The car has been running well over the past few week. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been as kind being wet regularly. However, recently there was a break in the weather that allowed me to go ‘top down’ for the duration. Now a Ferrari F355 Berlinetta is the model with a solid roof like so:
Having a solid roof makes the car stiffer since there are two connections (roof and floor) between the front steering and the power in the rear (engine). To the purists this makes the car much better for driving which is what Enzo Ferrari was all about. When looking for a vehicle I did try and find a Berlinetta, however they are hard to come by. Obviously owners love them (as you would expect). The next type of Ferrari F355 is the Spider (or convertible) like so:
Purists will claim that removing the roof makes the car more likely to warp thus affecting performance and handling. To compensate for this, manufactures add more strengthening elements in the floor. Along with the mechanics for the folding roof, this adds additional weight and weight is the major component that reduces performance. Even though a Spider does allow you to enjoy millions of free cubic metres sky when you are driving I do feel the car isn’t as pretty as the other models. Someone once describe the convertible Ferrari F355 to me a bit like a flat bed truck in appearance. Not nice, but there is a certain element of truth there. The other issue with any convertible (reinforced to me after a drive day) is that over time the roof starts to leak. As the fabric and mechanics of the roof age the sealing ability tends to suffer. So while the sun shines, convertibles are great, but when it rains? Not so much. Maybe this is why most Ferrari F355s for sale are convertibles. Coincidence? I think not. Finally there is the Ferrari F335 GTS which has a detachable roof like so:
The detachable roof is a single component that unclips and can then be placed behind the seats.
As you can see in the above image (of Top Gear UK’s Jeremy Clarkson with his Ferrari F355) the detachable roof is not really something you can quickly put up and down. It is much heavier and more cumbersome than it looks. To stow it easily you really need two people and somewhere that you can have both doors wide open, however the locating the roof behind the seats is quite simple to position. Interestingly, I couldn’t find any images on the Internet that shows the roof operation and stowing in more detail, so I’ll add that to the list of shots for next time. So the Ferrari F355 GTS is probably the best compromise between the Berlinetta and the Spider. It doesn’t provide the stiffness of the Berlinetta but it does provide access to the million cubic metres of sky when the weather is good. Driving without the roof is a very different experience I will admit. Firstly, you seem to be looking over the windscreen (even though your aren’t) but it certainly does have the feel of being a convertible. The best part is that you get to experience more of the glorious sound of the engine as it growls along. That said, it is still possible to have a conversation with the passenger with out shouting. Once you drive with the top down on a nice day you begin to understand why people prefer convertibles. However, if it starts raining along the way then you’ll realise why they may not be such a good idea. Ying and yang and all that. Even though I initially wanted a Berlinetta for the ‘pure’ driving experience I am glad that I instead went the GTS route, for there is simply nothing like driving a car like this with the wind in your hair, the growl of the engine in your ears and the unrestricted vistas. It is pure magic.
As promised in a previous post, here’s some pictures of the actual starter motor in the vehicle up close.
This is the view looking into the engine bay from the top. The black lead going to the housing of the starter motor is from the positive terminal on the rear right of the car.
This is the view looking from underneath the car. That fixture from the body shown above appears to be an earth wire as it seems to merely bolt to the frame between the barrels.
I also found this nice video on the principles of the starting motor put out by the US Department of Defence in 1957.
So it is probably the time to start understanding more about the make up of the Ferrari F355 in greater detail, so to me the most logical place to start is with the starter motor. Interestingly, this has proved to be far more challenging than I expected. A look through the workshop manual only displays the engine from the left hand side like so: The starter motor is actually on the right hand side towards the back which I have highlighted below: As you can see you don’t get a very good idea of what it looks like. I then tried to do a search for ‘Ferrari 355 engine’ but again seemed to come up short with anything that provided a good idea of what the starter motor actually looks like.
This is the best that I could come up with and have circled the starter motor for you. Next stop was to see what the individual part itself looks like. That was easy enough as you can see below.
