Ketel's mobile, the final chapter | FerrariChat

Ketel's mobile, the final chapter

Discussion in '348/355' started by yelcab, May 3, 2015.

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  1. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2001
    12,662
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    Mitchell Le
    #1 yelcab, May 3, 2015
    Last edited: May 3, 2015
    If you are keeping scores, Ketel's latest trouble was glowing-red cat converter on bank 2, SDL, replaced bad ignition wires, then car did not start, and was parked for 6 months under the cover. Finally, he took it to my place and for the last 3 weeks, the car has been in my garage where we ...

    Found a bad fuel pump relay, got the car to run again, but it was running really rough.
    Found some crimping problems with several injectors. Instead of trying to fight them as we find the gremlins, we ... took the engine out and ...
    Gave it a total engine out service.
    Went back to all the connectors and fixed all the injector crimps, idle sensor connectors, phase sensor connectors, temp sensor connector, tdc connector.
    Changed all belts, bearings, seals, retimed the cams.
    New water pump.
    Changed fluids.

    Then, put the engine back, fired it up, ran well, except the cat glowed red.

    So, off came the injectors for cleaning. They came back with a clean bill of health. So more digging was done and found:

    Injector 6 got wirings backwards (probably not fatal)
    But, the two connectors in front of the bumper for the bypass valve and secondary air pump were FULL of water, shorting out all pins. The schematics show that these connectors share power source with injectors. Hmm, I think we found something here.

    Cleaned those up, replaced the crimps put the now cleaned injectors back in. Fired it up and .....

    It effing fired, ran like a scalded cat, and no more glowing cat converters.
    The flashing SDL light went away after an OBD2 code reset command was sent. No CEL either.

    Two and a half years later, it finally sounded and ran like a Ferrari !!!
     
  2. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
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    #2 SoCal1, May 3, 2015
    Very cool Mitchell

    Thanks for getting him sorted out, lots done there
     
  3. jimmym

    jimmym Formula 3

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    #3 jimmym, May 3, 2015
    Nice work Mitch. I am sure nobody is going to happier than Ketel.
     
  4. cuneo

    cuneo Formula 3
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    Nov 20, 2006
    2,431
    #4 cuneo, May 3, 2015
    Man, what a saga that's been. 2 1/2 years? So glad you got it fixed for him. Hope he's out today finally experiencing the car. I also hope he doesn't try to "fix" it himself any more.
    Lucky he found you.
     
  5. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
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    #5 SoCal1, May 3, 2015
    Hey he tried like hell and wanted to learn. I know he learned a lot along the way and if done again it would be a different outcome
     
  6. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #6 yelcab, May 3, 2015
    Last edited: May 3, 2015
    I admired his tenacity and desire to learn. That is one reason why I stuck with him all these years. I showed him how to fix every one of the problem along the way. He helped taking the engine out too. How many owners can say that ? He is celebrating right now, in Paris.
     
  7. cuneo

    cuneo Formula 3
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    #7 cuneo, May 3, 2015
    Yeah, I know and I was rooting for him all along the way... Just really saddens me to know a really good guy's first Ferrari has taken 2 1/2 years to work right, and hope no other mishaps occur from here on out.
     
  8. cuneo

    cuneo Formula 3
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    #8 cuneo, May 3, 2015
    That's really amazing of you Mitchell. What a great guy! :)
     
  9. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
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    #9 SoCal1, May 3, 2015
    I tell you, he has HANDS ON knowledge now and willing to tackle anything.
    Cant say enough about a guy like that
     
  10. treedee3d

    treedee3d F1 Rookie

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    #10 treedee3d, May 3, 2015
    Great job, nice to see this story have a happy ending after all.
     
  11. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
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    #11 Eric C, May 3, 2015
    Wow. Suprised he didn't just swap the Harness to begin with.
     
  12. drbob101

    drbob101 F1 Rookie
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    #12 drbob101, May 3, 2015
    Fantastic news and good on you Mitchel for sticking with it.

    Congratulations to both of you and all who supported Ketel.
     
  13. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #13 fatbillybob, May 3, 2015
    Excellent. I want to see both of you at the next stoogefest showing up top down hats on and a little zinc on your noses.
     
  14. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 fatbillybob, May 3, 2015
    What made you think to look at the bumper connectors? Also it maybe a more popular problem if that connector gets wet from washing and rain? Can you imagine splash a puddle melt a cat! On ferrari could do this. if it were my car I would rewire so injectors are by themselves.
     
  15. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #15 yelcab, May 3, 2015
    You know, you look where you found problems before. I was looking for bad crimps. Those are the ones I did not touch. The water was a total surprise, and then the schematics made total sense.
     
  16. gothspeed

    gothspeed F1 World Champ

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    #16 gothspeed, May 3, 2015
    Interesting ..... congrats on the findings and repairs .... :)
     
  17. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    #17 phrogs, May 3, 2015
    Awesome.
     
  18. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #18 ernie, May 3, 2015
    That is AWESOME Mitchell. Thanks for the update because I was wondering about his car a couple of days ago.
     
  19. F355steve

    F355steve Formula 3

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    #19 F355steve, May 3, 2015
    F n A. Slow clap for that. I admire Ketel for not giving up and for you demonstrating the power of the Fchat. It is a unique bond over an obsession about these cars.
     
  20. TrojanFan

    TrojanFan F1 Rookie
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    #20 TrojanFan, May 4, 2015
    I think that we are planning on sometime in June? Vince? That's only a month or so away. Let's pick a date and set it up!!!
     
  21. tf308

    tf308 Formula 3

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    #21 tf308, May 4, 2015
    Great job! What a relief.
     
  22. RSO1091

    RSO1091 Formula 3

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    #22 RSO1091, May 5, 2015
    True Stooging at it's best. Way to hang in there guys.

    Henry
     
  23. vvassallo

    vvassallo F1 Veteran
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    #23 vvassallo, May 6, 2015
    Very impressive Mitch! Sounds like someone was inside the car mucking it up years ago. Wonder how all that happened...
     
  24. TrojanFan

    TrojanFan F1 Rookie
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    #24 TrojanFan, May 6, 2015
    Vince, when is the next Stooge event? We had been discussing a June event at your place again. I'm throwing out June 20th as a suggestion.
     
  25. vvassallo

    vvassallo F1 Veteran
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    #25 vvassallo, May 6, 2015
    I am discussing it with the other half. I have a garage full of furniture from selling my desert house. Need to dispose of it.
     
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