My very experienced shop's owner tells me that the incidence of variator problems in the dry-sump engines is about 1 in 20, while the wet sump 4.7 L from 2007-2010 has about 1 in 3 needing the big fix.

 

Every GT engine is wet sump though, be it the 4.2 or 4.7 according to Wikipedia. Is the 1 in 3 chance only relative to the 4.7? Or is the wet sump 4.2 just as unlucky.

-Troy

 

Where on the engine is the number listed?

 

Should be on the documentation of the vehicle. If not it's stamped on the block (somewhere)

C

 

Do oil changes every 5000 miles and drive it rough everyonce in a while and you shoukdnt run into the issue.. if you baby the car it will happen ..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

Odd. That's not what Maserati say.....

C

 

According to the Maserati technical bulletin *any* engine (4.2 or 4.7) with an engine number of <148697 is potentially susceptible to variator issue
C

Any indication of the correlating year when engines numbers above that 148697 started ? Seems like 2011 or so ?
Just curious when Maserati fixed the variator problem and if it's safe to assume that all GTs after that year ( whether it's 2011 or 2012...) are unlikely to have this issue ?

 

GT Variator Dates



QP5s assembled after September 2010 had the variator upgrade at the factory. This corresponds to the engine number mentioned in earlier posts.

I don't have data for the GTs.

KTBD

 

I don't think I'd risk trying to pin it to a year. There are all sorts of cases where old components have been fitted to much newer cars. For the sake of a quick check of the engine number or of documentation that it's been fixed.

C

 

It will be at the dealer next week for the 12 mos service , so I'll ask them for the engine number since they'll change the oil and various other fluids, so they'll be near where the plate or " stamp " with the number is located .

Just hoping they're a bit more experienced than the other dealer service department ( mentioned a different thread ) who never heard of a variator. Hopefully I won't have to point at the front of the car and tell them : " and this is where you'll find the engine you're going to service "

 

Unbelievable ! The dealer said they had no access to view what number is stamped on the block in the course of what they did for the 12 month service . According to them , you'd pretty much have to take the engine out of the car to see that. Also, they have no way of cross-referencing VIN with engine numbers . Disappointing ...

 

Unbelievable! I was the one who started the other thread you referenced. A couple of members have said they have a way to look it up, but I haven't received anything from them yet.

 

I called the Jacksonville dealer today to order some parts and they casually told me what my engine number was after giving them my VIN. My GTS is a 2010, and engine number was 157,404

 

Cool

 

so cars model year 2010 and later are not affected ???
Thank you !

 

2011 and later. Some 2010 have engines that are in the range and others are not.

 

Check the Master Code Card that came with your Owner?s Manual. There should be a sticker on it with both VIN and Engine numbers on it.

 

I confirm this correct.

 

Thank you this is great info !

My 2006 Porsche 911 has an engine problem also ( intermediate shaft bearing failure ) which causes catastrophic engine failure it is limited to water cooled 911's .The failure rate was reduced in 2005 with a stronger bearing redesign and eliminated in 2009 with a major engine revision.
It only affects approx 5% of 2005 -2008 cars though so its rare . I guess no car is perfect !

I will look for 2011 and later GT's

Thank you Best ! Russ

 

09 4.7 red top Granturismo variators and cam caps issue over view

https://youtu.be/Ij-Nau5T90I

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This is repetitive, but okay, some don't check former threads. Post-Sept 2011 has the factory fix. Whether you have the Owners Manual or not. Shame on all of you who sold this stuff on ebay instead of passing it on to the car's next owner.
KTBD

 

Is this underside I presume?

 

Apologies...My most recent post on this thread had a typo. From Maserati factory service bulletin, engine number 148697 started the fixes at the factory. The engine number is the definitive case. Cars assembled sometime on/after Sept 2010 (look on the driver door jamb) correspond. There is a picture in my earlier post that shows where the engine number is located on the car.

Happy driving!
KTBD

 

One small problem with the video posted above...He just replaced the variator with the same one that just had problems...I see this often..Dealers sell people old stock...There is a newer style unit to replace these that looks totally different...Jason

 

Don't you just love dealer parts desks?

 

Jason, can the "mainspring" on the new variator design be seen on the outside of the variator, or is it internal to the cover?
KTBD

 

Yes, you can see it....If you look at my pic of the Ferrari engine in the lounge you can see one. They look just like that....Jason

 

According to the Maserati technical bulletin *any* engine (4.2 or 4.7) with an engine number of <148697 is potentially susceptible to variator issue
C

Any indication of the correlating year when engines numbers above that 148697 started ? Seems like 2011 or so ?
Just curious when Maserati fixed the variator problem and if it's safe to assume that all GTs after that year ( whether it's 2011 or 2012...) are unlikely to have this issue ?

I have 2010 QP V GT S with engine No 149697 which was registered in June 2010

 

"...registered in June 2010..." (?) I seem to recall that the vehicle ASSEMBLY dates corresponding to engine numbers >148697 were any AFTER September 2010.
KTBD

 

I'm pretty sure there's not a direct correlation but....


C

 

bsh2005 great vid, thanks for posting

 

If I recall correctly, cars after September 2010 have the factory fix....

 

I`m not real familiar with the vise-grip video...I can tell you not getting the cam timing right sucks. You'll generally end with up with an engine that runs fine, but sets a camshaft error...It doesn't take much to flag a fault...Bad news...It is all coming apart again...Jason

 

My 06 F430 needed this job done. My 09 GT 4.2 did not. Pricey job at the dealer.

 

This is interesting. It's uncommon on the 430. Was it both sides and was it only the intake variators?