If the rings are that bad, an engine flush for that amount of time will do nothing to them, the only chance would to fill the cylinders with that stuff or ATF and leave it to drain through the rings for some time, then give it a good run and cool down a few times. To be honest, just rebuild it, its going to be far less hassle and actually work. of course that is a IMHO :D
Agree, just avoiding the inevitable, but a route you have to go down before the bills come in. The hardest part is pulling the engine out and putting it back in... But.. when you go down this route you must replace the oil pump, water pump, belts etc and the costs will add up. No idea how expensive this is for a Ferrari, I suspect huge, just done this to our integrale and Elise, they were not cheap. The influenza for sure will put on hold the next visit to the dentist. (Edit- Clutch and possibly flywheel)
When i did mine a got ! litre of petrol and added fuel injector cleaner, atf and any "carbon dissolving" auto treatment and filled each cylinder over the course of a weekend. I left the oil drain plug out so any that went past the rings drained out. In the end 2 cyls held the concoction and 2 still had some leakage but at a lot slower rate.
I was going to say the same, as in sump plug out, keep filling the cylinders with ATF (i used two stroke oil and petroll on a siezed engine) i would refill daily, and if the oil control ring is gummed up it will free off, but takes more than a few hours, more like a week of refilling, then a dose of neat petrol, but let it drain right off before filling with oil and starting
I soaked my I6 cylinders in seafoam (topping up, over 4 day period) in an attempt to free up gummed piston rings. Then change the oil & vacuum cylinders immediately before starting!
...Then send all the discarded parts over to me, I'd have a 308 in a heartbeat, a beautiful old Faz in any condition, it's all fixable, just maybe a bit up scale from young Jack's skill set.
@@gazzafloss I was an engineer before answering a call to Ministry and its obvious to me that Jack aint an engineer he's winging it and doesn't have the skill set as you say. He's bit off more than he can chew though a rebuild might be what's required most likely. Amateur car enthusiasts can do more harm than good I'm amazed with some people who tinker too much. He's a nice guy but working on a car in his pyjama bottoms lol 🤔 what is he all about 🤔😂
Your dad looks such a genuine chap Jack. It's a shame the treatment didn't help, but it probably cleaned the internals like the oil pickup etc. One thing I do know is that you have an incredible amount of patience, I'd of sold it by now sadly.
Glad to see you and your Dad out having a ride together. Sorry mate, snake oil never works. You need new rings. Looking forward to the bottom rebuild. Good luck, from Canada
A slightly hotter plug might keep it running much longer before they oil up. Did that on my Merak and it worked like a charm. In the end you will need to rebuild it anyway.
Been watching this from the start 2 years ago and it needed an engine rebuild then.....I think its time you did it once and for all and then enjoy the 308 in all its glory 😁😁😁👍 My fav Ferrari since being a kid 😀
When addressing low compression on a cylinder, check with the tester as you have then drop a teaspoon of oil into the cylinder and try again. If the rings aren’t sealing sufficiently this will (for a few seconds) give you a perfect seal. If the compression is still low, there could be a valve/seat issue, possibly stem seals also.
I think we know where this is going Jack. Gloves on… tools out.. engine in pieces on the carpet on the dining room! Block in the bath.. kitchen table with a vice attached.. Bite the bullet, no amount of engine flushes are going to make it right. It’ll be epic when it’s done. Hurry before summer!! 👌👌
At this point I'd put cylinder #6 at BDC and stick a borescope down the cylinder and look to see if the walls are scored. That will only confirm the problem but at this point a rebuild of the block is in your future.
Jack, you missed to use Liqui Moly Oil Stop. That would rather be the product to really fight your issue (as long as the internals are reasonably sound). It’s very well known in the world of young- and oldtimers. You would need to have it in your engine for at least 450 miles before you would start to see results though.
Ah the classic Italian dad “Well’…” at 12:15 😂 He couldn’t have shown his true feelings any better than with that word…. Bravo to him for getting involved in the video 🇮🇹
Can also be valve guide seals. Liqui molly has something for that - Motor Oil Saver. My old Landcruiser was smoking on startup and using more oil than I would like. I used the product and after about 300 miles the smoking stopped and after a further 2000 the oil level hasn't moved.
I know it's a pain to have the engine out and apart but imagine how wonderful it will be when it's done. I still remember how I felt when I was first taken out for a spin in a hard top model when, as a sixteen year old apprentice, I worked for the main dealer in Colchester. One of those events that will stay with me forever.
I think the problem is you need a pinch more oregano & less basil. They are very finnicky with such things. ps are you sure that's your dad? I know he looks like Enzo (especially in darker sunglasses) but surely having an Italian son buying a Ferrari is like the holy grail of fatherhood.....
I had a similar problem not on a Ferrari but a Alfa Spider also tried everything it was caused by ring land on cylinder No1.... Engine rebuild all fixed ..it takes all your sadness away once it's fixed. Good show sir
My absolute favourite genre of your videos. Whilst exhausting with the emotional rollercoaster of it all, hugely enjoyable too. Keep the faith and thanks for the videos.
So nice to see the Influenzo again. Must admit that it's foibles make it seem even more exotic. I guess now hear comes the money round and rebuild the lump. Best of luck Jack, pulling for you and the Ferrari.
Definately rings. Had the same problem on an old Rover Mini. Got the engine rebuilt (and re-bored) and it went on to 120 thousand miles - until it literally rotted away.
As the owner of a 2T dirt bike that's running a bit rich I can tell you can clean carbon fouled plugs. A blowtorch will burn the carbon off and they'll be fine.
@@sjoroverpirat Yup, that's what I use. Hold the metal piece that the wire clips to in a set of pliers, blowtorch the firing end until it's red hot, then put it down somewhere heat resistant to cool off. You can get them almost white again if you put them through an ultrasonic cleaner after that. In a dirt bike I just rinse-repeat, in a road car I'd probably put a limit to the number of cycles before tossing them because if they fail a tow is going to be more than the money you're saving. With a V12 going through plugs every 2K miles would get expensive fast, especially if you're buying iridium plugs.
I remember back in the 80s my Dad had a spark plug cleaner...it was like a mini sand blaster the size of a mug. You plugged it in, stuck a plug in the rubber bung and when you started it, it sounded like an kitchen mixer. The plugs came out gleaming..but I've never seen one since then..
Man I am glad you tried this. It was worth a shot. Good luck on the rebuild. Bottom end rebuilds are not for the faint of heart. I hope you have a good shop do it. Also see if you can have the whole rotating assembly 0 balanced while they are in there. A V8 benefits greatly from a proper balance job. Your power and will be smoother and the engine will rev like silk.
Bless you for trying Jack but I think your clutching at straws now mate , that engines got worn bores / pistons and or rings. On another note , the smoke from the rear on hard acceleration looked more brownish than blue that would be unburnt fuel suggesting running way too rich on full chat and contributing to the blackened plugs. Finally , engine flushes often worsen smoking , as any carbon or gumming of the rings gets cleaned away which is in effect helping to seal things regards Mike
The Influenzo has only done 25.000 miles. I wouldn't have thought the pistons or bores would be worn at that mileage. Yes the cars probably been driven hard all its life. Still 25k still low mileage...
@@stuartd9741 something like a Ferrari that hasn't been driven hard is just as likely to oil up and deposit carbon. '70s.'80s high perforemance Italian cars that were used to pose around town and did few miles rather than burn up the autostrada often needed servicing more often. A proper diagnosis is required rather than jumping at magic additives or an expensive rebuild.
@@stuartd9741 Yes, but if I recall, he did overheat it a while ago, causing one or more of the heads to need to be rebuilt or replaced. It seems that's when this problem started, and overheating the engine can cause all sorts of issues.
That was the worst thing to do, putting in an additive to thin the oil and break up any sludge on an engine that has an oil problem. The sludge might of been keeping oil from escaping and you then go and give it a right foot full. There is a UA-camr that owns an engine reconditioning shop in the uk that perhaps you could reach out to and do a collaboration, as you need a rebuild .
I'd try what some of the commentators said about going in the top end. I've used seafoam on many engines that were smoking or running poorly both in the engine oil like you did, but better effect is spraying into the throttle body or letting the vacuum line to the brake booster to suck it in. I unstuck a ring on a 1983 Honda Nighthawk 650 with seafoam sprayed into the carb and put another 50,000 miles on that engine after the previous owner gave up on it and wanted the bike out of his garage. People think it's snake oil and a waste of money but in the states it's like $8 and nothing to lose compared to en engine rebuild on an exotic. I'm rebuilding a Carrera 3.2 engine now and I'm probably close to $20,000 in parts alone so those that think spending $8 on a longshot bet are really idiots. You have absolutely nothing to lose so at least try it even if you probably have worn rings.
