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How to change the oil in a Ferrari 458

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Ferrari 458 Oil Change Kit – 458OCK – https://bit.ly/2WhavRl
Pennzoil 5w-40 Euro Platinum – https://amzn.to/2YCnHRV
Launch X-431 PROS Mini – https://amzn.to/2Qe26fD

Now that the Ferrari 458 is getting a little older, many of them are no longer eligible for the factory maintenance program which means you can either take the car to the dealership (or an independent shop) and pay a lot ($400-500!) or you can DIY the oil change.

Fortunately with a little patience, changing the oil in the Ferrari 458 is pretty simple. The most difficult part is simply removing the under tray panel. There are over 20 10mm bolts holding the under tray on, and a few 4mm hex heads holding the diffuser on as well. Both will need to be removed.

Once the panels are removed, you simply unbolt the 2 sump pan drain plugs using a hex head. Drain the oil into a catch can. Replace the drain plugs using a new crush washer and torque to 60nm or 45ft-lbs.

Remove the drain plug on the oil sump tank using a 22mm socket. Drain the oil into a catch can and replace the plug with a new crush washer. Torque to 60nm or 45ft-lbs.

Remove the oil filter canister from the top of the engine using a 32mm socket. Replace the oil filter cartridge and the o-ring. Reinstall and torque to 25nm or 18ft-lbs.

Using the Launch X-431 PROS Mini or another computer that has the correct functionality, connect to the OBD-II port and reset the oil service life indicator.

Add about 9 quarts of Pennzoil 5w-40 oil, then start the engine and let the oil warm up to at least 160F. Once at temperature, check the oil level while the engine is running and add oil as necessary. The system should hold 10 quarts. DO NOT OVERFILL.

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Project Car Ferrari 348 | ROAD TRIP across the USA to pick it up

Tim found an 1992 Ferrari 348 TS in excellent condition for a really good price. Only one problem, it needs the engine out major service.

So he bought it in Knoxville, Tennessee and we decided to drive up there and trailer it home using Adam’s huge Ford F-350 and car hauler. We ended up driving over 1000 miles to go get it.

The engine out service will be done once we get it back home to Austin. We will drop the engine and transmission, then disassemble most of the motor and replace the timing belts, tensioners, gaskets, water pump, and many other parts.

That will be an upcoming series of videos so stay tuned.

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Ferrari F430 VS 458

Before my F430 sells, I wanted to take the opportunity to drive the F430 and immediately drive the 458 to see just how much different and the same they are.

While the F430 is a remarkable and very capable car, it does have some older technology such as the F1 transmission that can make it a bit lurchy at slow speeds, and the shifting is very violent. But it’s performance it outstanding and it is one hell of a car. You can find them currently below $100K easily making it perhaps the best deal on the used supercar market.

The 458 Italia is just in an entirely new class. It’s performance is simply outstanding, the shifting is lightning fast and it does not disappoint in any way. The big question is, is the 458 worth the 50% more in cost over the F430? I answer that question along with some others in this video.

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How to replace the VALVE COVER GASKETS on a Ferrari F430

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Right Hand Valve Cover Gasket – 198927: https://bit.ly/2HQ2rDF
Left Hand Valve Cover Gasket – 198928: https://bit.ly/2HUGiEi
Spark Plug Gaskets – 223982: https://bit.ly/2HRnNR4

The valve cover gaskets on the Ferrari F430 are prone to having some leaking after a while. You can try to tighten down the valve cover bolts and sometimes that will solve the problem, but frequently the gaskets simply need to be replaced.

Replacing the gaskets requires removing the valve covers. To remove the valve covers you have to disconnect the wiring harness, pull the ignition coils, disconnect the cam position sensors, and disconnect the valve timing actuators. Once all these components are out of the way, you can remove the valve cover bolts and pop off the valve cover.

I was not able to fully remove the valve cover so I pulled off the old gasket and installed the new gasket while the valve cover was still in the engine compartment. I also replaced the ignition coil gaskets while I was in there.

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Ferrari Sunday Funday – Screwing around with Ferrari Friends

We rallied the troops and decided to show up at the Pistons at the Park (https://www.pistonsatthepark.com) car show at Austin’s Park N’ Pizza. Loeper, Richard, Scot, Jeremy, and Stu all came out. We had 3 Ferrari 458’s, 1 360 Spider, 1 355 Spider, and Scot’s incredible Beetle.

