Posted by Mark Polazzo
First of all, great site... Thanks Tom, it was a bit part of my willingness to purchase my GTC.
About my car... I just bought a GTC that has been sitting for five years or so and regretfully ungargaged. Aside from the rust, which is painful to see, is there anything engine wise anyone can recommend to do so that I may begin to revive this car?
I am in the process of changing the battery and will drain the fluids, change filters etc... but if there is anything else please let me know.
Best,
Mark Polazzo
330 GTC that has been sitting
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom
Hi Mark,
Thanks. I'm glad you like the site!
Oh boy...a Ferrari sitting outside for years...have people have no respect!?! You're either a saint for resurrecting this car, or crazy. Join my club!
The first question is what are your plans for the car? Are you going to go into a full restoration, or are you going to try and get it back on the road? Brakes are probably shot, and dangerous if you don't do a major rebuild. The carbs will probably need rebuilding, and if the body is very rusty, the exhaust is probably gone as well. Check the fuel system thoroughly! There's no sense in rebuilding the carbs if rust from the fuel tank clogs everything up. Blow through the soft fuel lines to see if they are free flowing as well. Replace the red washers in all the banjo fittings. They will definitely have shrunk form sitting, and will seep fuel to set your newly resurrected car afire!
I, as well as all the other Ferrari fans who visit this site, would love to see pictures! I love seeing old cars needing restoration more than shiny new cars! Let's get some of these pictures in the owner's gallery!!!
Tom
Hi Mark,
Thanks. I'm glad you like the site!
Oh boy...a Ferrari sitting outside for years...have people have no respect!?! You're either a saint for resurrecting this car, or crazy. Join my club!
The first question is what are your plans for the car? Are you going to go into a full restoration, or are you going to try and get it back on the road? Brakes are probably shot, and dangerous if you don't do a major rebuild. The carbs will probably need rebuilding, and if the body is very rusty, the exhaust is probably gone as well. Check the fuel system thoroughly! There's no sense in rebuilding the carbs if rust from the fuel tank clogs everything up. Blow through the soft fuel lines to see if they are free flowing as well. Replace the red washers in all the banjo fittings. They will definitely have shrunk form sitting, and will seep fuel to set your newly resurrected car afire!
I, as well as all the other Ferrari fans who visit this site, would love to see pictures! I love seeing old cars needing restoration more than shiny new cars! Let's get some of these pictures in the owner's gallery!!!
Tom
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Jonathon
Mark,
Congratulations! Tom was most influential on my 330GT purchase as well (thanks Tom!), so you are not alone there. My car had sat for 21 years, but inside mercifully. The biggest issue I found was the oil and coolant had completely dried up! Although there was fresh oil put into her, the original oil had sealed the oil pickup tube pretty much closed (along with the oil channels too I now know), so any attempt to start the car would have been a disaster. My recommendation is to poke around in the oil sump via the oil drain hole, and see if anything is stuck in there. Removing the cam covers and inspecting can tell you a lot too. Pull the plugs also, they tell no lies about the operation and state of tune when last run - one of mine was full of a quite interesting material.
Also, a good clean of the contacts in the fusebox with some Stabilant 22 or other contact cleaner is easy, and may save some grief.
For me, it was the dried up and tar like oil which led to my decision to pull the engine. No regrets. I hope yours is in better shape. Boy, do I love those 330 GTCs.
Good luck, and keep us informed,
Jonathon (in the owners gallery)
Mark,
Congratulations! Tom was most influential on my 330GT purchase as well (thanks Tom!), so you are not alone there. My car had sat for 21 years, but inside mercifully. The biggest issue I found was the oil and coolant had completely dried up! Although there was fresh oil put into her, the original oil had sealed the oil pickup tube pretty much closed (along with the oil channels too I now know), so any attempt to start the car would have been a disaster. My recommendation is to poke around in the oil sump via the oil drain hole, and see if anything is stuck in there. Removing the cam covers and inspecting can tell you a lot too. Pull the plugs also, they tell no lies about the operation and state of tune when last run - one of mine was full of a quite interesting material.
Also, a good clean of the contacts in the fusebox with some Stabilant 22 or other contact cleaner is easy, and may save some grief.
For me, it was the dried up and tar like oil which led to my decision to pull the engine. No regrets. I hope yours is in better shape. Boy, do I love those 330 GTCs.
Good luck, and keep us informed,
Jonathon (in the owners gallery)
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom
Hi Jonathon,
I'm honored to be so influential, and happy you're thanking me rather than blaming me for dragging you into this mess!
You bring up a good point on the oil. I believe you can remove the bottom plate off the sump while the engine is in the car to have a look inside. What you see will give you an idea how comfortable you'll feel starting her up!
Tom
Hi Jonathon,
I'm honored to be so influential, and happy you're thanking me rather than blaming me for dragging you into this mess!
You bring up a good point on the oil. I believe you can remove the bottom plate off the sump while the engine is in the car to have a look inside. What you see will give you an idea how comfortable you'll feel starting her up!
Tom
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom Wilson
I agree that you should take off the Oil Sump cover. My car (see owners gallery) had been sitting for over 10 years and I found a lot of gunk (and a nut!) that I never could have removed through the little hole. It also gave me a chance to see inside the engine, which in my case, looked great. By the way, my oil plug was frozen, so I had to remove the plate to get it out. Lying under the car and pulling the cover of a sump that is full of oil is a wonderful way to truely bond with your "new" car!
Tom also mentioned that the fuel system must be cleaned before starting, a process in which I am currently engaged. Does anybody know if the gas tank can be cleaned out while still in the car? I know that eventually it will have to be removed and repaired, but at this time I would like to clean it just enough to fire it up.