I bought a 1958 Porsche for $6,800 in the mid 1990's that had a 1960 Super 90 engine and a tan repaint over original silver. We called it the "Peanut" because it came from Georgia. Carbs were worn, distributor was very worn, and it burned oil. Removed the engine (trivial in a 356) and found a crack in the case. Located a 58 super engine in Texas and had it rebuilt by a shop with a national reputation, about 50 miles away in Allentown, PA. Everything was gone over. Nothing left to diagnose. Amazingly the engine went back together with stock bearings, no oversize needed. New iron NPR cylinders and pistons made in Japan. New Bosch alloy distributor made in Brazil. I rebuilt the Zenith carbs myself. Rallied it with local Porsche club and was never let down. Car sold at Amelia Island a few years back and now lives in Wales.
I used to have trouble with the extenders and mine always used oil too, but in fairness the handbook said it used a litre of oil per 200 miles which was about right. After I sold the 308 the guy who then stripped the motor for the cars restoration said it was in pretty good shape apart from slightly bent valve stem which had been causing hot spotting in the coolant but not affecting the running
Years ago I did an engine flush with similar stuff and the smoking got worse afterwards. It turned out to be bad rings. Looks like a rebuild is inevitable, sorry mate. Best of luck 👍
As said a few days ago by another person... Cold Dry compression test and write down the Results then a tea spoon of oil into each Cylinder and write down same then also an 'Air Leak down' tests on those Cylinders with respective inlet and then exhaust valves closed, to see if the valves are passing, or if any Blow By is coming from same...Glove on the tail pipe would show up exhaust Valve leakage, could even be Oil leakage down the Valve stem seals...if so maybe there could be combustion gases blowing up through when the Oil Filler Cap is taken off and when the Car is Running, Great Upload...
I think the plug gives you the answer. Wet and black on 1 side and washed clean on the other. This suggests leaking valve stem oil seals allied to bore wash.
I think it has been mentioned before, but using a Colortune might let you see what's going on in each combustion chamber. Having just finished rebuilding the engine in my old Sunbeam Rapier may I wish you good luck and no nasty, expensive surprises!
I salute you! If it's any consolation I can give an update on the UK'S cheapest 996: the annoying tick has been diagnosed as a lazy lifter. As soon as you put an extra 50 rpm on from idle it vanishes, I've tried EVERY oil additive on the market and none of them have made any difference. I'm convinced that it's all 'snake oil'. Mines a very early build so I could just increase the idle via the cable but at this stage in my frustration I really can't be bothered. Good luck to you
A pleasure to be introduced to Papa - would be good to see a side-by-side comparison of his pleased and displeased facial expression! I'm currently struggling with oiled plugs on my (single cylinder, 1964) Moto Morini - will try risotto - as I'm from Staffordshire, I'll obviously put in extra parmigiano. Thanks for another great episode. X
A small tip, whe pouring oil keep the container side on if possible as you get a smoother pour with less gulping and less mess. I know it's not a major thing but it's a thing. Keep up the great work 👍.
I have used CD2 before and it freaking worked. We did a compression test before and after and it level out the compression across all cylinders. I don't know if they sell it anymore. That was back in 199x's.
Hiya Jack. Firstly, my apologies as this has turned out to be quite a long post! But please read on, because I think it's relevant. One thing I noticed with those additives is that sometimes they can take a little while to work as much as they say on the tin. Give the Influenzo a few more trips out before you call this one - he looked like he was smoking less afterward than he was before the LiquiMoly went in.....so maybe it's the same with that stuff. The rings are a little worn in my Triumph 2500S, so I do a flush before each oil change, then she gets the Penrite HPR-30 20w/60 oil, then an additive that increases the viscosity in the oil when it gets hot. I get the occasional puff on start-up now, but nothing else and best of all, good oil pressure when she;s warm. Mate - your Influenzo reminds me so much of Stacey my Stag. I so feel your pain..... I have always wanted a Triumph Stag and this one was a beaut. Little did I know how much she would test my resolve. In the first 3 months, I learned so much about her that had been hidden because she had obviously sat for a few years longer than the previous owner had let on and drove beautifully to begin with. Over the 700-odd miles up the country to home, I learned that the alternator would occasionally stop working, not to fill her up over three quarters of a tank of petrol or else I would lose a fair bit out the cap because it didn't seal, the gearbox Overdrive unit leaked onto the exhausts, the speedometer cable was not retained properly and was also sitting on the exhaust, the clutch return spring became weak and I had to hold the pedal up with my left foot so it didn't constantly put a small amount of pressure on the plate, the windscreen washers didn't work.....and by the time I had driven the full distance, the suspension had freed up again and I was able to tell that the shocks were shot. I sorted these fairly quickly, but it seemed that every time I fixed one thing (or replaced a tired seal, broken lens, or other cosmetic improvement), something else would break or stop working. I was out on a drive in June of 2019 a week after her being in the shop for 6 weeks with her latest list of needs - getting the exhaust replaced, the carb reconditioned, the valley gasket replaced and repairs to the clutch slave and mount after a mishap with a LARGE pothole - and I had the top down, cruising along on a sunny winter's day with that famed burble in my ears......put my foot on the brake to slow for a corner - and it went straight to the floor. I nursed the car home on the handbrake and parked it in the garage.......where she sat for 21 months because I was so annoyed with her. I got her master cylinder sleeved with stainless in October 2021, bled the brakes and she was away again. However, she then decided it was time to destroy (and I MEAN destroy) the drag strut bushes, so I did them and all the hardware that goes with it. She blew a headlight bulb, so I took the opportunity to upgrade the headlight lenses to Hella units and replace all headlight bulbs, and a dead courtesy lamp bulb on the T-bar inside. Replacing a headlight bulb involves taking the entire grille out (more or less) if it's high beam, so perfect timing. Then the OD started kicking in and out like the solenoid was playing up. Turned out to be a bad connection caused by a broken wire in the gearstick harness, so I replaced that. There were a couple more minor incidents, but they were fixed easy enough, but I also replaced the last of the body and hood seals I had been getting round to doing, thinking maybe she would be nice and lay off the repair demands for a while. It was not to be..... Shortly after that and on a trip down country, she started developing a bad miss. From my troubleshooting at the destination, it pointed at the distributor's internals (which I know are getting tired) and lack of mechanical advance. However, not to be outdone, on the way home, I was 26km from where I had been staying with family and I was being flagged down by the driver behind me. I started to pull over and then the rear wheels just locked up and she slid off the road. The quill shaft housing on the front of the diff had broken away and the diff had rocked forward, tightening the handbrake cable over the trailing arms and causing the slide..........but she was on fire under there as well! The quill shaft housing coming off had allowed the diff to dump hot diff oil on the hotter exhaust and it had spontaneously combusted. Sooooooo glad I have an extinguisher! So, car cannot be driven and I am in the middle of nowhere. Called the AA and got her brought back home and over to my mechanic's yard. He's looking to retire on what I have been spending on this car.....but I digress. Turns out that the retaining nut on the front of the pinion shaft came off, destroyed the splines and seal on the pinion shaft, destroyed the mating coupling to the quill shaft housing and the splines on the quill shaft itself, then jammed them all, destroying the housing as well. Good news was that the crown wheel, planetary and spider gears were all fine as no detritus got in there, but all seals and front bearings were destroyed. So.....nearly $3k (in my currency) later (about 1500 pounds sterling) and I have had enough and am calling it quits. Yes, I love the Stag, but the reality of owning my dream car has been a nightmare. Somebody else can take it from here.....although I have nearly replaced every damn thing except the engine and gearbox now! When I said I feel your pain, I meant it! Enough is enough though and there has to be a line drawn somewhere when a car is costing you more in frustration than you are getting back in therapeutic drives in the countryside. When she comes back from the shop, she's going down the road. I am not going to tot up exactly how much she has cost me in the past 5 years in new parts, time and the occasional trip to the mechanic when I cannot do the job myself, but with the bills I remember off the top of my head, it would be well north of $15k (7.5k GBP) - a pittance compared to the Influenzo, but by the same token, Stacey is not worth the amount the Influenzo is, so on scale it is comparatively similar. I have definitely spent more on her than I paid for her 5 years ago and I think enough is enough. I will still have a 79 Triumph 2500S (on of the last ever assembled here in NZ) and a 77 Mini that has been somewhat customised and modified, so they are enough to handle between them, I think! Good luck though, Jack and all the best. I mean it, mate!
"Back in the day" of my Alfa flat 4's with carburettors I had a spark plug cleaner. 12v motor and a bag of iron filings that would blast the spark plug electrode clean. It did work!
