Chapter Two / Changing the Oil in a 308 Gt4

Chapter Two / Engine Oil Change on the 308 GT4 Ferrari
(This procedure should also work with slight modifications to the 246, 308, Mondial & 328 series.)

My dream is to share what I have learned working on my 1975 308 GT4. I am working on a book "Ferrari Service for Dummies or What I Learned on the Internet" Here is my second installment. If you find any mistakes please let me know and I will revise it. As most of you may or may not know, I decided 13 years ago that I wanted to do my own work as I loved my car so much I couldn't trust anyone to touch my precious Ferrari. I started on the original Ferrarilist: http://www.ferrarilist.com/ and met may members who guided me along the way, many are here now also. I also had help from several experienced Ferrari mechanics whose names will be withheld as not to embarrass them with my acquaintance! I am also on several other Ferrari lists including Carl Jones’s Ferrari Tech List: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferraritech/ as I am a nut and have all this free time when I am not working 10 hours a day! I hope you enjoy what I have written and I can help some other poor soul who was as lost as I was 13 years ago. Please give me feedback, as I am in the slow process of becoming an amateur Ferrari mechanic! Respectfully, Rob (Robertone) Garven


Tools and or supplies needed:

1. 12 Quarts suitable oil (I use Castrol Syntec 20/50)
2. 1 suitable oil filter (I use Baldwin #B253)
3. 10mm allen hex wrench (mine stripped so I have a different size drain plug 24mm)
4. Suitable drain receptacle to catch and recycle oil
5. Rags or towels to put around filter and wipe up spills etc.
6. Oil filter removal tool (There are several kinds available the one I found that works best is pictured below.)
7. New copper drain plug washer

Optional tools and or supplies:

1. 1 funnel (I have found that a funnel actually makes it harder even after trying several)
2. 1 creeper
3. 1 large piece of card board (To catch any oil that may splash.)
4. 1 box of latex gloves
5. 1 shop apron


Note: Never get under your car supported only by jacks. I have done this personally but I love my car more than myself. If you do this, make sure you have a good insurance policy. Your family will thank you, and at you memorial I will tell them I warned you in advance and try to buy parts off your car!


1. Make sure all work is done on a level and clean surface, you are sober and at least someone is around, (in shouting distance) in case you have an emergency. Get all the supplies you need ready at hand. (See figure 1)

2. Raise car to a suitable height (See chapter 1) or use a lift, make sure the car is stable and even. If you use jack stands make sure that they are placed so that they will not get in the way of your drain receptacle

3. Remove the battery ground cable. (See figure 2) I have a green spin off knob that disconnects the battery ground cable and is very handy, not only when working on the car but when leaving it for an extended period of time as not to drain your battery. Note: I have never had any battery drain even when the car has set for over a month, some models have more drain and even need a trickle charger to keep them charged for as little as two weeks!

4. Loosen oil fill cap to relieve any pressure to allow oil to drain easier. (see figure 3)

5. Place receptacle under drain plug. The plug is the on closest to the front of the car and is marked in Italian "OLIO MOTORE". (See figure 4)

6. Loosen plug with a 10mm allen hex wrench. I have a different plug as my drain was stripped by a previous mechanic. There is a factory heli-coil part to fix this, if this happens. I'm not sure if Time-sert makes a part but that would be ideal. My mechanic did not tell me this, and had the pan threaded for a large drain plug. It is not flat as the factory one but actually has more threads and after changing the oil at least 10 times, I have never encountered any problems. (See figure 5)

7. Be advised there is allot of oil in there so after you loosen the plug, I hold it up to the threads after it is completely unthreaded and with one quick motion, move it away from the hole allowing the 10+ quarts of oil to drain into your suitable receptacle. If you are using one similar to mine that are available and given out by may local cities to help manage oil wastes do not forget to remove the cap, drain plug and pop the relief cap.

8. Let the oil drain for as long as you can. One hour is sufficient to drain almost all the oil. (See figure 6)

9. While the oil is draining you may now loosen and remove the filter. There are several devices made to do this. I have found the claw one the best, as it fits on top of the filter and can be used with a 3/8" ratchet. (See figure 7) The other kinds are; a special cap that will only fit that size filter (hard to find). The rubber band tool which works but is too much trouble I think. The metal strap kind which works well except there is not much sideways access hence why I use the claw! Note: There are several other ways to remove the filter. I have heard suggestions about punching a hole in the filter etc. I do not approve of this, as it would put excess strain on the oil mount and sounds more violent than necessary! Trust me I have hammered on my car several times over the years trying to remove one thing or another and in every case, it was not a good idea. Before you get out a hammer try: a good nights sleep, which will give you a different perspective, a few mentors queried and I'm sure you will come up with a more logical solution!

10. I have found that if the car has sat over night you will not have much of a problem with the oil left in the standpipe. When you spin the filter off no oil should leak out unless you turn the filter upside down and then right side up again! If you have driven the car within the last several hours the filter will be full of oil and will need special attention. In this case, I put rags all around the base of the filter in several layers. I then get a 10" pie pan and when I spin the filter off, I quickly move it over the pie pan and out of the way of the car. Even if some spills you will catch it on the rags. Remove them immediately and wipe up any excess oil. Do not let any oil drip down into the clutch vent holes, not sure it will do any damage but the less oil in there the better! (See figure 8)

