599 Issues - First drive after winter storage | FerrariChat

599 Issues - First drive after winter storage

Discussion in '612/599' started by eaf124, Mar 14, 2021.

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  1. eaf124

    eaf124 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 25, 2015
    34
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Eric Field
    Hi all,

    This afternoon, my father and I took the cover/trickle off the 599 and took it for the first drive of the season. When we put the car away last year, aside from a TPMS failure and a few other electrical gremlins, the car was perfect.

    Today, on startup, the car was fine. By the time we reached the end of our driveway (about 800 feet), what seemed like white smoke was coming out of the hood. Strangely, it came out right under the windshield (underneath the wiper) and it was only on the driver's side. Smelled pretty bad. Disappeared after a few minutes (happened once before, maybe a year ago - our shop inspected and said it was fine). When opening the hood to check it out, I put my ear into the engine bay and heard a new noise - almost sounds like an empty plastic bottle rattling around.

    I took a video of both. In the video showing the smoke, its barely visible (was a bit more visible in person). In the video showing the engine sound, first I zoom on the area that the smoke was coming from, then I zoom in on where the sound seems to be coming from.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/r8B53Ck4uVpmeLLY9

    Any ideas what either of these (the smoke, or the noise) could be? Drove the car for 15 minutes - temp and oil pressure were normal.

    2007 599 GTB with 14k miles, never tracked or abused.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
    Full Name:
    Jacques
    Re the engine bay nose, sounds to me looks a heat shield has worked its way loose.
     
  3. Mamich

    Mamich Karting

    Mar 29, 2020
    75
    UK
    Full Name:
    Zed
    Hi I had exactly the same thing happen to my car and I was advised by Ferrari when I took it in that it was the quote on quote
    "Slight burning smell in vehicle when starting from cold, we have identified that both Cam cover gaskets are leaking (not excessive). The rectification would be to replace the Cam cover gaskets and inlet manifold gaskets estimated at £2000+ Vat.
     
    Skidkid and Makuono like this.
  4. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    Pretty common and a lot of work to do. SO, on my car they are going to stay that way until it an issue or something has to come apart.
     
  5. Justin Hughes

    Justin Hughes Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 8, 2020
    153
    Oxfordshire - UK
    Full Name:
    Hughesie
    My guy repainted my Cam covers as they were tatty at the back (a common issue) and it was a £1.2k job inc paint strip and refit.
     
  6. eaf124

    eaf124 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 25, 2015
    34
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Eric Field
    Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll give our shop a call later this afternoon and update the thread when I know more. Now that you all mention it, seems like it very well could be the cam cover gasket.

    Sent from my GM1917 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  7. gsholz

    gsholz Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2006
    319
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    Pretty common. Oil seems to be pooling in the rear of the cam covers and then seep onto the headers. Just a few drops can create lots of smoke. You can try to snug up the cam cover bolts - don't overdo it. If it only happens during long-term storage, I'd not worry about it.
     
  8. eaf124

    eaf124 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 25, 2015
    34
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Eric Field
    Started the car today. Let it run in the garage for a few mins. Nothing happened, no smoke. I backed it out of the garage and saw very little smoke which only lasted for a few seconds before clearing. Smelled of either rubber or oil. Drove the car for maybe 5 mins. Nothing else.

    Now that I think about it, the few times this has happened in the last year, they were after reversing. Also, I started the car once over Winter and remember the car started differently - it normally explodes to life, but that one time it sounded like a "lazy" start. Not sure if any of that is related but figured I'd mention it.

    Right now I have an appointment for the car to go in early next week. Will check the bolts and if the problem persists, I'll mention it to the shop.

    In your experience, what would cause oil to pool in the cam covers?

    Thanks!

    Sent from my GM1917 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  9. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,984
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Eric- First thing I would do is put a new battery in her. That causes all kinds of problems, obviously not oil leaks.
     
  10. odf911

    odf911 Formula Junior

    Nov 30, 2013
    520
    London UK (Chelsea)
    Full Name:
    Olivier
    I would get the oil leak fixed. Something similar happened to me and got remedied before bigger damage to the car. Still costed me $5000 but avoided the oil to creep up into ECUs etc. That would have costed a lot more ... also started with bit of white smoke!
     
  11. gsholz

    gsholz Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2006
    319
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    Owning a Porsche 993 has cured me of worrying about minor valve cover oil leaks. It seems to happen every 3-4 years. On a 993 the oil pools on top of the heat exchanger. Talk about smoking when she warms up. Replacing the seals is neither hard nor expensive but access is awkward.

    On the 599, I'd consider replacing the seals if it smokes on every start-up. Replacing the camshaft cover seals is pretty straightforward but time-consuming. You do not have to take off the entire intake manifold.
     
  12. eaf124

    eaf124 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 25, 2015
    34
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Eric Field
  13. jimshadow

    jimshadow F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 19, 2006
    5,743
    Indiana
    Full Name:
    JIM
    Excellent! Drive in good health and keep the pics coming! :)
     
    599_GTO and eaf124 like this.

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