At the show we meet up with some of the guys from Elite and then head out to the Supercars ATX brunch hosted by Lamborghini of Austin. All in all, it made for a perfect Sunday of messing around and doing car stuff in the Ferraris.

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Loeper bought new wheels for the Ferrari 458 and his wife HATES THEM!

Loeper is all butthurt because “everyone keeps buying 458s” and so he thinks he needs to step up his A-game. In light of this, he decided to drop some serious coin on some new custom HRE wheels.

Josh arrived at Loeper’s house before me and was already half way done by the time I arrived, but we ended up putting on the new wheels, the taking his 458 out for a spin to make sure the new wheels and tires do not rub the fenders.

After the test drive, Chris’s wife came out to see the wheels and proclaimed that she indeed, does not like them. It broke Loeper’s heart.

After the wheels, we install some more carbon fiber parts, the high pressure fuel pump caps.

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The Police Get Involved! Ferrari 458 Poker Run Rally to South Padre | Part 2

We pick up from where we left the Poker Run Rally to South Padre Part 1: https://youtu.be/JPWIdRS5CJQ

Now we hit some high speeds (in Mexico of course) and really get to stretch our legs. Triple digit speeds may or may not have happened.

After some exciting stretches of perfectly flat and straight roads we meet up and get a police escort across the bridge to South Padre Island. There we had security look over the cars while we got to party! I’m pretty sure just about everyone got drunk and had fun!

A HUGE thanks to Lion Gate Racing for organizing such an awesome event. I am definitely going to your next one. Can’t wait!

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First Poker Run Rally in the Ferrari 458 to SOUTH PADRE! Part 1

I join up with Lion Gate Racing for the Poker Run Rally to South Padre! We had about 30 car in the rally and it was an absolute blast!

First I drove down to San Antonio to pick up Adam from Porsche of San Antonio. We then head all the way to McAllen, Texas right by the Mexico border. Once there, we met up with the other rally participants and got to check out their awesome rides. Lots of Corvettes, Mustangs, and a few other exotics like a McLaren and Aston Martin.

The next day we head out on the rally and the shenanigans begin!

Lion Gate Racing’s Facebook Page

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Installing an Escort Max 360ci Radar Detector and Laser Jammer on my Ferrari 458

The Ferrari 458 needed some sort of Radar Detector, especially since I would like to avoid getting speeding tickets and plan to participate in quite a few rallies and road trips this year. So I purchased an Escort Max 360ci Radar Detector, Laser Receiver and Shifter (Jammer).

For some reason Escort doesn’t want people installing these units themselves which I find silly. I of course, rejected that and decided to install the unit myself. Installation of the front portion of the setup took about 5 hours and wasn’t too difficult.

Now the Ferrari 458 has some protection against radar and laser speed measuring devices. I’ve only had it on the car a little while and can already tell you this is by far the best option I’ve seen in person. I would highly recommend you consider something like this if you’re planning on driving “spirited”.

Laws vary dramatically between states and certainly between countries, so you need to look up what is allowed in your locale.

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Ferrari 458 BlackVue 900S 2CH Front and Rear Dashcam Installation

BlackVue sent me a new 900S-2CH Dashcam and B-124 Battery for my Ferrari 458 Italia. I am a strong believer in dash cams for your own protection.

USE THE CODE ngs10 ON BlackVue’s website to get 10% OFF!!

I have BlackVue Dash Cameras in all of my cars as they have proven to be very valuable when something happens. Whether it’s vandalism, an accident, or even just something that happened that you want to relive the moment. The 900S-2CH combined with the B-124 battery is the ultimate setup to protect your car.

Installation in the Ferrari 458 is not too difficult, although you will have to remove a significant amount of the trim around the top of the interior. You will also have to find a suitable mounting spot for the battery. I installed the battery in the front of the car between the frunk and firewall.

Installing the BlackVue 900S-2CH is fairly straight forward and can be accomplished in most cars easily. With the B-124 battery your camera can run even once you’ve turned the car off for about 20 hours! By using a 128GB microSD card, you can have hours and hours of video stored.

BlackVue published a blog post about this! Check it out HERE

Pulling the interior trim is in this video: