Yet another 355 30K service thread

In an FChat thread discussing cracked headers (http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195646&page=3) I mentioned that I decided to perform a 3 yr/30K mile service on my ’96 GTS. My original thought was to do the service next year when the car had 4 years on its last major, but with the header problem and some suspicious oxidation showing up on the timing belts, I decided it was time.

A short caveat. I have been an FChat member for three years and I rarely ever post. I read a lot of the threads and I have learned so much from the people who have come before me. Originally, I wasn’t going to post a thread on my 30K service, thinking “who would want to read another F355 Major Service post, especially from me”? But who knows maybe something I say or do will help someone else, and maybe someone else could point out a mistake that I’m making. So here goes.

I removed the engine using the two jack method. I used a lift table to set the engine on (like this http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200334559_200334559) and it has worked out really well. The table collapses low enough to remove the engine and I was able to lift the engine to a workable height once it was out of the car. Plus the lift has steel pins to lock the scissor in place once it is at the height you like. This takes the stress off the hydraulic portion of the table and prevents an unexpected failure of the seals in the jack.

I think everyone on this forum has seen a Ferrari with it’s engine out : ), so I’ll just post a couple of pictures. BTW, one (relatively) expensive lesson I learned….pay attention! With the two jack method, the car is at an angle and the engine is coming out in a straight line (downward). Pieces that stick out can easily be fouled by the engine cradle. One of the brackets that hold the O2 sensor connectors on the left side sliced into a Cat ECU!
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A couple of pictures of the engine as I removed belt covers, belts, intake plenums, and other ancillary stuff. I removed the injectors and sent them to RC Engineering (http://www.rceng.com/Fuel-Injector-Cleaning-P43C0.aspx) for cleaning, calibrating and balancing.
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Prior to removing the old belts, I located TDC for the 1-4 bank of cylinders using #1 cyl. I used the dial indicator method, but the positive stop method would work just as well. Both methods use the same concept by finding the crankshaft angle (degree) for a given piston location and finding the middle of the two angles. I placed the dial indicator with a long stem extension above the #1 cylinder, rotated the cylinder to as close to TDC as possible and set the dial indicator to “0”. I also set the degree wheel at zero. I then rotated the engine clockwise until the dial indicator moved to “.050”. I noted the degree indicated on the degree wheel (and wrote it down…I’m old). I then rotated the engine counter clockwise past “0” until the dial indicated “.090”, and then slowly rotated back clockwise until the dial indicated “.050”. I again noted the degree indicated on the degree wheel (and wrote it down). This gives two static points on either side of “my” initial TDC. Total up the number of degrees from the two measurements and divide the sum by “2”, the quotient of this division is then added to or subtracted from one of the original measurements. Rotate the crankshaft back to the answer of this equation, and you have found true TDC. Here is how my TDC calculation worked out. My first measurement was 14.5 degrees ATDC; my second measurement was 13 degrees BTDC. 14.5 + 13 = 27.5 / 2 = 13.25. I then subtracted 13.25 from 14.5 and came up with 1.25. The crankshaft was rotated counter clockwise until the degree wheel indicated 1.25. This is TDC. The pointer was re-adjusted so as to point to “0” on the degree wheel. I then repeated this to double check my work.
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New belts and Hill Engineering cam tensioner bearings were installed. !!Another expensive lesson!! Be careful that the tensioner bearing is resting properly on the raised boss of the tensioner bearing bracket when you start to tighten the belt/bearing. If not, you may bend the bearing. One other thing that will make the job easier is to buy the special tool for tightening the timing belts like this: (http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?cPath=600_100035&products_id=258457)