That's not a little bit of smoke. Out with the engine crane. Once you've accepted that you're doing it, it's probably not going to be too bad a job. I'm not a fan of guessing but terminally worn rings/bores I suspect. If you get lucky the bores will be good enough and it'll just be a set of rings and rod bearings.
Its funny how we all like to feel we've impressed our fathers with the cars we buy and yet they remain pretty much indifferent. My Dad was the best killjoy of any car fun, yet I loved to show my latest car to him... on the way home I felt satisfied that he had been thoroughly indifferent to my latest toy. This confirmed to me that I have bought the right car while leaving me flat and fed up at the same time
So if the compression is ok, I would look upstream of the valve seat, valve head junction. All the plugs get fowled eventually, minor differences intake air distribution at first, but in time they all get coated. Bad air, bad smog pump, bad crankcase venting, bad pvc valve, bad carb float bowl levels, bad rubber valve seals, wrong tolerance on valve guides, contaminated fuel? Sorry, too long a list.
When you had the Ferrari guy balance the carbs a year ago, he seemed to set the idle super rich. He even said that was normal with these cars. That was able to get every cylinder to idle, but I am not surprised to see that your plugs reflect rich running.
You could use a bore scope to see how the cylinders look eh. If the bores look good, especially #6, try the trick mentioned below. Drain out that fresh oil and store it. Fill all cylinders with ATF through the plug holes and leave it in there for a few days, topping up as needed. Let everything drain out via the sump. After a few ways, stop adding ATF. Leave it overnight or a day until the fluid stops dripping out the drain plug, then with the plugs out just bump the starter to clear the cylinders. Put maybe a liter of your oil back in and let that flush the sump pan out. Refit the drain plug, refill your oil, add some fresh to level, and then see what you're looking at.
Hello, here in Bulgaria the common practise is to fill the cylinders with gas for lamps. Also its good to rotate the crank after the gas is down in the sump and refill it again... It will take a good amount of time cause its a Vee engine but I think its the last hope for that rings :) BR
To add to the genuine Italian style you probably have to wear a very expensive silk suit and carry all your tools in a violin case at all times. Failing that, it becomes part of the foundations of a new build somewhere, or meets a loading shovel on a remote road somewhere? Excellent video Jack, we feel your pain on this.
Have you checked for a blocked engine breather? That could cause pressure in the crankcase and force oil past the rings. Happened on my sons mini when he connected the breather to a closed connection on the air box.
The oil residue on only one side of the spark plug suggests oil entering the combustion chamber via the intake valve (bad valve seal). Oil getting past rings typically will be more universal in coating the plug.
Worth a try Jack, and you're eliminating causes each time, you will get there, it's all about the little victories to keep you sane! Nice to see your Dad, a very polite gentleman doing his damage limitation comments, more shouting & hand gestures next time please!
Zmax oil additive, worked miracles on a turbo pt cruiser I had. Breaks down the sludge but you leave it in for the duration of the oil life. It was endorsed by Carol Shelby back in the late 80s.
As has been said, the general rule of thumb with compression is that it all should be within 10% - that is, 10% of the compression specs for that engine and each cylinder should be within 10% of each other. These days, engine flushes are a complete waste of time and money and can, in some cases, cause more problems or make the issue worse. Also, most modern oils already have cleaning agents in them and negate the need for a flush like you would have done 30 plus years ago (assuming the oil is changed at a sensible period of time). A leak-down test may be handy to point out whether the rings or valves are leaking on cylinder No. 6, but doing anything other than rebuilding this engine now is a waste of time. Ultimately, this is up to you, and please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think this is an engine for you to rebuild - one silly little mistake can prove to be incredibly costly (if it was an A series mini, that would be different). Get someone who knows what they are doing to work on it.
Matt Farah of ‘the smoking tire’ often speaks about a Ferrari expert named ‘Donnie’. There have been a few videos of Matt discussing his 328(?) with him. Worth a watch.
I have used BG ERP and gained 27% overall on compression on one vehicle, but that said, if the engine has anything more than coking around the piston rings, you need to fix the fault. The BG treatment transformed the vehicle I had.
Using 100% synthetic oil on that engine, considering its great detergent properties, removed a lot of carbon also from those piston rings, I'm pretty certain. Ideal oil would be a good mineral or semi-synthetic 15w50 or even 20w50. Those carbon deposits are crutial to mantain some compression on tired vintage engines.
Yep .The carb 70;s 308s have steel liners and compatible rings to suit .Full synth is a killer .The gaps ( tolerances ) are massive by todays or indeed the 80 s QV Ferraris standards .I use “ classic “ mineral 15/40 every 3 K change on my 3*8 carb GT 4 .Also mentioned by many with carbs you get oil dilution by the fuel , esp with choke or without when cold as the Stone Age cylinder tech hasn’t expanded to seal properly.Any how plenty of key board warriors singing about synthetic oils ……….It’s not there car .
i have a similar issue with my toyota mr2 spyder, the 1zz engine is well known for stuck oil control rings. An engine flush won’t do it as it takes time to soak the caked carbon around the rings. i have been some what successful with ‘Marvel mystery oil’ where you would add around 500ml to the oil, run the car normally for around 1k miles or even more, slowly it would dissolve the carbon around the rings, the holes behind the rings which allows the oil to flow back into the sump are also likely clogged.
Marvel Mystery Oil worked a treat unblocking a sticky hydraulic lifter in my Lotus Elan engine...so second giving it a try as all other oil treatments had failed.
I could NOT tell from the video if the smoke was black or blue. If blue, it is oil, but if black it is fuel mixture, if so can you access an emissions tester that can monitor while driving? One thought for cylinder 6. is pull all the plugs, disable fuel supply and ignition, check compression, then pour a tablespoon of oil into the spark-plug hole, crank engine for a few seconds then check compression, if still low, then it is a valve problem, if it raises to full, then it is rings. If rings, one possible fix might be to pour maybe a tablespoon of the Liqui-Moly into cyl. 6 and crank for a minuet or so, then repeat.
If it wasn't for the Influenzo's misbehavior, Jack wouldn't have much material for videos. How interesting can you make footage of a machine behaving perfectly? The mysteries and bug hunts are what make most maintenance/motoring channels. I haven't bothered to check, but I think there are a lot of 308 engine rebuilds documented on UA-cam. Probably worth watching for research.
I had an old Porsche in for test a couple of weeks back, failed with a similar complaint. We did the STP treatment, 6 runs of 30 minutes over 2 days. Significant reduction in emissions and no visible smoke. We gave it a dose of the leave in Seafoam and off went a happy chap. Could be worth trying if the engine isn't stripped down.
I admire your optimism, but that flush was never going to save a rebuild - I hope it goes well though, could be a great opportunity for some tasteful improvements.
I swear that car design just does not get old!! Every single time I see it, it just takes my breath away!! I know it’s a problem child but damn it if it’s not just the best looking design out there! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
First, I like your Intro Style, which does not spoil too much but makes you curious. Like! Second, this kind of content is, what I want to see on your channel... Like! Last (but not least!) - the star of this episode is your dad! I like the idea of dad and son driving in the ferrari. Also he seems to be so polite. Family is so important... L-I-K-E! Keep on going, crazy brit 🙂this type of content is really appreciated!