A search on the Ricambi site pulled up the schematic and the part number (155166) which is item 26 below. So the large nut on the housing connects directly to the positive terminal on the top right hand of the engine bay. Will have to check that out next time I’m in there. Now, I appreciate that a starter motor starts the car but how does it actually do that? A bit more searching turned up this really cool video that explains it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx3xniNw7XM So the starter motor must sit near the flywheel. Returning to the workshop manual I found this diagram in the Clutch – Gearbox section. So here you can see (highlighted) the rear of the housing into which the starter motor fits and the teeth in the flywheel that it connects to. The only other useful diagram I found was the gearbox longitudinal section shown above. In it you can see the outline of the starter motor (highlighted). So now I know where to look next time I’m in the engine bay and I’ll get some shots and post them up as there doesn’t seem to be many around for the Ferrari F355. I am also much more knowledgeable about exactly how the starter motor functions (you just gotta love YouTube haven’t you?). Here’s another good video that explains more about starter motors in general.
Starters and Solenoids–Explanation of how they work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITFW2PkqXWw I get the impression that the Ferrari F355 starter motor is like the last one mentioned in the video. Finally, here’s a a great video that show you how to diagnose starter motor issues.
This review is part of a number of different drives available in and around Sydney. You can view and comment on them all at : http://www.lovethe355.com/355/drives
Length – 70.4 kms
Time – 70 mins (approx)
General Description
Start at Pennant Hills and head towards Dural. Continue along Cattai Ridge Road and then towards Windsor. Return along Windsor and then along the M2, finally back on Pennant Hills Road to Pennant Hills.
Positives
There is generally not a lot of traffic on the back roads out to Windsor. Cattai Ridge Road has some good bends and a generally good surface. In some places the speed limit is 80 kmph. The return trip along Windsor Road has a great surface, is wide and has a limit of 80 kmphs. Plenty of nice bush scenery and away from the city traffic out to Windsor. The return trip along Windsor Road and the M2 will generally allow you to stretch the performance of your vehicle.
Negatives
Part of road from Maraylya to Windsor has a below average surface but it isn’t an extensive stretch. The road through Dural and along Cattai Ridge Road is only a single lane and there are limited places to overtake if necessary. This means that you get held up behind a slower car for an extended period during some of the route.
A significant portion of the road through Dural and the first half of Cattai Ridge Road is 60 kmph.
There is currently a significant amount of road work being carried out along the M2 which could mean delays, poor road surface and reduced speeds while this is being completed. The M2 is also a toll road.
Fuel
There are places to fill up at Dural and along Windsor road if necessary
Cautions
– There are some tight bends along as it crosses Cattai Creek. The road also narrows here so ensure that travel is at the appropriate speed.
Feedback
if you have any feedback or suggestions about this trip please contact me via director@ciaops.com.
Part of the enjoyment of owning a vehicle is being able to drive it but not just on ordinary roads and in congested streets. If you enjoy your cars then you also enjoy taking it for a good drive. Somewhere that has good roads, straights, corners, great vistas and so on.
This can be a challenge in a major city like Sydney but what I thought I’d start doing is putting together a list of Great Drives of Sydney and posting them on www.lovethe355.com. I’d also initially detail them here on the blog but hopefully improve the information on each over time. I’d also love to see other drivers provide their feedback and suggestions, which I’ll add to the site over time.
Start at the beginning of the F3 at Wahroonga in Sydney’s north. Follow the freeway north until you cross the Hawkesbury River. Turn off the freeway and loop back towards Brooklyn taking the old Pacific Highway. Continue past Brooklyn along the old Pacific Highway south. Travel through Berowra and Cowan and re-join the freeway heading south just after Berowra. Continue back along the F3 south until you reach Wahroonga again.
Positives
Taking the freeway to start with allows a good warm up of the car as well travelling at the maximum speed limit currently in the state (110 kph). The return trip via the Pacific Highway is generally done on a two lane stretch of road which helps negotiate cyclist or slower vehicles if encountered. The road from Brooklyn back to the old F3 tollgates has some nice bends and is generally free of major traffic and has a limit of 80 kph most of the way.
