We started off with the F355. There was one in the shop for a major service. The F355 is an "engine out" car, which means that a major service involves removing the engine. What's cool is that on this car, the entire drivetrain (engine, transmission, rear suspension, etc) is mounted on a cradle that is removed as a single unit. To remove it, you drain the coolant, disconnect all the wiring connectors and hoses, unbolt the cradle the lift the car up.
Seeing the drivetrain cradle on a dolly is a pretty impressive sight. It was sitting a comfortable working height and you could wheel the thing around. Here the techs have replaced the belts and tensioners and the engine is set up with a degree wheel and dial indicators for final adjustment of the cams. The techs in this shop are required to be within 1 degree of the factory spec. After this is done and the motor buttoned back up, it'll go back in the car and have the 8 throttle bodies synchronized.
Next we moved on to a 360 Modena in the shop for the same major service. In the case of the 360, the engine does not have to be removed to do the work. Instead, they remove a bunch of stuff from the engine bay and pull the seats out of the interior and remove an access panel to get to the front of the engine. Nice to not have to pull the engine, but it must be tough working in this position.
I'm sure you've heard people talk about the importance of changing your fluids. In cars equipped with an F-1 transmission, it's apparently critical to stick to the recommended fluid change schedule. Here are some fluid samples with new on the right and used on the left.
What about brake fluid? Brake fluid is hydrophilic, which means it absorbs water. That water then separates out in a milky goo. How do would you like to have that fluid on the left in your brake system?
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