Engine Oil System flushes. Been rescuing other frustrated folks car cast offs for over half a century. Fords, Opels, Renaults, Vauxhalls, Minis, Citroens, Fiats you name it. I like a challenge where others have given up. During the past two decades plus have mainly concentrated on my favourite Rovers and MGs. Oh and one Peugeot non-runner too. Ages ago, a professional mechanic told me he used Diesel FUEL for flushing old Petrol engines showing poor Oil Change maintenance programmes in previous ownership. He'd drop the old oil hot and fill the sump with DIESEL FUEL to the correct level on the Dip Stick. Then run the engine for about half and hour varying the idle level to ensure the Diesel Fuel reaches all the engine's internals. Twenty years ago I bought an inexpensive Rover Montego GTi off a work colleague who had given up on the over heating car. He needed a spacious fairly fast four door saloon for his work travel which included visits to the EU mainland. He told me "It can be cruised all day long at three figures on the roads over there". Would not do that now. Been professionally advised the "Its a Rover ~ They all do that" so if it is over heating, the Head Gasket has "failed". Well known fact apparently. They rarely fail on any car. Invariably they are first damaged then no longer able to do the job they are designed to do. Prime cause of that damage is coolant loss leading to over heating engine. In any car. Causes of coolant loss leading to excessive heat are very many .. In my strictly amateur problem investigator experience, prime cause of coolant loss in many cars is simply a worn out Water Pump. Filling the cooling system with pain water, it took me a simple drive to get that engine up to operating temperature and the increased expanding Coolant pressure forced coolant out of the worn pump. A new Water Pump cost £12,50p. A doddle to fit on the O-Series engine. My colleague needed a fairly fast spacious car and that O-Series engine Rover Montego GTi, merely a renamed MG Montego 2.0L Efi whe thne group were "Roverised" about 88-89Poor throttle response and almost certainly poor fuel consumption. Did not accelerate like a health O Series car should do.. So cooling issues sorted, I had looked at the condition of the Oil on the dipstick and it looked very black and iffy. With that oil on cold engine start up it sounded like an old high mileage Ford Diesel. Clacketty-clack-clack-clack. So dropped that oil, very old oil HOT and filled the engine with Diesel Fuel. Diesel fuel has / had cleansing agents as Oil Burners run filthier than Petrols. Those work. Nothing much to lose, took the GTi for a few miles to really get that Diesel Fuel/its oil ... to do its stuff inside the lightly stressed engine. Draining that Diesel Fuel hot showed it had done its work. It was black when compared alongside the clear golden stuff I poured into the engine. I allowed the engine to drain as much of the Diesel Fuel Flush as possible by leaving it to drain overnight. Next morning, replaced the Sump/Oil Pan Plug and used the manufacturer recommended 10-40 Semi-synthetic for the refill. What a transformation! That noisy Cam Follower ( tappets ) Clatter had gone soon after cold engine start up. Soon settled down to a nice to hear soft rustle typical of a healthy O-Series. Better still throttle response far better, could get up to maximum engine speed very quickly in lower gears and probably top gears on roads where three figure cruising is permitted. I used that fine car as a daily driver work horse for over a year. The fuel economy was good not driven for economy. I suspect the cleansing properties of Diesel Fuel is able to search out and flush away that old oil black "varnish" found on Cam Followers, Valve Stems, Pistons, Piston Rings and other engine components slowing down the efficient running. Anyone stripping an engine not having had a good oil/filter change routine will know what I mean by Black Varnish. Have treated several more cars to the Diesel Fuel used as engine oil flush. One being an early MG Montego Turbo and another an MG ZT 1.8T which transformed their performance from just about every aspect. PLEASE NOTE :~ No way am I recommending this treatment, only that it has worked every time for me sometimes with very impressive results.
Really terrible those items fail every 1000 miles with the spark plugs, is there an aftermarket made of better material that lasts?! Nice video. Keep up the good work.
Jack, looks like you might have installed chinesium valve stem seals. Possibly they are so bad that they not only cause the smoke on startup, but also smoke on normal running. Possibly you also have a crankcase breathing issue. If the crankcase is subject to pressure, oil can be pushed past the valve stem seals. Symptoms include pressure coming up the dipstick and smoke during engine braking. Both easy to check.
Next time you change the plugs, try a grade or two hotter, that will help stop them fouling in the presence of excess oil. The smoke you showed on hard acceleration was more excess fuel smoke, showing a carburetor jet issue. With the compressions in all but one cylinder good values and even the engine can't be in too bad shape and that one cylinder down, (#6, was it ?), could be just a valve. I'd think maybe just a cylinder hone and new ring set, assuming bore sizes within spec. Trust your Dad, he's old and wise!
It is imperative to blip the throttle on the flush cycle every minute and keep the idle at 1500 RPM! This then has the best chance of clearing the ring lands of detritus and varnish! Your compression test shows the ring seal is good! You could have a blocked drain back hole I one or more of the ring lands. You need to check all plugs and also get a inspection camera to check each cylinder! Aldi had them in for £40. The thing is though. The build up in ring lands ends up compacted. And the only real way to remove it is to remove heads and sump! Remove each rod n piston set one by one! Clean and put new oil rings in at the least! Also plastigauge the crank journals on the big ends and mains! And replace bearings if needed. Theirs a lot of companies that specialises in quality aftermarket parts cheaper and better quality than Ferrari! As at the end of these cars! Although exotic beautiful and soulful. There is a history of bad building and design elements in all their cars. Not just from that era! But modern cars also!! Me personally! I’d sell it and buy a Lamborghini Uraco! Or if possible a beautiful Maserati Bora!!! Both better built bruits of that era!! I do hope you get it fixed bud! Just for your peace of mind if anything!! As I can feel your pain watching you!! Good luck!!!
I know I've said it before, but I would highly recommend ZX1 Extralube! It'll go into your oil and your fuel so helping from both sides. It certainly couldn't hurt if it didn't work. Nothing lost 🙂 great project! Well done!
@@hoonaticbloggs5402 money lost? He's trying to find a quick fix before forking out. I've had experience of this product having dramatic results in a fuel rail and gearbox. I say it's worth a try. Have you had any negative experience with this product?
@@stevenhunter5799 I have 25 years as a mechanic. If a compression test is showing one cylinder down and the motor is smoking, no amount of snake oil avoids the inevitable rebuild. But no no negative experience with that product in particular.
@@hoonaticbloggs5402 Money that probably wouldn't cover just one mislaid engine part - say an oil drain bung. How much is a piece of Ferrari water hose? Definitely try all long shots before hoiking the engine out! It's not a given that there's something wrong with the bottom end of this engine.
@@ChristianRThomas "Money that probably wouldn't cover just one mislaid engine part " If your expectation is to lose engine parts when you take an engine out then you probably shouldn't be giving advice on how to fix engines! Engine flushes and oil additives are just ways to generate revenue from gullible punters. If these things worked the oil companies would include those chemicals in the oils they sell. Motor oils are already full of detergents and all the additivies you need. If an additive could actually solve a mechanical problem then cars would never be scrapped.
I caught the start of the TV programme magnum Pi the other day and at the part where he wheels pins off the grass his is blowing smoke too! Maybe " they all do that sir" 😄
Marvell Mystery Oil, you can run up to 20% of the crank case oil volume, but I'd run it for a while the rings might recover at least 6000 miles, best way to get rings to seal is to accelerate up high rpm in a fixed gear like 3rd gear or second gear, then let it decelerate all the way down, then back up again, down again many time. You want to keep your rpms up all the time other wise the plug will foul quicker, less idling and low rpms.
It occurs to me (from memory) that the carbs were misbehaving when you first had the car. Any cylinders running too rich for a long period of time might have gummed rings, or worn bore and rings from loss of the oil film. Or even a broken oil ring or two. No harm in trying the latest medicinal compound, but some of us out here are itching to see whether it needs honing + new rings, or the full works :-)
Please, just pull the engine. In my experience engine flushes just loosen up crap which increases the chance of something breaking loose & killing your crank. At the moment you'd probably get away with rings & a hone.
If the rings are that bad, an engine flush for that amount of time will do nothing to them, the only chance would to fill the cylinders with that stuff or ATF and leave it to drain through the rings for some time, then give it a good run and cool down a few times. To be honest, just rebuild it, its going to be far less hassle and actually work. of course that is a IMHO :D
Agree, just avoiding the inevitable, but a route you have to go down before the bills come in. The hardest part is pulling the engine out and putting it back in... But.. when you go down this route you must replace the oil pump, water pump, belts etc and the costs will add up. No idea how expensive this is for a Ferrari, I suspect huge, just done this to our integrale and Elise, they were not cheap. The influenza for sure will put on hold the next visit to the dentist. (Edit- Clutch and possibly flywheel)
When i did mine a got ! litre of petrol and added fuel injector cleaner, atf and any "carbon dissolving" auto treatment and filled each cylinder over the course of a weekend. I left the oil drain plug out so any that went past the rings drained out. In the end 2 cyls held the concoction and 2 still had some leakage but at a lot slower rate.
I was going to say the same, as in sump plug out, keep filling the cylinders with ATF (i used two stroke oil and petroll on a siezed engine) i would refill daily, and if the oil control ring is gummed up it will free off, but takes more than a few hours, more like a week of refilling, then a dose of neat petrol, but let it drain right off before filling with oil and starting
Have you tried an "Italian tune-up"? :-)
I soaked my I6 cylinders in seafoam (topping up, over 4 day period) in an attempt to free up gummed piston rings. Then change the oil & vacuum cylinders immediately before starting!
I would take a wheel nut off, and then from new parts assemble another 308 around it to cure the issues
Not a rusty wheel nut,...........
@@stephenjones4699 Then replace the wheelnut
🤣🤣
...Then send all the discarded parts over to me, I'd have a 308 in a heartbeat, a beautiful old Faz in any condition, it's all fixable, just maybe a bit up scale from young Jack's skill set.
