My new Mondial T

Don't worry about any of it. My car has indicated 'brake failure' 'check engine' and belt snarls for 8,000 miles. As for dieing at idle you need to gradually run up the revs over time. NEVER warm up the engine at idle. ALWAYS warm up the engine above 2,000 rpms. ALWAYS shift at 3,000 - 4,000 rpms.

Add gallons of every 'clean carbon from valves and cats' you notice to buy. I personally add 8 oz of two cycle oil in every gas fill up as well. I would also add at least one can of "rear main seal" stop leak just for the hell of it. My passenger side main seal started to leak so much oil onto the exhaust I thought it might catch fire. I added at least four separate concotions including one quart of Lucan Stop leak. And now use 20W 40W synthetic. No more smoke and fire warnings. Though I plan a reseal in the near future.

Thats just me. These are machines and I treat mine like a machine. Eight thousand miles in 18 months and I am a happy camper.

 

Why NEVER warm up the engine at idle?

 

Very nice ride! I have seen it Congrats! hope to see it next summer :-D Looking for a T as well perhaps in the near future, but I am looking for one in a not good condition besides the engine perhaps.


It means that the ABS system has been deactivated because of a self-diagnosed fault. I'm not familiar with this system, but one can retreive the code from the module's memory to see what is going on. You would need to go to the garage or dealer.

In NL and Belgium if this light is burning it will not pass MOT I'm afraid as it is a safety feature.

 

Congrats!!!

First of all, let me say I had a very SIMILAR experience as you. I bought a car that largely was kept in storage for 8 YEARS. Yes - 8 years! I had to do a total re-haul to get it in driving condition again - cost me close to 10K total ..... don't ask me how much time it cost me

There could be any number of things causing your car to die....sounds like a fuel pump issue to me.

But here is a list of things I would do since you plan on doing a major anyway.

1) Change all belts (part of 30K)
2) Inspect all hoses - if they are even slightly in questionable shape - replace! (now is the time to do it while the engine is out) (price varies)
3) I would replace the water pump and 2 fuel pumps ($1000-$1500) US
4) Update/Fix/Replace Fuse Box ($1000-$1500)
5) Replace all spark plugs & wires (part of 30k)
6) Replace all filters (part of 30K)
7) Replace all fuses (this is cheap)
8) Replace Alternator with an upgraded one $250 (I have a thread that goes into this)
9) Use Hill Engineering Bearings (part of 30K)
10) Replace engine gaskets (part of 30K)
11) Replace all fluids (part of 30K)
12) Update all lights/bulbs to modern ones (cheap!)
13) Replace Battery ($100)
14) Install Battery Tender ($150)
***
Inspect all suspension components
Make sure Tires are replaced if worn (or has not been used in a while)
Make sure shocks/springs are good
Inspect exhaust pipes for cracks
Inspect brake system

As for the ABS light - confirm the ABS is actually working - if it is - probably either a short, bad fuse, bad wire

I recommend you spend the $$$ now while the engine is out and do preventive maintenance all in one shot while in the shop to prevent headaches in the future - trust me with these 25 year + old cars that have been storage - ignored problems will surface if you ignore it now - might as well take care of it in one shot then having the car break down at the the worse time (it always does)

Good Luck!

 

PS: Your "T" needs an engine out for water pump replacement. Here is my suggestion. If it is not now leaking it does not need replacdement. However, all these cars have cooling systems righ out of nuclear power plants. Scared the hell out of me.

So I did this 8,000 miles ago. I changed the glycol 50/50 ratio to 60/40 in favor of glycol (you can go as high as 70/30). Added some water wetter and some water pump lube then entirely depresurized the system by simply leaving the water coolant tank filler cap almost entirely loose. I live at 2,200 ft elevation in the N. Georgia mountains and have run full tilt at ambient 90F.

My car runs cool so this might not apply to you. But in 8,000 miles I have not added one single once of coolant.

 

Paul is the proper choice for serious maintenance. Me? I am a dolt who just drives his ride. If you have the engine out then do ALL that stuff.

 

That depends if you have a carburetor or an injection engine.

Carburetor engines often require a warm-up period to ensure smooth operation. Injection, especially electronic ones calibrate precisely how much fuel is needed when the engine is cold so there is indeed no need for warmup at idle. (average weather conditions.) Idling cold will have little effect on wear with the current oils.

