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Maintenance & Repair Oil change/fiascos
1297 messages, Last post on Sep 07, 2009 at 9:29 AM
You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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II HAVE A 1999 355F1 BERLINETTA FERRARI WITH ABOUT 18,000 MILES. I REALIZED THAT I HAD NOT CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL FOR A LONG TIME, FREAIKED WHEN THE DIP STICK READ NOTHING!!!!! I AM IN DOWN TOWN LA ON ALAMEDA STREET, AND I COULD ONLY FIND 30 WEIGHT SYNTHETIC OIL. NOT THE 50 I NEED. I CONCLUDE THAT 30 WEIGHT IS BETTER THAN NO OIL AT ALL, SO I PUT 1 QUART IN, AND FIGURE I'LL GET THE BALANCE 50 WEIGHT WHEN I GET HOME AFTER WORK. SOMETHING CAME UP, AND I COULDN'T GET IT. NEXT MORNING WHEN I CHECKED IT, AGAIN I COULD NOT GET A READ. I'M LATE FOR WORK, AND MY OTHER CAR IS IN THE SHOP. I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE AND DECIDE TO PUT 2 QUARTS MORE OF THE 30 WEIGHT, SYNTHETIC, BECAUSE I COULD NOT FIND ANY GAS STATIONS THAT CARRY THE 50. NOW WHEN I CHECK THE DIP STICK, I SCREAM WHEN THE LEVEL SHOWS WAY UP PAST THE FULL LINE. WHAT THE HELL SHOULD I DO? IT'S BURNING OUT, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE SHIT ON IDLE. IF I KNEW HOW TO PULL THE PLUG AND DRAIN IT OUT I WOULD, AND GET THE 50 SHE NEEDS. WHAT SHOULD I DO? NOT DRIVE IT, RIGHT? I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER CAR THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THINGS WORSE. COULD SOMEONE THAT IS AN EXPERT WITH FERRARI HELP ME OUT? STUPID MISTAKE, 355F1NOTHAVINGFUN 
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Replying to: 355f1fun (Sep 07, 2009 7:07 am) If you overfilled, that may or may not mean anything---at the worst you can cause some seals to leak and damage the catalytic---which isn't great but not terminal either. Personally I wouldn't risk running the car if it is overfilled, smoking and idling badly---regardless if it were a Ferrari or a Toyota because you'll foul your plugs and possibly damage the catalytics. They can only absorb so much oil to burn up. I just saw a Porsche turbo with this very problem, but they put in about 6 quarts too much and ran the car---that requires an entire new exhaust system and a tune up, but other than that, it survived quite well. If you are just a quart over, a simple oil change and an "Italian tune up" (blasting the car on the freeway, which Ferraris need to do) might be all it needs. Not being on site, I hesitate to advise you other than having the car taken by truck to someplace that knows what they're doing---the reason being that severe engine damage on a car of this type and vintage brings it close to a total loss. It seems unnlikely there is serious damage because you weren't all that low on oil apparently. Just about any engine can tolerate a quart or so low.
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Sep 07, 2009 7:13 am) I WOULD LOVE TO GET HER ON A FLAT BED AND TO MY MECHANIC FOR THE MAJOR ENGINE HOIST AND $9,000.00 TREATMENT. TIMES ARE TOUGH LATELY, ESPECIALLY WITH A DIVORCE, AND MAJOR REINVESTING IN MY BUSINESS. BEING A SINGLE MOM WITH A FERRARI IN THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS, IS A BITCH. IN FACT, I AM PREPARING FOR AN ESTATE SALE TO GET THE FUNDS FOR THIS SERVICE. I'LL BE DAMNED IF I WILL GIVE UP AND SELL HER AT THE WORST TIME EVER. I'M TRYING EVERY WHICH WAY. IS THERE A FERRARI MECHANIC YOU WOULD REFER? THANKS AGAIN, 355F1FUN 
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Replying to: 355f1fun (Sep 07, 2009 7:38 am) |
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Replying to: 355f1fun (Sep 07, 2009 7:38 am) I don't see why you need a major service here. I think checking the oil at ambient temperature is fine. If you checked it with the engine hot, that's probably what messed you up, as lots of oil stays on top of that engine for a while until it cools down. |
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