@@gazzafloss I was an engineer before answering a call to Ministry and its obvious to me that Jack aint an engineer he's winging it and doesn't have the skill set as you say. He's bit off more than he can chew though a rebuild might be what's required most likely. Amateur car enthusiasts can do more harm than good I'm amazed with some people who tinker too much. He's a nice guy but working on a car in his pyjama bottoms lol 🤔 what is he all about 🤔😂
The frustrations of an old classic, but persistance always prevails.
And its a Ferrari so worthy of the blood sweat and tears.
Makes good viewing too.
Your dad looks such a genuine chap Jack. It's a shame the treatment didn't help, but it probably cleaned the internals like the oil pickup etc. One thing I do know is that you have an incredible amount of patience, I'd of sold it by now sadly.
Glad to see you and your Dad out having a ride together. Sorry mate, snake oil never works. You need new rings. Looking forward to the bottom rebuild. Good luck, from Canada
A slightly hotter plug might keep it running much longer before they oil up. Did that on my Merak and it worked like a charm. In the end you will need to rebuild it anyway.
Been watching this from the start 2 years ago and it needed an engine rebuild then.....I think its time you did it once and for all and then enjoy the 308 in all its glory 😁😁😁👍 My fav Ferrari since being a kid 😀
When addressing low compression on a cylinder, check with the tester as you have then drop a teaspoon of oil into the cylinder and try again. If the rings aren’t sealing sufficiently this will (for a few seconds) give you a perfect seal. If the compression is still low, there could be a valve/seat issue, possibly stem seals also.
good advice!
I think we know where this is going Jack. Gloves on… tools out.. engine in pieces on the carpet on the dining room! Block in the bath.. kitchen table with a vice attached..
Bite the bullet, no amount of engine flushes are going to make it right.
It’ll be epic when it’s done.
Hurry before summer!! 👌👌
At this point I'd put cylinder #6 at BDC and stick a borescope down the cylinder and look to see if the walls are scored. That will only confirm the problem but at this point a rebuild of the block is in your future.
Jack, you missed to use Liqui Moly Oil Stop.
That would rather be the product to really fight your issue (as long as the internals are reasonably sound).
It’s very well known in the world of young- and oldtimers.
You would need to have it in your engine for at least 450 miles before you would start to see results though.
Great to see you sharing your passion with your dad!
Ah the classic Italian dad “Well’…” at 12:15 😂 He couldn’t have shown his true feelings any better than with that word…. Bravo to him for getting involved in the video 🇮🇹
Can also be valve guide seals. Liqui molly has something for that - Motor Oil Saver.
My old Landcruiser was smoking on startup and using more oil than I would like.
I used the product and after about 300 miles the smoking stopped and after a further 2000 the oil level hasn't moved.
I know it's a pain to have the engine out and apart but imagine how wonderful it will be when it's done. I still remember how I felt when I was first taken out for a spin in a hard top model when, as a sixteen year old apprentice, I worked for the main dealer in Colchester. One of those events that will stay with me forever.
Just a thought....have you checked the engine breather?! If that's blocked it'll blow by like hell
You will sort this car out sooner or later. Keep at it mate we're all rooting for you!
I think the problem is you need a pinch more oregano & less basil. They are very finnicky with such things.
ps are you sure that's your dad? I know he looks like Enzo (especially in darker sunglasses) but surely having an Italian son buying a Ferrari is like the holy grail of fatherhood.....
We all do enjoy watching your struggles so much. Please continue.
Another great episode Jack. Your dad is completely charming and seeing you both out for a drive in the Ferrari was perfect.
I had a similar problem not on a Ferrari but a Alfa Spider also tried everything it was caused by ring land on cylinder No1.... Engine rebuild all fixed ..it takes all your sadness away once it's fixed. Good show sir
My absolute favourite genre of your videos. Whilst exhausting with the emotional rollercoaster of it all, hugely enjoyable too. Keep the faith and thanks for the videos.
So nice to see the Influenzo again. Must admit that it's foibles make it seem even more exotic. I guess now hear comes the money round and rebuild the lump. Best of luck Jack, pulling for you and the Ferrari.
Definately rings. Had the same problem on an old Rover Mini. Got the engine rebuilt (and re-bored) and it went on to 120 thousand miles - until it literally rotted away.
As the owner of a 2T dirt bike that's running a bit rich I can tell you can clean carbon fouled plugs.
A blowtorch will burn the carbon off and they'll be fine.
Even with propane?
@@sjoroverpirat Yup, that's what I use.
Hold the metal piece that the wire clips to in a set of pliers, blowtorch the firing end until it's red hot, then put it down somewhere heat resistant to cool off.
You can get them almost white again if you put them through an ultrasonic cleaner after that.
In a dirt bike I just rinse-repeat, in a road car I'd probably put a limit to the number of cycles before tossing them because if they fail a tow is going to be more than the money you're saving.
With a V12 going through plugs every 2K miles would get expensive fast, especially if you're buying iridium plugs.
MAP gas works best.
I remember back in the 80s my Dad had a spark plug cleaner...it was like a mini sand blaster the size of a mug. You plugged it in, stuck a plug in the rubber bung and when you started it, it sounded like an kitchen mixer. The plugs came out gleaming..but I've never seen one since then..
I do the same with my plugs, my 2 stroke lawn mower is the worst offender. I sit the plugs loosely in the vice and burn them till they turn white.
Loving the intro to the program. Clarkson would be proud!! Perseverance is the only solution to virtually any problem.
Man I am glad you tried this. It was worth a shot. Good luck on the rebuild. Bottom end rebuilds are not for the faint of heart. I hope you have a good shop do it. Also see if you can have the whole rotating assembly 0 balanced while they are in there. A V8 benefits greatly from a proper balance job. Your power and will be smoother and the engine will rev like silk.
I feel your pain Jack, the SC 924 seems to work for 20 mins before something else breaks!
Thanks!
Whenever one cylinder is lower on compression than others by more than 10% it’s time for the engine to come out
Your dad is such a dignified looking gentleman. We need regular commentary from him as things develop.
Jack. Another brilliant video featuring your Dad. You can only smile watching your highs and lows of the ferrari.
Might be a good idea to have a look in the cylinders with a camera . Those inspection boroscopes are quite cheap and handy to have.
Bless you for trying Jack but I think your clutching at straws now mate , that engines got worn bores / pistons and or rings. On another note , the smoke from the rear on hard acceleration looked more brownish than blue that would be unburnt fuel suggesting running way too rich on full chat and contributing to the blackened plugs. Finally , engine flushes often worsen smoking , as any carbon or gumming of the rings gets cleaned away which is in effect helping to seal things
regards
Mike
yeah running rich
“you’re” Einstein. It literally means “you are”…
The Influenzo has only done 25.000 miles.
I wouldn't have thought the pistons or bores would be worn at that mileage.
Yes the cars probably been driven hard all its life.
Still 25k still low mileage...
@@stuartd9741 something like a Ferrari that hasn't been driven hard is just as likely to oil up and deposit carbon.
'70s.'80s high perforemance Italian cars that were used to pose around town and did few miles rather than burn up the autostrada often needed servicing more often.
A proper diagnosis is required rather than jumping at magic additives or an expensive rebuild.
@@stuartd9741 Yes, but if I recall, he did overheat it a while ago, causing one or more of the heads to need to be rebuilt or replaced. It seems that's when this problem started, and overheating the engine can cause all sorts of issues.
Thanks for making these videos. It makes me realise how much I love my trouble free 12 year old Rav4.
That was the worst thing to do, putting in an additive to thin the oil and break up any sludge on an engine that has an oil problem. The sludge might of been keeping oil from escaping and you then go and give it a right foot full.
There is a UA-camr that owns an engine reconditioning shop in the uk that perhaps you could reach out to and do a collaboration, as you need a rebuild .
I'd try what some of the commentators said about going in the top end. I've used seafoam on many engines that were smoking or running poorly both in the engine oil like you did, but better effect is spraying into the throttle body or letting the vacuum line to the brake booster to suck it in. I unstuck a ring on a 1983 Honda Nighthawk 650 with seafoam sprayed into the carb and put another 50,000 miles on that engine after the previous owner gave up on it and wanted the bike out of his garage. People think it's snake oil and a waste of money but in the states it's like $8 and nothing to lose compared to en engine rebuild on an exotic. I'm rebuilding a Carrera 3.2 engine now and I'm probably close to $20,000 in parts alone so those that think spending $8 on a longshot bet are really idiots. You have absolutely nothing to lose so at least try it even if you probably have worn rings.