Negatives
The recommended travel route is along the old Pacific Highway is from Brooklyn to Berowra (i.e north to south) rather than the reserve. The reason for this is to avoid cyclists who generally travel south to north (i.e. towards Brooklyn). However, beware of cyclists, especially in the singly lane sections of road.
The travel through the built up area of Berowra is limited 60 kphs, however increases to 80 kphs just before the turn off back to freeway.
Fuel
The only place to refuel is at Berowra just before returning to the freeway. The service stations are on the other side (western side) of the road so you will need to cross over and cross back if needed. These service stations are usually not generally as busy as what you normally find so make a good place to stop.
2. Apart from service station fair there are also a number of shops on the other side (western) side of the road as you enter Berowra. There is a parking station on the south bound (eastern) side that you could use.
Cautions
– The Pacific Highway is used frequently by large groups of cyclists, which may be travelling in groups at times.
– The commencement and end of the F3 at Wahroonga is 80 kph. Keep to these limits as police speed enforcement in the area is high in both directions. This means don’t accelerate to 110 kph until you see the signs north bound, and south bound ensure you reduce speed to 80 kph when you see the signs.
– From the Brooklyn turn off north bound to the start of the dual carriage way on the old Pacific Highway is 60 kph.
– A regular speed enforcement zone is just as you approach the old toll gates on the F3 on the old Pacific Highway heading south.
– The speed limit decreases from 80 kph to 60 kph through Cowan on the old Pacific Highway.
– The speed limit through Berowra decreases from 80 kph to 60 kph on the old Pacific Highway.
Being that time of the year it is probably worthwhile taking a few moments to have a think about what being an owner has meant.
The overall comment one could make would be that it is the ‘little’ things that you never really find out until afterwards. Probably the first of these relates to comprehensive insurance, which as it turns out can have some rather specific constraints (such as requiring an on-premise lock up garage) prior to obtaining discounted rates. So check ALL the conditions and limitation you may face.
The majority of time (and stress) was over the various issues with the thermocouple, which in the end turned out due to a number of factors including some new parts as well as securing the unit correctly in the vehicle (which it wasn’t on purchase). This however provided the benefit of being far more familiar with the car’s make up.
To round off the top three ‘episodes’ of the year the award goes to the simple challenges of refuelling which no doubt proved the most entertaining for those watching from the sidelines. Just remember boys and girls, the doors on a F355 are much wider than ‘normal’ cars. Again, simple things.
The lessons that you should take away from owning a vehicle like this is that firstly, it is not a new car. In fact it is almost 20 years old! Next, just like with any other vehicle there are good mechanics and there are mediocre ones and you should really ensure you find a good one before you proceed down the path of ownership.
The biggest lesson however is that a car like this is ‘different’ from ordinary cars of today in many ways. That has its positives and negatives, and importantly that is something that you need to be happy to live with because you’ll have to ride through the challenges, and there will be challenges. However, at the end of the day like anything worthwhile in life, any negatives are vastly outweighed by the enjoyment IF you do it for the right reasons.
One of the last jobs needed to be performed on the car for this year was to give it a good wash. Once again, what seems like a simple tasks turns out to be rather complex with a car like this.
The reason why is where the car is garaged there is no wash bay. The next most convenient location for it to be washed has an impassable entrance for the car, given how low it is. Consideration has been made of taking it to a commercial establishment but none of these as yet has garnered confidence in their ability to take ‘special care’ (a phobia no doubt). Therefore, the car needs to go on short trip where it can be cleaned.
The actual cleaning of the car takes a little longer it seems than a normal car given all the ducts and the engine cover. Doing it panel by panel also takes slightly longer as well. Interestingly, there is video on YouTube:
Where you see a 355 being cleaned with a high pressure spray, including INSIDE the engine bay. Don’t know as yet whether I’d be confident to attempt this but it certainly would speed up the cleaning process. Something to think about anyway.
As luck would have it, just as the cleaning was complete it started to rain. Damm. Luckily it continued to rain lightly until the car was returned where it could be wiped down one last time under cover, which wasn’t too bad after all.
