Hi all. 2004 Spider 360, 7K miles, manual, everything original. Drive every week, about 2 days a week. I noticed that when I start engine cold, it is louder for about 30 seconds...then suddenly sounds smooth and back to normal. I've been using Sunoco 93 octane since I bought car 2 months ago. Could it be gas? Any info on that would be very much appreciated.
I wonder if the exhaust valves are open when starting and then close when it reaches a certain temperature. Anybody know?
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the exhaust valves work with vacuum from the engine intake... When the engine is switched off for a couple of hours (let's say overnight) it loses the vacuum and so when the engine is switched on the valves are open since there is no vacuum in the tank.. As vacuum builds up in the tank, the valves close and it is quiet again... Also, since the ECU controls the valves, it chooses to have them open when the engine is starting... Hope this helps...
They tend to have a bit of a "growl" for a few seconds on start up for the exact reasons stated above. They also can suffer from a bit of lifter bleed-down on cold start up, wouldn't think it's an issue unless it sounds like a complete sack of nails though.....
Thank you all for the information about the engine noise! This blog / chat is a must have for Ferrari owners / enthusiasts. I had a Dodge Viper 2003. Got this Spider 2 months ago...what a machine! Viper is very brutal... great car though. Can't compare. Here is a pic of the spider. Image Unavailable, Please Login