I bought a 1958 Porsche for $6,800 in the mid 1990's that had a 1960 Super 90 engine and a tan repaint over original silver. We called it the "Peanut" because it came from Georgia. Carbs were worn, distributor was very worn, and it burned oil. Removed the engine (trivial in a 356) and found a crack in the case. Located a 58 super engine in Texas and had it rebuilt by a shop with a national reputation, about 50 miles away in Allentown, PA. Everything was gone over. Nothing left to diagnose. Amazingly the engine went back together with stock bearings, no oversize needed. New iron NPR cylinders and pistons made in Japan. New Bosch alloy distributor made in Brazil. I rebuilt the Zenith carbs myself. Rallied it with local Porsche club and was never let down. Car sold at Amelia Island a few years back and now lives in Wales.
Looking forward to the inevitable engine rebuild series
Great to hear you've found the fault. It's always something simple, but you only find that out after hours of painful fault finding !!!!!
I used to have trouble with the extenders and mine always used oil too, but in fairness the handbook said it used a litre of oil per 200 miles which was about right.
After I sold the 308 the guy who then stripped the motor for the cars restoration said it was in pretty good shape apart from slightly bent valve stem which had been causing hot spotting in the coolant but not affecting the running
Years ago I did an engine flush with similar stuff and the smoking got worse afterwards. It turned out to be bad rings. Looks like a rebuild is inevitable, sorry mate. Best of luck 👍
Agreed needs a bottom end rebuild sleeves rings etc
Eating pasta is definitely the best option 😉
As said a few days ago by another person... Cold Dry compression test and write down the Results then a tea spoon of oil into each Cylinder and write down same then also an 'Air Leak down' tests on those Cylinders with respective inlet and then exhaust valves closed, to see if the valves are passing, or if any Blow By is coming from same...Glove on the tail pipe would show up exhaust Valve leakage, could even be Oil leakage down the Valve stem seals...if so maybe there could be combustion gases blowing up through when the Oil Filler Cap is taken off and when the Car is Running, Great Upload...
Back in the late 80s I used to use Wynn's Oil additive for my XR3i. Worked a treat.👍👍
Ha ha yeah I used to have an xr3i which had dreadful tappet noise; I got through tons of that gloop.
I think the plug gives you the answer. Wet and black on 1 side and washed clean on the other. This suggests leaking valve stem oil seals allied to bore wash.
I think it has been mentioned before, but using a Colortune might let you see what's going on in each combustion chamber. Having just finished rebuilding the engine in my old Sunbeam Rapier may I wish you good luck and no nasty, expensive surprises!
While I admire you for trying the moly additive, as someone who's been there and done it. I started this video with very little expectations of a fix.
I salute you! If it's any consolation I can give an update on the UK'S cheapest 996: the annoying tick has been diagnosed as a lazy lifter. As soon as you put an extra 50 rpm on from idle it vanishes, I've tried EVERY oil additive on the market and none of them have made any difference. I'm convinced that it's all 'snake oil'.
Mines a very early build so I could just increase the idle via the cable but at this stage in my frustration I really can't be bothered. Good luck to you
A pleasure to be introduced to Papa - would be good to see a side-by-side comparison of his pleased and displeased facial expression! I'm currently struggling with oiled plugs on my (single cylinder, 1964) Moto Morini - will try risotto - as I'm from Staffordshire, I'll obviously put in extra parmigiano. Thanks for another great episode. X
A small tip, whe pouring oil keep the container side on if possible as you get a smoother pour with less gulping and less mess. I know it's not a major thing but it's a thing.
Keep up the great work 👍.
I have used CD2 before and it freaking worked. We did a compression test before and after and it level out the compression across all cylinders. I don't know if they sell it anymore. That was back in 199x's.
I had a similar rush of joy but from fixing an electric golf buggy. Easy fix/ charred terminal change. Fired from all cylinders. Good runner now
Excellent Chris very enjoyable to watch frustrating for you and costly; still excellent presentation.
Hiya Jack. Firstly, my apologies as this has turned out to be quite a long post! But please read on, because I think it's relevant. One thing I noticed with those additives is that sometimes they can take a little while to work as much as they say on the tin. Give the Influenzo a few more trips out before you call this one - he looked like he was smoking less afterward than he was before the LiquiMoly went in.....so maybe it's the same with that stuff. The rings are a little worn in my Triumph 2500S, so I do a flush before each oil change, then she gets the Penrite HPR-30 20w/60 oil, then an additive that increases the viscosity in the oil when it gets hot. I get the occasional puff on start-up now, but nothing else and best of all, good oil pressure when she;s warm.
Mate - your Influenzo reminds me so much of Stacey my Stag. I so feel your pain.....
I have always wanted a Triumph Stag and this one was a beaut. Little did I know how much she would test my resolve. In the first 3 months, I learned so much about her that had been hidden because she had obviously sat for a few years longer than the previous owner had let on and drove beautifully to begin with. Over the 700-odd miles up the country to home, I learned that the alternator would occasionally stop working, not to fill her up over three quarters of a tank of petrol or else I would lose a fair bit out the cap because it didn't seal, the gearbox Overdrive unit leaked onto the exhausts, the speedometer cable was not retained properly and was also sitting on the exhaust, the clutch return spring became weak and I had to hold the pedal up with my left foot so it didn't constantly put a small amount of pressure on the plate, the windscreen washers didn't work.....and by the time I had driven the full distance, the suspension had freed up again and I was able to tell that the shocks were shot. I sorted these fairly quickly, but it seemed that every time I fixed one thing (or replaced a tired seal, broken lens, or other cosmetic improvement), something else would break or stop working.
I was out on a drive in June of 2019 a week after her being in the shop for 6 weeks with her latest list of needs - getting the exhaust replaced, the carb reconditioned, the valley gasket replaced and repairs to the clutch slave and mount after a mishap with a LARGE pothole - and I had the top down, cruising along on a sunny winter's day with that famed burble in my ears......put my foot on the brake to slow for a corner - and it went straight to the floor. I nursed the car home on the handbrake and parked it in the garage.......where she sat for 21 months because I was so annoyed with her. I got her master cylinder sleeved with stainless in October 2021, bled the brakes and she was away again.
However, she then decided it was time to destroy (and I MEAN destroy) the drag strut bushes, so I did them and all the hardware that goes with it. She blew a headlight bulb, so I took the opportunity to upgrade the headlight lenses to Hella units and replace all headlight bulbs, and a dead courtesy lamp bulb on the T-bar inside. Replacing a headlight bulb involves taking the entire grille out (more or less) if it's high beam, so perfect timing. Then the OD started kicking in and out like the solenoid was playing up. Turned out to be a bad connection caused by a broken wire in the gearstick harness, so I replaced that. There were a couple more minor incidents, but they were fixed easy enough, but I also replaced the last of the body and hood seals I had been getting round to doing, thinking maybe she would be nice and lay off the repair demands for a while. It was not to be.....
Shortly after that and on a trip down country, she started developing a bad miss. From my troubleshooting at the destination, it pointed at the distributor's internals (which I know are getting tired) and lack of mechanical advance. However, not to be outdone, on the way home, I was 26km from where I had been staying with family and I was being flagged down by the driver behind me. I started to pull over and then the rear wheels just locked up and she slid off the road. The quill shaft housing on the front of the diff had broken away and the diff had rocked forward, tightening the handbrake cable over the trailing arms and causing the slide..........but she was on fire under there as well! The quill shaft housing coming off had allowed the diff to dump hot diff oil on the hotter exhaust and it had spontaneously combusted. Sooooooo glad I have an extinguisher! So, car cannot be driven and I am in the middle of nowhere. Called the AA and got her brought back home and over to my mechanic's yard. He's looking to retire on what I have been spending on this car.....but I digress.
Turns out that the retaining nut on the front of the pinion shaft came off, destroyed the splines and seal on the pinion shaft, destroyed the mating coupling to the quill shaft housing and the splines on the quill shaft itself, then jammed them all, destroying the housing as well. Good news was that the crown wheel, planetary and spider gears were all fine as no detritus got in there, but all seals and front bearings were destroyed. So.....nearly $3k (in my currency) later (about 1500 pounds sterling) and I have had enough and am calling it quits. Yes, I love the Stag, but the reality of owning my dream car has been a nightmare. Somebody else can take it from here.....although I have nearly replaced every damn thing except the engine and gearbox now!
When I said I feel your pain, I meant it! Enough is enough though and there has to be a line drawn somewhere when a car is costing you more in frustration than you are getting back in therapeutic drives in the countryside. When she comes back from the shop, she's going down the road. I am not going to tot up exactly how much she has cost me in the past 5 years in new parts, time and the occasional trip to the mechanic when I cannot do the job myself, but with the bills I remember off the top of my head, it would be well north of $15k (7.5k GBP) - a pittance compared to the Influenzo, but by the same token, Stacey is not worth the amount the Influenzo is, so on scale it is comparatively similar. I have definitely spent more on her than I paid for her 5 years ago and I think enough is enough. I will still have a 79 Triumph 2500S (on of the last ever assembled here in NZ) and a 77 Mini that has been somewhat customised and modified, so they are enough to handle between them, I think!