Hopefully that is the last major task for the year. It has been serviced, insured, registered, reshod, and finally cleaned inside and out. It has now been tucked in and put to bed for the rest of week like the good little car it is.
Let me set the scene for todays petrol station performance. Headed out for a freeway blast with the tank just about a quarter full. Would be nice to take the opportunity to fill the car up I figured. Pulled into the usual location (where I had my last bowser performance) only to discover that there was no high octane (unleaded 98), available. Damm. Decided to simply continue on and fill up at a different location on the way back. Car performed flawlessly down the freeway and back along the old freeway. Here’s a thought. Why not fill up at a location away from the main road, things should be quieter, no? So before returning to the freeway for the last part of the return trip I pulled over into a petrol station on the old freeway which didn’t seem too busy. I found a bowser on the right hand side so I wouldn’t have to go through the stretching exercise I did last time. I popped the fuel cap and turned the car off to fill up. Hmmm…that’s not good I thought as I tried to remove the fuel cap. I couldn’t budge it. What the hell?
The fuel cap is actually metallic and has rather a long thread on in when compared to other cars. I heaved and hoed but still the cap wouldn’t come loose. As you can see from the above image the cap has a number of indentations around it that ‘should’ make it easy to twist. Problem is, the cap is stainless steel which is rather slippery. So I tried using a cloth to improve grip, no go. I tried two hands, no go. It wouldn’t budge. The other problem was the cap is recessed into the body and has the release mechanism on one side of this recess and the hings for the cover on the other. This meant that my big fat hand with short stocky fingers was not REALLY the best tool for the job (let along the rest of what the hand was attached to it would seem!). After some more heaving and hoeing, I began to think that maybe it would be better if the car cooled down. Perhaps there was some sort of vacuum happening that was holding the cap tight? Maybe I’d have to just continue back and try and remove the cap in the privacy of my own garage rather than putting on another show of Ferrari owner’s incompetence in public. More heaving and hoeing, which also lead to plenty of grazed knuckles and cut fingers as my hand kept slipping around the cap and of course running into the other sharp objects in the vicinity. Ok, maybe it’s not me. Maybe my hands are too greasy? I therefore waited until someone nearby was heading back to the shop and asked whether they could assist. They heaved and hoed as well but to no avail. I thanked them and felt relieved that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t seem to have any strength this morning. The best chance I was going to have to budge the cap was to use two hands. I took hold, braced myself against the car and the ground and twisted with all my might. I must have looked a right ninny, BUT the cap started to move. One more intense twist and the cap came free. Phew. As I filled up I pondered why this had happened. I’m sure I didn’t screw the cap on THAT tight last time I filled up. I’m also pretty sure that the recent service on the car wouldn’t have caused this. Hmm..interesting. All I can put it down to is me tightening the cap too much and with the car being hotter than previous fill ups (being at the end rather than the beginning of the run). With the car refuelled I screwed the cap back on lightly and just finger tightened it. Doing it that way kinda makes sense as the whole recess area for the fuel really isn’t designed for putting your whole hand in there. Seems to be a message in that eh? Off to the register I went, with my performance complete, to make payment and accept my silent ridicule. Luckily, most people have more important things to worry about at this time of the year but I at least hope I could give someone a chuckle. On the return leg it was time to dwell on the more positive aspect of the incident (what there was of it). At least it happened in a location off the main road and not at one of the normal ‘mega’ service stations that I was planning to refuel at. You gotta look at these things as a glass half full don’t you? Otherwise you’d never go for a drive again!
The car had it usual run up the freeway and back. No issues to report. The new tyres greatly improved the ride and service has made a major improvement to the performance of the vehicle. It just seems to go so much better now. Plenty of power and noise when given the boot which indicates that the exhaust by pass valve is working. Yeah. It just so much nicer when everything is working and way it should be. Ahhhh…. bliss.
The next item on the agenda is to give the leather work on the inside a good clean and wax. What has been recommended for this is Oakwood Automotive Leather Protection pack and of course plenty of elbow grease. The whole interior is going to take a few weeks to complete. Luckily the holiday season is fast approaching eh?
Love the F355 