I agree that you should take off the Oil Sump cover. My car (see owners gallery) had been sitting for over 10 years and I found a lot of gunk (and a nut!) that I never could have removed through the little hole. It also gave me a chance to see inside the engine, which in my case, looked great. By the way, my oil plug was frozen, so I had to remove the plate to get it out. Lying under the car and pulling the cover of a sump that is full of oil is a wonderful way to truely bond with your "new" car!
Tom also mentioned that the fuel system must be cleaned before starting, a process in which I am currently engaged. Does anybody know if the gas tank can be cleaned out while still in the car? I know that eventually it will have to be removed and repaired, but at this time I would like to clean it just enough to fire it up.
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom Yang
Hi Tom,
I know I'm going to sound like a hypocrite when I refuse to pull my locating arms out, but....remove the gas tank. Trust me, you'll be better off.
I didn't see a reason to pull out my tank, but Francois didn't even want to argue. His experience knew what I would find. Even though the outside looked clean and solid, when I finally got the tank down, it sounded like I had sand on the bottom from all the rust tumbling inside. You're not going to want any of this fouling up the fuel lines, fuel pumps, filters, and newly refurbished carbs. If you replace any of those yellow fuel lines, then you'd be crazy to risk cloggin one of those!
Here are the steps:
1. Drain the gastank
2. Start soaking all the bolts associated with the gastank with penetrating oil.
3. disconnect the fuel sending unit from the top side.Remove the leather package tray to show the round access panel for the sender.
4. Un bolt the banjo fitting on the gastank. A pipe wrench might be needed to brace the neck on the gastank to keep from
bending the tank.
5. While keeping the banjo fitting in place, pull the head of the bolt out where you'll find the long brass pick up tube attached. Be
careful when the end comes out not to rip the filter screen at the tip of the tube.
6. Remove the four cotter pins from the castle nuts that attach the tank to the chassis.
7. Make a tool pictured, and use it to hold the top of the mounting bolts that are very hard to reach. http://www.tomyang.com/cars/ferrari.html?ferrari6.htm
8. Support the gastank, and unbolt the four bolts.
9. The gas tank comes straight down, and needs alot of clearance. Be prepared to jack the rear of the car up far enough for the
gas tank to come out. We jacked the car up three feet in the air before even beginning work on the tank.
BE CAREFUL! You'll have gasoline fumes, and a car jacked very high in the air. Good luck!
If you want to simply start the car, the soft fuel line below the engine before the mechanical pump can be rigged to suck gas out of a jar, but don't blame me if you set your car on fire!
Tom
Hi Tom,
I know I'm going to sound like a hypocrite when I refuse to pull my locating arms out, but....remove the gas tank. Trust me, you'll be better off.
I didn't see a reason to pull out my tank, but Francois didn't even want to argue. His experience knew what I would find. Even though the outside looked clean and solid, when I finally got the tank down, it sounded like I had sand on the bottom from all the rust tumbling inside. You're not going to want any of this fouling up the fuel lines, fuel pumps, filters, and newly refurbished carbs. If you replace any of those yellow fuel lines, then you'd be crazy to risk cloggin one of those!
Here are the steps:
1. Drain the gastank
2. Start soaking all the bolts associated with the gastank with penetrating oil.
3. disconnect the fuel sending unit from the top side.Remove the leather package tray to show the round access panel for the sender.
4. Un bolt the banjo fitting on the gastank. A pipe wrench might be needed to brace the neck on the gastank to keep from
bending the tank.
5. While keeping the banjo fitting in place, pull the head of the bolt out where you'll find the long brass pick up tube attached. Be
careful when the end comes out not to rip the filter screen at the tip of the tube.
6. Remove the four cotter pins from the castle nuts that attach the tank to the chassis.
7. Make a tool pictured, and use it to hold the top of the mounting bolts that are very hard to reach. http://www.tomyang.com/cars/ferrari.html?ferrari6.htm
8. Support the gastank, and unbolt the four bolts.
9. The gas tank comes straight down, and needs alot of clearance. Be prepared to jack the rear of the car up far enough for the
gas tank to come out. We jacked the car up three feet in the air before even beginning work on the tank.
BE CAREFUL! You'll have gasoline fumes, and a car jacked very high in the air. Good luck!
If you want to simply start the car, the soft fuel line below the engine before the mechanical pump can be rigged to suck gas out of a jar, but don't blame me if you set your car on fire!
Tom
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom Wilson
I really didn't want to hear that, but I kinda knew that I would probably have to pull the tank. I am sure the bolts will be a barrell of laughs and given my tight garage, jacking up the car 3 feet should be fun as well. However, the main reason I read this site (other than the fact that it is fun!) is to learn from the experience of those who have gone before me. Therefore, if you and Fransois say I need to pull the tank, then I guess I know what my next project will be...
I really didn't want to hear that, but I kinda knew that I would probably have to pull the tank. I am sure the bolts will be a barrell of laughs and given my tight garage, jacking up the car 3 feet should be fun as well. However, the main reason I read this site (other than the fact that it is fun!) is to learn from the experience of those who have gone before me. Therefore, if you and Fransois say I need to pull the tank, then I guess I know what my next project will be...
Re: 330 GTC that has been sitting
Posted by Tom Yang
Hi Tom,
Early on, I used to question Francois, but through the years I've learned that he's probably tried it the other way, and failed! Now, whenever he directs me with an implicit order, I follow it!
Make teflon insulators as well, unless you want to go concours, and replace them with rubber, or whatever the original stuff was made of!
Tom
Hi Tom,
Early on, I used to question Francois, but through the years I've learned that he's probably tried it the other way, and failed! Now, whenever he directs me with an implicit order, I follow it!
Make teflon insulators as well, unless you want to go concours, and replace them with rubber, or whatever the original stuff was made of!
Tom