Good luck though, Jack and all the best. I mean it, mate!
Jack, have you considered putting the oiled up plugs in an ultrasonic tank? Works well on everything else.
"Back in the day" of my Alfa flat 4's with carburettors I had a spark plug cleaner. 12v motor and a bag of iron filings that would blast the spark plug electrode clean. It did work!
That's not a little bit of smoke. Out with the engine crane. Once you've accepted that you're doing it, it's probably not going to be too bad a job. I'm not a fan of guessing but terminally worn rings/bores I suspect. If you get lucky the bores will be good enough and it'll just be a set of rings and rod bearings.
Great to see your dad involved jack.
Happy to send you some from Canada !!!!!
You are awesome to watch, I don't even follow Ferraris but I watched the whole video
Its funny how we all like to feel we've impressed our fathers with the cars we buy and yet they remain pretty much indifferent. My Dad was the best killjoy of any car fun, yet I loved to show my latest car to him... on the way home I felt satisfied that he had been thoroughly indifferent to my latest toy. This confirmed to me that I have bought the right car while leaving me flat and fed up at the same time
It really is a miracle, that Liqui Moly... that I had a slight glimmer of hope that it could work! Italian here too, mangia mangia that looked good!
Great entertainment, makes me feel a little better I’m not the only one with similar issues 👍
So if the compression is ok, I would look upstream of the valve seat, valve head junction. All the plugs get fowled eventually, minor differences intake air distribution at first, but in time they all get coated. Bad air, bad smog pump, bad crankcase venting, bad pvc valve, bad carb float bowl levels, bad rubber valve seals, wrong tolerance on valve guides, contaminated fuel? Sorry, too long a list.
When you had the Ferrari guy balance the carbs a year ago, he seemed to set the idle super rich. He even said that was normal with these cars. That was able to get every cylinder to idle, but I am not surprised to see that your plugs reflect rich running.
Nice 60 mile 'Italian Tune Up' there😁😁. Thanks for keeping us entertained.
You could use a bore scope to see how the cylinders look eh. If the bores look good, especially #6, try the trick mentioned below. Drain out that fresh oil and store it. Fill all cylinders with ATF through the plug holes and leave it in there for a few days, topping up as needed. Let everything drain out via the sump. After a few ways, stop adding ATF. Leave it overnight or a day until the fluid stops dripping out the drain plug, then with the plugs out just bump the starter to clear the cylinders. Put maybe a liter of your oil back in and let that flush the sump pan out. Refit the drain plug, refill your oil, add some fresh to level, and then see what you're looking at.
Hello,
here in Bulgaria the common practise is to fill the cylinders with gas for lamps. Also its good to rotate the crank after the gas is down in the sump and refill it again... It will take a good amount of time cause its a Vee engine but I think its the last hope for that rings :) BR
To add to the genuine Italian style you probably have to wear a very expensive silk suit and carry all your tools in a violin case at all times. Failing that, it becomes part of the foundations of a new build somewhere, or meets a loading shovel on a remote road somewhere? Excellent video Jack, we feel your pain on this.
Have you checked for a blocked engine breather? That could cause pressure in the crankcase and force oil past the rings. Happened on my sons mini when he connected the breather to a closed connection on the air box.
I have!!
@@Number27 time for a bore scope then?
If your Dad is impressed with the Infuenzo, you're onto a winner. It is withdoubt an engine out job, but it'll be great viewing.
The oil residue on only one side of the spark plug suggests oil entering the combustion chamber via the intake valve (bad valve seal). Oil getting past rings typically will be more universal in coating the plug.
Fab to see dad out n about, take care Jack, I’m sure you’ll nail in one day 👍🙏🏁😊
Worth a try Jack, and you're eliminating causes each time, you will get there, it's all about the little victories to keep you sane!
Nice to see your Dad, a very polite gentleman doing his damage limitation comments, more shouting & hand gestures next time please!
Zmax oil additive, worked miracles on a turbo pt cruiser I had. Breaks down the sludge but you leave it in for the duration of the oil life. It was endorsed by Carol Shelby back in the late 80s.
As has been said, the general rule of thumb with compression is that it all should be within 10% - that is, 10% of the compression specs for that engine and each cylinder should be within 10% of each other.
These days, engine flushes are a complete waste of time and money and can, in some cases, cause more problems or make the issue worse. Also, most modern oils already have cleaning agents in them and negate the need for a flush like you would have done 30 plus years ago (assuming the oil is changed at a sensible period of time).
A leak-down test may be handy to point out whether the rings or valves are leaking on cylinder No. 6, but doing anything other than rebuilding this engine now is a waste of time.
Ultimately, this is up to you, and please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think this is an engine for you to rebuild - one silly little mistake can prove to be incredibly costly (if it was an A series mini, that would be different). Get someone who knows what they are doing to work on it.
Matt Farah of ‘the smoking tire’ often speaks about a Ferrari expert named ‘Donnie’. There have been a few videos of Matt discussing his 328(?) with him. Worth a watch.
I have used BG ERP and gained 27% overall on compression on one vehicle, but that said, if the engine has anything more than coking around the piston rings, you need to fix the fault. The BG treatment transformed the vehicle I had.
Using 100% synthetic oil on that engine, considering its great detergent properties, removed a lot of carbon also from those piston rings, I'm pretty certain. Ideal oil would be a good mineral or semi-synthetic 15w50 or even 20w50. Those carbon deposits are crutial to mantain some compression on tired vintage engines.
Yep .The carb 70;s 308s have steel liners and compatible rings to suit .Full synth is a killer .The gaps ( tolerances ) are massive by todays or indeed the 80 s QV Ferraris standards .I use “ classic “ mineral 15/40 every 3 K change on my 3*8 carb GT 4 .Also mentioned by many with carbs you get oil dilution by the fuel , esp with choke or without when cold as the Stone Age cylinder tech hasn’t expanded to seal properly.Any how plenty of key board warriors singing about synthetic oils ……….It’s not there car .
interesting video, thanks, looking forward for updates
i have a similar issue with my toyota mr2 spyder, the 1zz engine is well known for stuck oil control rings. An engine flush won’t do it as it takes time to soak the caked carbon around the rings. i have been some what successful with ‘Marvel mystery oil’ where you would add around 500ml to the oil, run the car normally for around 1k miles or even more, slowly it would dissolve the carbon around the rings, the holes behind the rings which allows the oil to flow back into the sump are also likely clogged.
Marvel Mystery Oil worked a treat unblocking a sticky hydraulic lifter in my Lotus Elan engine...so second giving it a try as all other oil treatments had failed.
I could NOT tell from the video if the smoke was black or blue. If blue, it is oil, but if black it is fuel mixture, if so can you access an emissions tester that can monitor while driving? One thought for cylinder 6. is pull all the plugs, disable fuel supply and ignition, check compression, then pour a tablespoon of oil into the spark-plug hole, crank engine for a few seconds then check compression, if still low, then it is a valve problem, if it raises to full, then it is rings. If rings, one possible fix might be to pour maybe a tablespoon of the Liqui-Moly into cyl. 6 and crank for a minuet or so, then repeat.
If it wasn't for the Influenzo's misbehavior, Jack wouldn't have much material for videos. How interesting can you make footage of a machine behaving perfectly? The mysteries and bug hunts are what make most maintenance/motoring channels.
I haven't bothered to check, but I think there are a lot of 308 engine rebuilds documented on UA-cam. Probably worth watching for research.
Can't disagree with any of that!
I had an old Porsche in for test a couple of weeks back, failed with a similar complaint. We did the STP treatment, 6 runs of 30 minutes over 2 days. Significant reduction in emissions and no visible smoke. We gave it a dose of the leave in Seafoam and off went a happy chap. Could be worth trying if the engine isn't stripped down.
I admire your optimism, but that flush was never going to save a rebuild - I hope it goes well though, could be a great opportunity for some tasteful improvements.
I swear that car design just does not get old!! Every single time I see it, it just takes my breath away!!
I know it’s a problem child but damn it if it’s not just the best looking design out there! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
It is very pretty!! And good job too.. otherwise I’d have burned it by now! 😁
@@Number27 lol or at least grab a big hammer and go to town on the engine!!
First, I like your Intro Style, which does not spoil too much but makes you curious. Like!
Second, this kind of content is, what I want to see on your channel... Like!
