3/18/09
308s and My 330 America

Although we don’t make it a habit on working on 308s, Fran�ois has an old customer with a very low mileage 308. At under 25K miles, this car was still on her first timing belt, so it was probably a good time for a new one. There’s a lot of talk about excessive timing belt change intervals prescribed by the factory, but I think at over 20 years, this one was well overdue!

I was put to the task of changing the belt while my boss got to work on a very nice 275 NART Spyder. That’s what you get for being low man on the totem pole!

I spent a lot of time with my head up under this car, all the while cursing its designers. Ferraris built after about 1972 took on a very different design in the way they were assembled, and this was probably due to FIAT taking over the road car division. To speed up assembly line production, many things were attached while the engine was outside of the car. This may help produce more cars, but it makes things very difficult when trying to work on them after they left the factory! Examples of this insanity are inaccessible hose clamps behind the water pump, and alternator belt tensioners that are reached only after removing some exhaust shielding. I’ve got quite a few choice words for this car, and the cuts on my hands to warrant them!

I think in the days before the 60s, The Factory was a much smaller place with only a few designers and a handful of mechanics. I’m sure if the guys in the drafting room designed something stupid, they would have to answer to an angry wrench wielding Italian from the other building!

…but watching a belt change on a 308 is not why you visit this site, so here’s some V-12 stuff, specifically my V-12! With the Radcliffe/Tomyang.net party in 6 weeks, I needed to get cracking on my 330 America. If you remember, back in the Fall, I dropped a valve seat, and I was in the process of getting new seats and valves installed.  The old head gasket residue needed to be scraped, and the whole top of the engine had to be cleaned.

After spending the better part of a day scraping the gasket surfaces, I prepped the area under the intake manifold for a fresh coat of paint. It looks like there was a little coolant leak from the old head gasket that would weep fluid into this area. Hopefully, with the new gasket and special sealant, it will stay dry in this area and remain clean. Once the intakes are installed, it’s near impossible to clean this area.

I found an interesting casting in this area. “209” is probably the engine type with a sequential number 41 the foundry set for this block. Could this have been the 41st type 209 engine cast at the Ferrari Factory?

I unwrapped my newly reconditioned heads. I bought new stainless steel valves and had new seats machined for both intake and exhaust valves. Since I had new guides pressed in from the last time, I was able to leave them in place for the new valves.

Fran�ois had a set of 250 heads on his work bench and it was neat to compare the differences between the 3 liter Lusso engine (top) and my 4 liter 330 engine. All I can say is there is no replacement for displacement!

I found a couple rollers in my valve train that showed some minor pitting. There was no noticeable wear on the cam, so I replaced them with some  used decent ones in Fran�ois’ parts stash. With regular valve adjustments and inspections, this valve train should last quite a long time.

With the top of the engine block painted and the gasket surfaces cleaned, it was ready to receive the heads. I got my o-rings, silicone sealant, sheet metal shims, and hardware ready for the head installation. A lot of things have to happen in a specific sequence to insure a leak free install, so I had no time for pictures, but I’m happy to report, one head is on, and the second one will have to wait for another day.

MARK THE DATE: Saturday, May 2nd 2009
The Tomyang.net/ Radcliffe Motorcars Spring Event
12340 Owings Mills Boulevard
Reisterstown, Maryland 21136
Read about last year’s event.
Information on this year’s event.

Just a reminder, I’m looking for a new Vintage Ferrari Project. If you have, or know of a restoration project, please let me know. It would be great to restore another car on this website! My E-mail.

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