End float - an update

[Billy3200]

I have been away from the forum for a while licking my wounds of owning a beautiful 3200 GT, but I thought now and update was in order. Some may remember a thread back in May 2017 where I was having to try to make the man maths work as to why a total rebuild of my 3200 engine was a sensible thing to do. Well - for no other reason than I really like the car - it has been with Emblem until last Friday for an engine rebuild!

I started with the idea "it wont be too bad" after all the car ran perfectly and apart from the end float reading of 0,8 mm everything seemed fine. Since that point I have expected everything to actually be much worse than hoped! When the engine was stripped we found: crankshaft worn so badly that it was unable to be salvaged, the heads pitted so badly that replacements were required, obviously all the shells gone, oil pump casing and gears, the list goes on! However Myles and Martin between them managed to source what apparently doesn't exist and with the help of an excellent machine shop and Myles skill and attention to detail - 10 months later - the car is back! I was slightly nervous on my way home but 130 miles later it all seems to have been a really great idea!

I hope you enjoy a few pictures of the work. I wont be answering questions on the cost, what I will say is that it would have been cheaper to just buy another really nicely looked after 3200!

(If you worry about these things - sorry about the black coil covers, but a suitable silver has not yet been sourced and as this car has gone through three ABS units I now have an aluminium cover to keep water off just in case!)

 

[zagatoes30]

When I was down with Emblem in November Martin and I discussed the scarcity of bits for the 3200 engine and yours was discussed as having a QP IV some of these parts might be required one day.

Well done for hanging in there and letting the Emblem boys do their job, at least now you know what you have just don't break it

 

[safrane]

Pleased to read your car is now fixed and I hope you get years of joy from the car.

Is also sad to hear just how difficult it is to get spares for these cars...no wonder values are all over the place.

 

[2b1ask1]

‘‘Tis surely a thing of beauty now...”

 

[greeny12]

In the picture fifth from top, is that the famously now non-existent cam chain?

If so, it's a big bugger isn't it? I always assumed it would be a tiddly little thing...

 

[Billy3200]

Yes it is and I am sorry to say that my only option was to refit my existing chains. They had only done 36,000 miles so should have plenty of life still in them - as you say they certainly seem to be significantly engineered! We tried to source new ones but to no avail, you can get the gears but not the chains. Re-manufacture seems the only option, apparently similar chain designs are used in the motorbike world.

 

[Rex B]

Well done for sticking with it, it can't have been an easy decision but one to be admired, who's idea was the ABS cover and is water ingress associated with ABS failure.

Rex B
Manual 3200

 

[Phil H]

I first saw your car with the engine out, and subsequently with it refitted just before Christmas. It looks lovely under the bonnet now; all credit to Emblem's diligence and to your determination. Well done.

PH

 

[allandwf]

What an excellent thread, well done, and thanks for sharing. Re coil covers, mine are black crackle, original, 2001 car. I have seen cars with silver or black so I wouldn't worry, I doubt anyone else would either.

 

[alfatwo]

Great news, I heard about the rebuild, I had mine back last spring, the work was done by Graham at Shiltech and the local Ferrari race engine machine shop

That's two new 3200GT engines on the forum then..

I still get paranoid if I have to hold the clutch in for more than ten seconds


Dave

 

[Billy3200]

Dave,

"I still get paranoid if I have to hold the clutch in for more than ten seconds "

I know exactly what you mean - stop start traffic makes the blood run cold!

 

[Billy3200]

Well done for sticking with it, it can't have been an easy decision but one to be admired, who's idea was the ABS cover and is water ingress associated with ABS failure.

Rex B
Manual 3200

Rex - I had heard that water might be a problem on the ABS ECU so had a cover made (ABS ECUs are over £1,000 a go - so happy to take precautions). However I actually believe the ECUs on my car were burnt out by corrosion on the ABS sensor rings on the rear of the car. I was getting very light pulsating that felt slightly like the engine was "hunting" but was probably the ABS constantly lightly pulsing the brakes - which after a while it couldn't cope with. The rings looked fine, but when changed the problem stopped and the ECU is working fine after more than 5,000 miles.

 

[Contigo]

Well done Emblem!

Ftech binned one recently as it wasn't fixable.

 

[madmanmart]

Well done Emblem!

Ftech binned one recently as it wasn't fixable.

Not binned as such.

 

[davy83]

Well done sir, and probably a reasonable investment, since the number of cars still working in a few years may be few, given the shortage of parts? Does that help with the man maths engine bay looks great, and worrying to hear the chains are not available, I had planned to replace these, my car has done 54,000 miles and was thinking around 60-70 doing the chains. I guess I have time to find parts. Hopefully you will get some quality driving time form the car now, as a reward! Been out driving my car recently after some considerable work in December, and its just unbeatable.

 

[madmanmart]

Engine bay look lovely Billy, I’m sure the investment was worth it.

 

[conaero]

Well done for persisting mate.

 

[allandwf]

Re the chain, I'd still leave well alone, those look like the engine will wear out before them!

 

[hashluck]

Brilliant, lovely to see

 

[Contigo]

View attachment 47160

Not binned as such.

Deary me, I know that car. Good luck....