| Author | Message | ||
| Greg (Greg512tr)
Junior Member Username: Greg512tr Post Number: 72 Registered: 2-2002 |
I have something that sounds similar with my 930 too. Very intermittant (once every couple months). Drive the car for 30 minutes, sits for 30 minutes, turn the key and nothing at all happens. Fans, radio, etc all work but not even a click. I wait 30 more minutes and it fires right up. I can then start it 10 straight times (even tried it with the lights on). Does this sound like a solenoid also? Battery is over 3 years old but it seems like if it was the battery it would not start after only waiting 30 minutes. | ||
| Jeff B. (Miltonian)
Junior Member Username: Miltonian Post Number: 66 Registered: 12-2002 |
Seems like this problem shows up on all manner of Ferraris. For my 348, I used a fix similar to the one described in Greg's thread. From time to time, on hot starts, my 348 would refuse to crank over. Not even a click. This was with a new battery, clean connections, starter checked by two good shops. I found that I could start it with a screwdriver across the terminals any time it wouldn't crank with the key. I went to a hot rod shop and bought a heavy duty push button remote starter. I "piggy backed" direct wiring to bypass the start circuit on the ignition switch. It turned out that removing the cigarette lighter provided a perfect hidden location for the new start button. Now, whenever it won't crank over (it still happens once in a while), I just put the key in the "run" position, push the start button, and it starts every time without fail. I wish I knew where the actual problem is, but this fix is working fine and cost me less than $20. | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1327 Registered: 1-2001 |
William H -- (before resorting to a rewire) if you still have the problem after confirming/refreshing the battery and its connection, I'd try an Ace Electric solenoid replacement first -- made a world of difference in hot starting my TR. If you can get the Bosch 10 digit PN off your existing solenoid (it will be stamped into the case), or if the F PN is the same as a TR, I think we could cross-reference it fairly easily. JMO ("hot wiring" my old TR solenoid directly from the +12V cable also seemed to "fix" my hot start problem, but since the Ace Electric solenoid has worked perfectly, I've concluded that my old solenoid was the more marginal component). | ||
| Greg (Greg512tr)
Junior Member Username: Greg512tr Post Number: 71 Registered: 2-2002 |
William-Below is a thread from the Ferrarilist where an owner had similar problems and fixed it with a hotwire to the battery. -- I know there are a few 512TR owners out there (and maybe some TR owners, too) who have problems starting their cars when it is hot. I dunno exactly what causes it, but after cooling down for a few minutes, or flipping hitting the battery cutoff switch off then on, the car will start. There are at least 5 owners in this area who have had this problem - and have fixed it with a "hotwire" lead on the starter. Carlo Durante (a local independent mechanic) made me a wire with female spade connectors on each end. On one end, he "bridged" the female connector with the female connector on the positive battery lead connecting to the starter, so that the lead feeds the starter and this hotwire. Then he covered the other end with clear rubber tubing so that it doesn't short on anything in there. He added a plastic bracket to keep it from hitting anything and inadvertently pulling the rubber tubing off. Now, I just turn the key on, put the car in neutral, remove the rubber tubing, and touch the spade connector to the silver nut on the solenoid (under the rubber boot in photo #2), and PRESTO! The car starts. Although, I must admit that it made me jump the first time I tried it  Here's what it looks like: http://ferrari.stevejenkins.com/downloads/tr_hotwire1.jpg Close-up: http://ferrari.stevejenkins.com/downloads/tr_hotwire2.jpg | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 617 Registered: 11-2002 |
>>gonna go buy a new battery today & a charger to see if I can salvage the existing battery<< Dirty/Loose Battery Cable Ends are by far the most common problem, with Low/Sulfated/Dead Batteries following close in second place. An old fashioned Battery Terminal Brush can sometmes work wonders on the poor lonely neglected battery cable ends. Whenever Battery problems are suspected and cables must be removed it's a very good idea to clean (wire brush) terminals & ends. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Intermediate Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 1764 Registered: 2-2001 |
thanks JRV, gonna go buy a new battery today & a charger to see if I can salvage the existing battery | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 616 Registered: 11-2002 |
Charge The Battery..Not Jump It...Sounds Like DEAD Battery...or Put New Battery in. Trickle Charger 10 amps for at least 1 hour. It takes 24 Hrs to correctly and suficiantly charge a battery to test properly and at least 12 hrs on a trickle charger to charge enough for sustained use (several starts over a short period of time). Well that other stuff is checkng to see if you have Any Voltage, but beyond that it's really meaningless if the battery has a dead cell. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Intermediate Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 1763 Registered: 2-2001 |
I tried to jump the battery last night. just once. Gonna try again today. What does it mean if the radio works or not ? I imagine it does as all the interior lights come on brightly. A mechanic asked me if the headlights on my truck dimmed when I tried to start her. What would that signify ? thanks | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 2356 Registered: 9-2001 |
check the neg connection on the battery, sometime they lose contact- does radio work? | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 613 Registered: 11-2002 |
Sounds like low/dead battery | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Intermediate Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 1762 Registered: 2-2001 |
I think my Solenoid is dead on my 512TR. I was going to take her out prowling last night. Went to start & she just clicks. Shiiit. Is that the solenoid laughing at me ? Thanks |