There is a lot of debate over the frequency that the timing belts should be renewed on a Ferrari.  For the record, Ferrari mandate new timing belts every three years for all V8 models (not applicative to cars with the F136 chain driven engine).  I have lost count of the times I have heard the statement that normal cars can final 10 years/125,000 miles betwixt changes so a Ferrari shouldn't be any different.  Nevertheless, in my stance, there is very good reason for the short interval.  Firstly, virtually Ferraris are driven up to the blood-red line regularly – in a 360 that is 8,500 rpm, which is a hell of a speed for a safety belt to be travelling.  Additionally the flat plane crank configuration, that allows the engine to rev upwardly to such speeds, causes immense out of balance forces and vibrations to occur which do goose egg to smooth the path of the chugalug as it is whizzing around.  This environment reduces the lifespan of the chugalug considerably.

The short interval also provides for a thorough check of the hydraulic tensioners, the tensioner bearings and the tensioner arms – none of which tin be properly inspected with the belts in identify.  Finally, the price of a belt failure is centre watering for fifty-fifty the deepest pockets.  Faced with the selection of spending £6-700 every 3 years or risking an engine rebuild, I know where my money would exist.

Yous don't demand to take my discussion for it though – here'south a video clip that I took yesterday of a 360 cambelt that was overdue.  Note that the tensioner is fully extended and the slack is from the stretched belt – at that place is plenty room to completely remove the belt from the pulley.  How the belt didn't jump off I don't know….

Here's the extended tensioner:

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The question is how overdue were these belts?  Well the service records indicated a belt alter in 2011 which would be just four years and 9,000 miles ago.  Given the state, I suspected that this belt service had actually been carried out so I checked the date codes on the belts.

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Dayco helpfully postage stamp a sequential number on the belts to inform the date of manufacture.  The offset 2 numbers indicate the year (2009), the next two indicate the calendar week (27th) and the fifth number tells us the twenty-four hours of the week (2d).  This puts the engagement of manufacture at Tuesday 30th June 2009.

Even if the belts had been put on immediately after industry, it would only put six years of service on them (about 12,000 miles in this case).   Call back, that this is to the bespeak of imminent failure…

For those that are interested, the last three digits on the code represent the position of the chugalug in the mould.  Many belts are moulded in ane piece and then chopped upwards into the thinner end product.  It allows the Dayco to track the part of the mould whatever belt has come from for QC purposes.

Stretching isn't the only problem for tired belts as the rubber degrades and cracks.  To actually see the cracks properly you lot need to fold the belt dorsum on itself – something that can't be washed in situ, and so the argument that a visual inspection will suffice in identify of replacement doesn't concur water with me.

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Tensioner bearings should also be considered a consumable item and replaced at the starting time sign of wear.  Just looking at these ones was enough to know they were junk simply fifty-fifty visually expert bearings had hide rough running and play (both lateral and radial).  If a tensioner begetting seizes or collapses then at that place is a loftier likelihood the chugalug will fail or leap a tooth.

Note that I recommend using Hill Technology bearings – not only are they cheaper than OEM but they are of a much higher quality.

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In my stance, extending the interval or srimping on bearings is a imitation economy adjoining on madness!

Other posts in this category: Engine and Drivetrain

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