Last (but not least!) - the star of this episode is your dad! I like the idea of dad and son driving in the ferrari. Also he seems to be so polite. Family is so important... L-I-K-E!
Keep on going, crazy brit 🙂this type of content is really appreciated!
Engine Oil System flushes. Been rescuing other frustrated folks car cast offs for over half a century. Fords, Opels, Renaults, Vauxhalls, Minis, Citroens, Fiats you name it. I like a challenge where others have given up. During the past two decades plus have mainly concentrated on my favourite Rovers and MGs. Oh and one Peugeot non-runner too.
Ages ago, a professional mechanic told me he used Diesel FUEL for flushing old Petrol engines showing poor Oil Change maintenance programmes in previous ownership. He'd drop the old oil hot and fill the sump with DIESEL FUEL to the correct level on the Dip Stick. Then run the engine for about half and hour varying the idle level to ensure the Diesel Fuel reaches all the engine's internals.
Twenty years ago I bought an inexpensive Rover Montego GTi off a work colleague who had given up on the over heating car. He needed a spacious fairly fast four door saloon for his work travel which included visits to the EU mainland. He told me "It can be cruised all day long at three figures on the roads over there". Would not do that now. Been professionally advised the "Its a Rover ~ They all do that" so if it is over heating, the Head Gasket has "failed". Well known fact apparently. They rarely fail on any car. Invariably they are first damaged then no longer able to do the job they are designed to do. Prime cause of that damage is coolant loss leading to over heating engine. In any car. Causes of coolant loss leading to excessive heat are very many .. In my strictly amateur problem investigator experience, prime cause of coolant loss in many cars is simply a worn out Water Pump. Filling the cooling system with pain water, it took me a simple drive to get that engine up to operating temperature and the increased expanding Coolant pressure forced coolant out of the worn pump. A new Water Pump cost £12,50p. A doddle to fit on the O-Series engine. My colleague needed a fairly fast spacious car and that O-Series engine Rover Montego GTi, merely a renamed MG Montego 2.0L Efi whe thne group were "Roverised" about 88-89Poor throttle response and almost certainly poor fuel consumption. Did not accelerate like a health O Series car should do.. So cooling issues sorted, I had looked at the condition of the Oil on the dipstick and it looked very black and iffy. With that oil on cold engine start up it sounded like an old high mileage Ford Diesel. Clacketty-clack-clack-clack. So dropped that oil, very old oil HOT and filled the engine with Diesel Fuel. Diesel fuel has / had cleansing agents as Oil Burners run filthier than Petrols. Those work. Nothing much to lose, took the GTi for a few miles to really get that Diesel Fuel/its oil ... to do its stuff inside the lightly stressed engine. Draining that Diesel Fuel hot showed it had done its work. It was black when compared alongside the clear golden stuff I poured into the engine. I allowed the engine to drain as much of the Diesel Fuel Flush as possible by leaving it to drain overnight.
Next morning, replaced the Sump/Oil Pan Plug and used the manufacturer recommended 10-40 Semi-synthetic for the refill. What a transformation! That noisy Cam Follower ( tappets ) Clatter had gone soon after cold engine start up. Soon settled down to a nice to hear soft rustle typical of a healthy O-Series. Better still throttle response far better, could get up to maximum engine speed very quickly in lower gears and probably top gears on roads where three figure cruising is permitted. I used that fine car as a daily driver work horse for over a year. The fuel economy was good not driven for economy.
I suspect the cleansing properties of Diesel Fuel is able to search out and flush away that old oil black "varnish" found on Cam Followers, Valve Stems, Pistons, Piston Rings and other engine components slowing down the efficient running. Anyone stripping an engine not having had a good oil/filter change routine will know what I mean by Black Varnish. Have treated several more cars to the Diesel Fuel used as engine oil flush. One being an early MG Montego Turbo and another an MG ZT 1.8T which transformed their performance from just about every aspect.
PLEASE NOTE :~ No way am I recommending this treatment, only that it has worked every time for me sometimes with very impressive results.
Time for a rebuild I'm thinking. Thanks for posting. No such thing as a budget Ferrari
Really terrible those items fail every 1000 miles with the spark plugs, is there an aftermarket made of better material that lasts?! Nice video. Keep up the good work.
Jack,
looks like you might have installed chinesium valve stem seals. Possibly they are so bad that they not only cause the smoke on startup, but also smoke on normal running.
Possibly you also have a crankcase breathing issue. If the crankcase is subject to pressure, oil can be pushed past the valve stem seals.
Symptoms include pressure coming up the dipstick and smoke during engine braking. Both easy to check.
Next time you change the plugs, try a grade or two hotter, that will help stop them fouling in the presence of excess oil. The smoke you showed on hard acceleration was more excess fuel smoke, showing a carburetor jet issue. With the compressions in all but one cylinder good values and even the engine can't be in too bad shape and that one cylinder down, (#6, was it ?), could be just a valve. I'd think maybe just a cylinder hone and new ring set, assuming bore sizes within spec. Trust your Dad, he's old and wise!
They are already 6s… two grades lower!
It is imperative to blip the throttle on the flush cycle every minute and keep the idle at 1500 RPM! This then has the best chance of clearing the ring lands of detritus and varnish! Your compression test shows the ring seal is good! You could have a blocked drain back hole I one or more of the ring lands. You need to check all plugs and also get a inspection camera to check each cylinder! Aldi had them in for £40.
The thing is though. The build up in ring lands ends up compacted. And the only real way to remove it is to remove heads and sump! Remove each rod n piston set one by one! Clean and put new oil rings in at the least! Also plastigauge the crank journals on the big ends and mains! And replace bearings if needed. Theirs a lot of companies that specialises in quality aftermarket parts cheaper and better quality than Ferrari! As at the end of these cars! Although exotic beautiful and soulful. There is a history of bad building and design elements in all their cars. Not just from that era! But modern cars also!!
Me personally! I’d sell it and buy a Lamborghini Uraco! Or if possible a beautiful Maserati Bora!!! Both better built bruits of that era!!
I do hope you get it fixed bud! Just for your peace of mind if anything!! As I can feel your pain watching you!!
Good luck!!!
I know I've said it before, but I would highly recommend ZX1 Extralube! It'll go into your oil and your fuel so helping from both sides. It certainly couldn't hurt if it didn't work. Nothing lost 🙂 great project! Well done!
Money lost you could put towards a real solution
@@hoonaticbloggs5402 money lost? He's trying to find a quick fix before forking out. I've had experience of this product having dramatic results in a fuel rail and gearbox. I say it's worth a try. Have you had any negative experience with this product?
@@stevenhunter5799
I have 25 years as a mechanic. If a compression test is showing one cylinder down and the motor is smoking, no amount of snake oil avoids the inevitable rebuild. But no no negative experience with that product in particular.
@@hoonaticbloggs5402 Money that probably wouldn't cover just one mislaid engine part - say an oil drain bung. How much is a piece of Ferrari water hose? Definitely try all long shots before hoiking the engine out! It's not a given that there's something wrong with the bottom end of this engine.
@@ChristianRThomas "Money that probably wouldn't cover just one mislaid engine part "
If your expectation is to lose engine parts when you take an engine out then you probably shouldn't be giving advice on how to fix engines!
Engine flushes and oil additives are just ways to generate revenue from gullible punters. If these things worked the oil companies would include those chemicals in the oils they sell. Motor oils are already full of detergents and all the additivies you need. If an additive could actually solve a mechanical problem then cars would never be scrapped.
Your right about the plugs. you have too replace them.
I caught the start of the TV programme magnum Pi the other day and at the part where he wheels pins off the grass his is blowing smoke too! Maybe " they all do that sir" 😄
Marvell Mystery Oil, you can run up to 20% of the crank case oil volume, but I'd run it for a while the rings might recover at least 6000 miles, best way to get rings to seal is to accelerate up high rpm in a fixed gear like 3rd gear or second gear, then let it decelerate all the way down, then back up again, down again many time. You want to keep your rpms up all the time other wise the plug will foul quicker, less idling and low rpms.
It occurs to me (from memory) that the carbs were misbehaving when you first had the car. Any cylinders running too rich for a long period of time might have gummed rings, or worn bore and rings from loss of the oil film. Or even a broken oil ring or two.
No harm in trying the latest medicinal compound, but some of us out here are itching to see whether it needs honing + new rings, or the full works :-)
No such thing as gummed rings, it's folklore, they either snap or wear.
Please, just pull the engine.
In my experience engine flushes just loosen up crap which increases the chance of something breaking loose & killing your crank.
At the moment you'd probably get away with rings & a hone.
Love ya, Jack. Still watching!
Thanks dude!
Nice vid Jack. Your dad is good at being diplomatic. 😄