| Author | Message | ||
| Mister Jones (Davey_jones)
Junior Member Username: Davey_jones Post Number: 110 Registered: 9-2002 |
I pulled my cats and put test pipes on. Haven't seen 5/8 message since!! | ||
| Dave Penhale (Dapper)
Member Username: Dapper Post Number: 752 Registered: 4-2002 |
Jeff, we'd be forever indebted to you for such a guide! | ||
| James I. Movich (77_308gt4)
New member Username: 77_308gt4 Post Number: 16 Registered: 2-2003 |
thanks, Jeff, i really appreciate it. | ||
| Jeff B. (Miltonian)
Member Username: Miltonian Post Number: 552 Registered: 12-2002 |
JScott: Glad to hear that your 348 is behaving itself! James: I will try to put together a "how-to" describing the download/clear memory procedure and post it here as soon as I can make time to type it up so it can be understood. OK? | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 550 Registered: 1-2002 |
The refresh of the ECU's seemed to work. Took the car on a 20 mile drive. No lights, no problems, no real stress. Life is good! Thanks all. Until the next issue, enjoy! | ||
| James I. Movich (77_308gt4)
New member Username: 77_308gt4 Post Number: 15 Registered: 2-2003 |
Jeff, is there a way you could get some of us who may be interested in how to clear the memory some pdf file or instructions on how to do this? | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 548 Registered: 1-2002 |
Thanks Jeff: No, I don't have the workshop manual. I did speak with my mechanic and he recommended that I clear the memory which I did. He said that if the light does come back, we will download the info and he will talk me through it. At the present, the problem seems to have been resolved. The car just came back from an engine out major. Nothing seems wrong but I will monitor it. I do appreciate the information. My Ferrari mechanic is top rate in my book, and willing to keep a close eye on this for me. Sounds like the download is easy, what is required? BTW Jeff: nice looking car. I had a white 328 which I loved. Very classy. | ||
| Jeff B. (Miltonian)
Member Username: Miltonian Post Number: 551 Registered: 12-2002 |
JScott: Do you have a Workshop Manual for your 348? Considering that the manual is pretty poor in a lot of areas, it does a good job of explaining the subject of self-diagnostics so that anyone can download the information stored in the Motronic ECU. It's easy! It will tell you exactly which system caused the "Check Engine" light to come on. You can then keep tabs on it to see if it was just a "ghost", or if something is really in need of attention. It isn't a "Something is About to Explode" light! | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 547 Registered: 1-2002 |
Wow, I'm learning a lot. Don't understand it all but learning just the same. Here is what I know so far, code=bad, no code=good (maybe). Thanks, Scott Actually, I appreciate the expertise. Very informative and understandable. | ||
| Jeff B. (Miltonian)
Member Username: Miltonian Post Number: 549 Registered: 12-2002 |
Good advice from some of the more experienced individuals. Looking at the manual, there are something like 27 different fault codes that can be downloaded from the Motronic ECU's on a 2.7 system. This is part of the CARB regulations for on-board self diagnostics. It should be noted that the system is not active in European versions of the 348, according to the manual. | ||
| billy bob (Fatbillybob)
Member Username: Fatbillybob Post Number: 337 Registered: 8-2002 |
Check engine and slow down are totally different systems. Slow donws are for when things get hot because the F uses two independant systems and if 1-4 goes down you can burn the car since 5-8 will run just fine. I never understood this. F can be made to run fine on 1 system. Even aftermarket ECU's can run up to 12 cylinders and 24 spark plugs. Anyway, most of these problems are not real but bad F electronics. Still it is best to try to check them out. Sometimes a plugged cat can give you a slow down light as weel as a bad Exhaust ecu. But if your car passes smog nicely on a smog dyno it is more liekely that everything is fine. So a smog test is a cheap way to do diagnosis of some types of these problems. Even the check engine is not major. You may have a simple bad sensor or even a bad connection to say an O2 sensor that can trigger the MIL. Nothing is going to blow up. It is not like your timing belts breaking. Also if you car gets to the no start stage the diagnosis can sometimes be more easily made. These cars are fronght with electrical lucas like problems. | ||
| Rob Schermerhorn (Rexrcr)
Member Username: Rexrcr Post Number: 789 Registered: 11-2002 |
Motronic monitors, via simple comparative analysis, mainly emissions effecting systems. It does not monitor every system however: it does not monitor if the spark plugs are actually firing (though modern systems will give a "missfire" data point). The information stored when the MIL is triggered is pertinent information and should be downloaded before the error is cleared from memory. There are "soft" codes, and "hard" codes. Basically, a soft code is set after three key-strokes to start (engine running) and the same error is noted each time. A hard code is set if the error is of higher priority as soon as the error occurs. So, this is why some of you get away with clearing codes and continuing to drive with no apparent adverse effects. Other times, power loss is noted as the MIL comes on. These are the ones to take notice of immediately. The computer does not tell all, and is not the only way to diagnose malfunctions. For more detailed information on methodology, diagnostic procedures and other technical information, check out suggested readings here. Best regards, Rob | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Intermediate Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 2360 Registered: 11-2002 |
