5/13/12
9405: Intake Puller, Parts Inspection

Last week I ran into a problem with the engine disassembly of a 330 Engine. The intakes were seized to the mounting studs, and required making a fixture to pull them off safely. These are the the “unknowns” when rebuilding a Ferrari engine that adds time to the process. Recklessly prying or forcing these pieces off can lead to breaking expensive or irreplaceable parts, so care has to be taken.

I drilled holes that mounted to the carb studs and used longer studs that lined up with the mounting studs. I welded nuts to the bottom of the plate so the they would hold the long bolts in place while they were turned down. It took longer to make the fixture than it took to pull the intakes!

With the intakes removed, you can see the corrosion that locked the intakes in place. Even with one stud free, and the other stuck, the fixture pulled the intake up evenly so nothing would get damaged.

The disassembly continued on 9405, carefully inspecting all the pieces for signs of previous work. I noticed the way the clamps and safety wire were installed on the oil pump pick-up were exactly as they did at the factory and led me to believe the bottom end of this engine may not have been apart since it was first assembled.

The pistons were the original Borgo pistons, and the rod bearings showed very little wear. A nice even gray color was good sign of low mileage, and good alignment of rotating parts.

By the end of the week, I had the engine disassembled and the block was ready for degreasing and cleaning. After that, we’ll be sending it out to our machine shop for measuring and and machining. Next week, I’ll be disassembling the heads to include with the block for the machine shop.

Reminder: If you have a Ferrari related project, car, or idea you’d like to explore, I’d love to talk to you. I can also help if you’re thinking of buying or selling. This website represents what I love to do, and now it’s how I make a living, so if you’d like to do something together, let me know. It all begins with an e-mail!

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