voltage drops too low and the battery discharges at idle with the a/c and fan on (about 11.5v). At 2000rpm the voltmeter reads 12.5 with the a/c on. This is probably why the battery went dead after a long drive recently. I replaced the battery but the voltmeter still shows low voltage like its not charging with the a/c running.

    Per the receipts with the car it has a HD/cs130 custom made 160amp alternator. I understand this is an internally regulated alternator.

    I can check the wire at the alternator for looseness/corrosion but other than that not sure how to test it. The alternator is 9 years old and has 2300 miles on it.

    Thanks for any suggestions. again.
     
  23. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    Thank you for pointing out the differences between the Khamsin and the Bora. I know the vacuum lines on my Bora will also need work as I flipped the switch and nothing happened. Unfortunately there are two 1961 3500GT that are consuming my time and the Bora needs to have the head gaskets replaces; something I am not looking forward doing.

    Ivan
     
  24. thecarnut

    thecarnut F1 Rookie
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    Check for good ground between the battery and the chassis and between the chassis and the engine.

    You can have the alternator bench tested but that requires removal from the car, which is probably a pain. Perhaps a parts store has a way to check alternator output amperage with it installed.

    Ivan
     
  25. Cepat

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    thanks for the suggestion. all the ground cables look pretty grody, I can take a close look and make sure they all have a good connection. I'm trying to avoid removing the alternator unless its to replace it.

    for what the stihl hose and compression fittings cost, they sure make fiddling with that switch much easier in my opinion. They all hold vacuum quite well.
     

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