11. After you remove the filter I clean all around the filter mount and lay a clean rag over it. I get out my new filter. I can highly recommend the Baldwin #B253. Old man Baldwin sponsored some Ferrari racing in the US in the 60's, and still makes a filter that is superior to all that I have found. (See figure 9) It fits many Ferrari's from the 365 to the 328. It is also a cool red color and has two crossed checkered flags on it! That ought to count for something, right? I used to use UFI but several years ago they came out with a new design that under pressure blew out the rubber gasket. Although it happened even at Ferrari Dealerships it took them about a year to even admit they had a problem and I lost faith in them. The Baldwin is very well made and the best filter available in my opinion. (See figure 10)

12. Get your filter out make sure that the rubber seal fits securely in the groove made for it. Rub some lubricant on the rubber seal all the way around to help it seal against the filter mount. I also rub some lube on the threads, most use the same oil they are putting in the car, but I like Lucas Oil Treatment as it is a heavy weight oil and I have found it seals well. (See figure 11)

13. Remove the rag from the filter mount, inspect the area for any debris, and spin the filter on. I usually spin it on until it is as tight as I can. There are instructions on the filter body telling how many times to turn it after it touches. I have found that by hand tightening it has never leaked and still is a chore to get off next oil change (See figure 12). If you are a weight lifter, have strangler hands or have drunk to much beer or coffee I would follow the filter instructions!

14. Now your oil is probably all drained. I now clean the threads on the drain plug. It is recommended to use a new copper washer. I have heard aluminum is good also. I use a fiber one as it lets me tighten the plug with some fudge room. With the metal washers any tighter than tight is stripped! I have also heard that if you anneal the old washer it works. This entails holding it over the stove burners until it turns red hot then letting it air cool. I think this makes it softer, but remember I am not a scientist! If I were, I would be paying a real expert to do all this!!! Note: If you use the fiber washer I have had some that were slightly loose when I went to change to oil, so if you use one use it at your own risk. Ferrari recommends a NEW copper washer each time the plug is fitted!

15. Now the fun part, adding the oil. In my GT4, I have decided against some pretty strong suggestions to stick with non-synthetic oil. My car has no leaks (well, hardly) and the oil comes out relatively clean. I also change my oil every 1000 miles or 6 months which ever comes first so I am not so much worried about oil viscosity breakdown. I also am blessed to live in a perfect Ferrari environment here in Southern California. It hardly ever gets hot or cold here, so that is not a concern either. You will have to make up your mind what oil you should use. I would consult with your mechanic and others with your model car to see what they are using and if it works for them, I would consider their advice. That said I use Castrol Syntec 20/50. (See figure 13)

16. To add the oil in the GT4, I remove the hose to the carburetors filter canister as it is in the way. I then remove the oil fill cap and slowly pour each bottle in until it is almost drained. I then rest it up against the canister filter to let the rest drain out while I am getting my next bottle ready. I have tried several different funnels of several different shapes, round, oblong, square, etc. I have never found one I quite like and that fits so I just am very careful and pour one bottle at a time. (See figure 14)

17. I have been advised by several knowledgeable Ferrari mechanics that if you add an extra quart that it prevents oil starvation on hard cornering. The other fix is too install a 328 oil pan and pick-up tube, which holds about an extra quart. I have found that after sitting all night my car takes about 11 quarts of oil. (See figure 15) I have tried several different oil additives (haven't we all?). I have tried, Prolong, Teflon additives, Lucas Oil Stabilizer and Marvel Mystery Oil. I have never had any noticeable effects except for the Marvels Mystery Oil seemed to quiet down the valve train noise on start up. I have never tried any moly products, but in one of my Ferrari manuals, it recommended adding a moly-cote product. There are positives and negatives involved in all this experimenting but I have never added more than 1 quart of any of the stuff so I am assuming that since the quantity is so large that any positive or negative effects will be minimal. That said my car just turned 46,000 miles and runs like a top! That said after reading tons of stuff about additives I suggest using just plain oil. It was designed to do a job and adding different chemicals to the recipe could affect the overall additive package already in the oil you have chosen!

Legal disclaimer: I am not an expert just an experienced owner so the techniques and procedures I describe should be used with care and caution. Any damage incurred to vehicle, property or persons is the sole responsibility of the owner. Note: I have a sense of humor, you may not, please take this into account while reading this, as this is therapy for me!



Next chapter, Chapter Three Gear Oil Change

 

Thanks guys,

I appreciate the suggestions and will incorporate some into my final work. The hot oil makes sense. I change my oil so much that it comes out pretty clear, but I think the reason I do it cold as it spills no oil around the filter
I need to post a pic of the right drain plug also. I posted my bastard plug so that people could learn from my mistakes! I always worry I will hit something and it will knock off but hasn't happened yet.

I am doing my front wheel bearings right now see the thread in this section and may do that next it has been quite a challenge! and not over yet!!!

Rob


http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=136007450#post136007450

 

I think I got the hoses from Ted Rutlands in GA. I know that it was standard on many german cars:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-Porsche-7mm-Cloth-Covered-Fuel-Hose-20m-65ft_W0QQitemZ280016387982QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.germansupply.com/home/customer/home.php?cat=385

http://www.034motorsport.com/product_info.php?products_id=202

I use it only on places that are not fuel lines as the CA fuel can rot them out within a month. I was mar5ked off at the concours for not having the right hose clamps on some of them but again I do it for safety. I dont have 2 clamps on the cross over between valve covers and on the hose from the bottom of the air box to the oil seperator as they are a pain in the ass to remove and there is no pressure there.

Rob

 

I am using the GTX, sorry thanks for pointing that out.

 

Ian,

Thank you for your comments. I have been using 10 quarts now, plus 2 ZDP plus containers. I still highly recommend the Baldwin filter. It getting hard to get the good oil in CA now....Great comment on the old cap, I recently was doing the coolant and when I opened the overflow tank it really increased the flow on me, so I understand where you are coming from!!!!