Once the new bearings were on and using the special too, I tightened the belt until there was 2.45 mm (.095 in) clearance between the bracket and spring loaded/hydraulic tensioner mechanism as shown in the WSM. I rotated the engine a couple of times and rechecked the measurement. Once this measurement remained constant, I started degreeing the camshafts on the 1-4 bank.
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Basically I followed the instructions contained with in the WSM. Start at TDC (which we just found), with the dial indicator now set on one of the outer intake tappets of the #1 cylinder (the middle tappet is retarded in timing compared to the two outer tappets) and the dial set to “0”. (Here let me mention that I put a little “pre-load” on the dial indicator by pushing the indicator down until the smaller pointer indicates 2 or 3. See photos). Rotate the crankshaft clockwise until the degree wheel rotates one full revolution and the pointer is pointing at “0” again. The intake valve should just be opening and the dial indicator should show a “lift” of 2.41 mm (or .094881…I rounded to .095 in). According to the WSM this gives an initial intake opening of 16 degrees BTDC. I can only hope the writers and translators of the WSM got it right. I assume this method is used because the F355 has hydraulic lifters and there is a certain amount of “play” or “up-take” in the system. Either way, if the measurement you get is off, adjust the belt/sprocket until your indicator reads the correct amount. It took me a few tries to get it right and then I repeated the process a couple of times to ensure I could replicate the results within .001 of an inch each time. (Yes, I’m anal retentive).
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Move the dial indicator to the exhaust valve of #1 cylinder, crankshaft back at TDC, and dial indicator reset to “0”. Again, I use some “pre-load” on the dial indicator. The WSM instructs you to “rotate driving shaft (crank) until exhaust cam axel performs one closing phase….” Basically, rotate the engine clockwise until the degree wheel rotates one revolution and is back at “0” again. The exhaust valve will open completely and be starting to close. When the degree wheel is back at “0” the dial indicator should indicate 2.29mm (.09015…I rounded to .090 in). Adjust as necessary using the belt/sprocket to attain the proper reading. This will give a closing of 16 degrees ATDC (according to our Italian friends).
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I noticed on the last post that I described the right side and posted pictures for the left side. I'll post the correct pictures later, I don't have them with me right now. Sorry.

Next is to do this procedure on the 5-8 bank of cylinders. You will need to find TDC for this group as well (you maybe able to use the TDC you have already found and use cylinder # 5 for degreeing, but I didn’t trust it). I chose to use # 8 cylinder. I followed the same procedures for location true TDC and for setting the camshaft timing as I used for cylinders 1-4.

Probably the biggest discussion concerning the 30K service is whether or not to go through this process. Why not use the marks on the camshafts/camshaft bearings? My marks were “with-in” the machined groove of the cam bearing but not completely centered. By my estimate 1-2 degrees of crankshaft angle from being exact. Is it worth all this effort? That’s a question we each have to decide for ourselves.
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I received my fuel injectors from RC Engineering yesterday and I am posting the pictures of the “massaged” injectors and also a picture of the test sheet that they sent along with the injectors. This sheet is part of the service. Notice the before and after difference in fuel delivery (cc/min) and spray pattern. Also one of the injectors was dripping.

Next step is to rebuild the water pump while the engine is out. Also, waiting on my Fabspeed headers to return from Swain Tech where they are being coated (http://www.swaintech.com/store.asp?pid=10969).
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A couple of viewers could not see the pictures. I was uploading and updating the thread during this time; by chance could that have affected their ability to see pictures? Maybe I'm doing something wrong (probably).

 

John - Wish I could take the credit for the idea but I found it originally on another FChat post. The picture doesn't show the detail but I bent the music wire (I use MW on my RC airplanes for moving the control surfaces) in a semi-circle with a small "tip" at the end. The tip is in line with the main shaft and has been ground flat with a Dremel tool. Over kill maybe, but....it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
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eulk328- "By the way, what is the mileage on your car?"

Currently has 52,261 mi.

 

AceMaster - "Actually, now I can see all the pictures...strange..."

I wonder what's going on with the pictures? Something I've done, you think? Very weird.

 

Received my Fabspeed headers Thursday after having them coated by Swain Tech. I am going to leave them flat white in deference to the Ferrari 312 cars. I have always liked the V12 with the exhaust headers coming out of the middle of the "V". Here's some pictures of the headers as they came from Swain Tech. Notice the texture. I've also included a couple of pictures after I put a coat of high temp header paint over the ceramic.
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