>>how does the operator, a simple human man such as myself, figure out from a LIGHT what the hay is going on??? << **a heads up that **some form of issue** has developed that needs to be addressed. ** I'm fairly welled versed in these cars and I don't know what "the issue" is either, only that the sensing system is picking up something out of the norm and relaying that to operator via light bulb... {  } | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 546 Registered: 1-2002 |
Disconnected the ground for 20 minutes and then started the car and let it run for 15 minutes. No lights and everything seems fine. Maybe problem solved but then again, it is a Ferrari. We shall see! | ||
| James I. Movich (77_308gt4)
New member Username: 77_308gt4 Post Number: 14 Registered: 2-2003 |
JRV...... How do it know? how does the operator, a simple human man such as myself, figure out from a LIGHT what the hay is going on??? i feel very inadequate sometimes, ha! but really, what does the poor driver do to figure out all of the permutations of what, out of multiple possibilities is really going on back there? in my case, first time no slow down light, but loss of power... but second time, slow down light, but no loss of power??? huh? Do i sound frustrated or what? do these things talk to each other? what is the procedure for "clearing memory"? does the battery disconnect do the trick? | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Intermediate Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 2358 Registered: 11-2002 |
The check engine lights have meaning and purpose..they are to report malfunctions and give the driver/owner a heads up that some form of issue has developed that needs to be addressed. 5-8 is the computer that monitors Alternator (regulator) function as well as O2 sensor and other electronic devices. If it's an Alternator issue one could find themselves stranded with a dead battery at a most inopertune time if left unadressed. | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 545 Registered: 1-2002 |
I'm going to go home at lunch and try to clear the memory by disconnecting the ground for 20 minutes then reconnecting the ground and letting the car idle for 15 minutes with all electrical equipment off (radio,A/C ect). Will let you know what the outcome is. My mechanic talked me through this. I hope it works. The car runs fine. | ||
| James I. Movich (77_308gt4)
New member Username: 77_308gt4 Post Number: 13 Registered: 2-2003 |
last weekend, here in NC on a blistering hot drive to the beach, my check engine 5/8 came on (steady), no loss of power, no change in any sound, just the light. btw, it was so hot i had to stop and let my brakes cool down - i could smell them (one). so, anyway, i put the car up for the night and the next morning, nice and cool it repeated the light. i put the car away until i can find out more info. have searched the threads, have email another 348 owner on his experience, but am still awfuly confused. i seem to read differing opinions on the intended design purpose of the "check engine" and "slow down" lights. which monitors what? i have the battery disconnected now, and will test again this weekend, but how do i clear the memory if a erroneous code is stored. was it all just a case of WAY too hot outside? or what? | ||
| Jeff B. (Miltonian)
Member Username: Miltonian Post Number: 548 Registered: 12-2002 |
It's the "Slow Down" lights that come on when the exhaust temp ECU goes bad. The "Check Engine" light can be activated by several different sources that are being monitored by the Motronic ECU's. If you read the manual, there is a whole section describing how to download the stored information from the Motronics (no special tools involved, not difficult, just uses a pattern of blinking lights to pinpoint the potential problem). Simply stated, some of the problems are "ghosts". You can use the method described by JRK to re-initialize the system, but if a fault code has been stored in the Motronic memory, you may need to download the code and clear the memory. Again, it isn't difficult at all. I have had the "Check Engine" light in my 348 come on a few times over the years, never anything really wrong, just "ghosts", it runs fine. | ||
| J R K (Kenyon)
Member Username: Kenyon Post Number: 656 Registered: 10-2002 |
Disconnect the battery. Then reconnect battery. Start engine, leave to idle for 10 mins. This will allow the ECu's to re-set. Switch off engine. Re-start engine and check to see if light is off. This method has worked on a number of 348's. If not then ECU will need to be replaced. Just take the cats off and use test pipes. | ||
| j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member Username: Jscott Post Number: 544 Registered: 1-2002 |
I checked the archives and I know this has been asked many times before, however, I didn't find a specific thread so I will ask it again. My "Check Engine 5-8" light started blinking, my car was just serviced and I'm sure this is just a sensor but, please shed some light on the subject for me. Is this like the "Slow Down" light in my 328 that gave false signals? What should I check? Do folks ofter disable this light? Thanks for the information. Scott |