Question for the mechanical brains trust | FerrariChat

Question for the mechanical brains trust

Discussion in 'Australia' started by kerrari, Jan 28, 2015.

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  1. kerrari

    kerrari Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #1 kerrari, Jan 28, 2015
    I put 500 miles on the clock of my baby Fiat in the first 4 weeks I was back, all running smooth as silk with the exception of the headlights not working. Took it to the local auto electrician who's also a mechanic. Replaced the headlight switch no worries, but while he was there, replaced the coil wire which he reckoned was not the correct thickness. Shortly thereafter, the wire keeps coming loose (he put a spade fitting on) causing the car to come to a clattering halt some 4 times on a 20km drive home from Yandina. After reconnecting the fitting for the final time, the car runs fine at speed, but won't idle. I take the car back to mechanic who puts fixed connection on but car still doesn't want to idle. I leave it with him to see what's going on and get a bill for $115 saying he's checked and flushed the carby and problem is carby is 'very worn and needs rebuilding - quote $800'! WTF, car was running perfectly 1 day ago; not to mention I had 4 Webers on the 308 rebuilt 2 years ago for about $1500! Coming back from the workshop, car now will idle perfectly, and run clean at high revs, but not at mid range? Just starts misfiring then dies - lacking fuel, air or spark?

    I'm taking it to my Bris mechanic in a couple of weeks (waiting for new shocks to come in), but interested to hear what the experts posit: I think the following -
    1. Something shaken loose inside the carb?
    2. Ignition timing thrown out by the sudden halts when the coil wire came off?
    3. Something sticking / wobbling in throttle connections?
    Only 3 stacks up when remembering the problem moved from idling to mid-revs...

    Look forward to sensible comments - PP just don't bother thanks!
     
  2. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 moretti, Jan 28, 2015
    I'd go to Marc and get a real assessment of the situation.

    This guy you took it to in the first place, can you PM me his name so I can avoid him like the plague.

    Since when do you go in to get an electrical fix on headlights and come out with a carby rebuild ???

    Was this PP you took it to ?? :p
     
  3. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 moretti, Jan 28, 2015
    As for the mid-range problem, that sounds very dissy-ish to me, may need a balance.

    My GT4 was very much like your symptoms and finally stopped working on the way back from Sadelaide.

    The guy in Cabramatta sent the dissy off to get dynamically balanced and the car was brilliant after that
     
  4. Horse

    Horse Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 Horse, Jan 28, 2015
    This^^^^^^^.
     
  5. IanB

    IanB F1 World Champ
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    #5 IanB, Jan 28, 2015
    it's probably electrical, you don't know what the guy pulled apart and mucked up. Sounds like a jerk. "Take it to Marc" is spot on advice.
     
  6. IanB

    IanB F1 World Champ
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    #6 IanB, Jan 28, 2015
    "balance" a dissy? Maybe it doesn't have enough air pressure. :rolleyes:
     
  7. Horse

    Horse Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 Horse, Jan 28, 2015
    OLIO
     
  8. IanB

    IanB F1 World Champ
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    #8 IanB, Jan 28, 2015
    I run 11psi in my dissies, how about you?
     
  9. Horse

    Horse Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 Horse, Jan 28, 2015
    I don't know, I haven't checked mine since I bought it off PP. ;)
     
  10. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #10 Aircon, Jan 28, 2015
    The air or the distributor?

    And Kerrari...FO
     
  11. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 Aircon, Jan 28, 2015
    Drop it off at the ghetto with the keys left in it. Best thing you could do.
     
  12. Horse

    Horse Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 Horse, Jan 28, 2015
    Should anything be checked?
     
  13. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #13 moretti, Jan 28, 2015
    dynamically adjust the timing with a stroboscope after fitting new bearings and points .......... and then set the PSI to 25 cold, check after 5 laps.

    Most people would know that many of these weird issues are caused by distributors that have bad points or condensors, worn bearings on the distributor shaft, faulty coils that break down when hot, faulty spark plugs

    I'll bet Marc can just about pick the problem over the phone
     
  14. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 moretti, Jan 28, 2015
    I've always found a visual is good enough ;)
     
  15. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 Aircon, Jan 29, 2015
    Imagine the deferred maintenance with this poor car....so yes...everything!
     
  16. simon klein

    simon klein Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #16 simon klein, Jan 29, 2015
    The dizzy weights can go west,without regular use,the carby float(in the bowl)can,over time, become porous and the carby accelerator pump can give trouble.

    Disregard those folk telling you to take it to Marc,he doesn't like them(Bambini,that is),he told me so.
    Besides,you've already booked it with Johnny.
     
  17. kerrari

    kerrari Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #17 kerrari, Jan 29, 2015
    Actually I'm very tempted to replace the condenser even though it looks brand new - remember being told years ago when any problem has a suspected electrical basis, start with the condenser!
     
  18. kerrari

    kerrari Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #18 kerrari, Jan 29, 2015
    It is one of the drawbacks of living away from the city...
     
  19. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #19 Aircon, Jan 29, 2015
    but it's a great thing for the city.
     
  20. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #20 moretti, Jan 29, 2015
    Test the condenser with a voltmeter, attach to +ve and -ve, starts out as a short then quickly moves to open circuit, if it stays as a short it's rooted (the case is negative)

    I'd come up and help but I've got 180 days to go :(

    Wobble the dissy shaft and see how much movement is in it and then sand the points and re-gap them
     
  21. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #21 moretti, Jan 29, 2015
    Poor Melbourne :p
     

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