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Gasket replacement for an old Ferrari V12 engine

Name: Ferrari 250 GT/E 1964
Brand: Ferrari

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Created on August 31, 2003

Text:

Roger Gloor

Photos:

Roger Gloor

Der Motor liegt offen da - Ferrari 250 GT:E 1963

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Dichtungen am Stirnraddeckel - Ferrari 250 GT:E 1963

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Die Dichtungen werden entfernt - Ferrari 250 GT:E 1963

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Neu abgedichteter Motor beim Einbauen - Ferrari 250 GT:E 1963

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Summary

Old cars often leak oil. This can lead to difficulties during periodic inspections or at the MOT. Often, the only solution is to completely reseal the engine. This is shown here using the example of a Ferrari V12 engine from a 250 GT/E.

This article contains the following chapters

Failed
A major procedure
A real game of patience
Afterwards the reglage

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Let's imagine the following situation: The classic car engine is running perfectly, but it is "sweating" - in other words, beads of sweat in the form of oil droplets are pushing through the seals when the engine is running.When the old seals on the block of a classic car engine let oil droplets through while driving, this is called sweating in technical jargon. And this is usually not accepted by strict motor vehicle experts at the vehicle inspection or TÜV appointment. Even if not even the tiniest droplet of oil comes off the engine when it is not running. What the elimination of sweating means is explained below using the example of a specific and extremely typical case. It concerned the engine of a Ferrari 250 GT/E from 1963, a magnificent V12 with one overhead camshaft per cylinder bank and 240 hp output from 2953 cm3.The owner had received the order for the technical inspection. Well aware that this collector's item from family ownership was rarely driven but always well maintained, the owner handed the vehicle over to his garage owner and specialist for the official inspection. This shrewd connoisseur of the subject - both as far as the Ferrari brand and the cantonal inspection officials were concerned - noticed that the 250 GT/E in question was not leaking any oil, but tended to sweat due to the advanced age of its seals.At a secluded spot just a few hundred meters away from the cantonal motor vehicle inspection, the specialist did what his particularly qualified colleagues sometimes do in similar cases: he stopped, opened the hood, thoroughly wiped the sealing joints again and soon reported back on time for the inspection appointment.The motor vehicle expert seemed to take a keen interest in the rather rare test specimen. After he was unable to identify any defects, he wanted to take this collector's car for a spin after all. And lo and behold, after giving the V12 a good spurring, there were clear traces of sweat.The verdict: "Test failed." For the owner, this meant a considerable amount of work to reseal the entire engine.

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