 

I would say if one has the time/knowledge/resources to do this themselves - that is the one of the MOST REWARDING things of ownership. I try to do as much as I can myself as that's is part of the Fun!!!

I can't count the number of times I had a grin on my face knowing I did something myself and nobody will love your car as much as you right?!

I simply don't have the time, tools, experience to get the engine out! Some people on these boards do, and I bow before them with respect.

My car was pretty much neglected for years and had a 'snowball' of issues that had to be sorted - in the end the car cost me 27K + 10K in 'revitalization' - I can probably sell it for 30K if I was in a pinch. So i'm 7K in for 2 years of ownership...

hmm I hink 7K is less than half the depreciation you would expect if you bought any brand spanking new 'sports thingy' from a lot 2 years ago....

I consider myself ahead of the game...and being able to fulfill a lifelong dream?

Priceless

 

123 howie

Never warm a car up at idle because fuel is not well distributed. Worse, it condensates on valves and exhaust sytems and builds up carbon. We do not have modern fuel injection systems on our cars. In fact, my 1986 has a constant flow system. WAY bad for low rpm fuel distribution.

Even in the bad old days of carb chokes it was a given NOT to warm up at idle. For the same reason. The best strategy for our cars is start them up. Give a few seconds for oil pressure to build. Then drive them away at above 2,000 rpms.

Here is the reason to always shift above 3,000 rpms. We have highly cammed cars. That means fuel distribution is not optimized for low rpms. Once again carbon build up. Hell, back in the old days Porche guys said NEVER to run the engines less then 3,000 rpms. That was just racer hype. But the truth is highly cammed engines (without variable valve timing) do not like low rpms.

Since I have addopted all the above 'laws of driving a Ferrari' my car has come alive and runs like a scalded hound.

 

How bad is constgant flow fuel injection? Let me tell you a secret. BMWs of our era had the same fuel injections system but without four valves. Their maintenance for this carbon problem was to pour crushed walnuts into the intake system while running to get it out. I am not making that up.

 

Paul - I hear you buddy

I bought a 2007 Caddy Cts. It has a demonic stability control system that threw me into Disney Land Loop, upside down and backwards over a 15 foot cliff. None of the air bags inflated which was good for me. But when I crawled out I noticed a cross floating in the creak 30 ft away. It had been placed on shore a year earlier where three teenage girls had drowned. Caught my attention. Anyway.

The point being the Caddy depreciated $6,000 in that one year. THAT was a gift since the accident took place in the same model year. It would have been much worse had it taken place a couple of months later.

This Ferrari is probably worth about about the same $30,000 I paid for it 18 months ago. True, I have $3,000 in a new clutch system. But I do not plan to sell this car anymore then I plan to sell the 1965 Corvair Monza Convertible I found in 1979.

The Ferrari took some getting used to. It is not a normal vehicle, has more then its share of smoke and mirrors. But it is RIGHT THERE for you all the time, no matter what your skill level. It took some time but me and my Ferrari are now entirely sympatico. I drive it the same as I did that 1969 Fiat 850 Spyder. And the Ferrari LIKES it.

 

WOW - Crazy!!! Glad you are okay my friend!!!

Sounds like you have an awesome collection!!

 

Paul

Did you tackle the interior where the re-die was done with a paint brush?

 

It remains simply as I found it. Simply slightly worn and just not all that bad. After about 8,000 miles it looks the same to me. But this is my daily driver. Litterally. The fact the yellow seat is worn is of suprenatural indiference to me.


Wrong Response By Me. I do not have the mental agility to get all these posts in proper order.

 

That is indeed true, however you will have the same with carburator engines when they are not warmed up.

 

+1
Just buy one tool each time you need the most. You will be amazed what you can do in 5 years

 

Depreciation is potentially the greatest cost of car ownership.

 

Hi Stekkefun,
congrats on the addition to the stable.
Enjoy her, keep it safe though

best
Jurgen

 

Hahahah yup! Went to a friends shop!

 

Welcome to the Ferrari Mondial community! I hope you enjoy her in good health!

Don't worry too much about electronics: they're rudimentary and often feed incorrect information. Mine came on in the first week of ownership due to faulty wiring (ABS sensor was perfectly OK). Wires/cables replaced, light went off, problem quickly and cheaply solved for good.

Kind regards,

Nuno.

 

Paul

You asked about my collection. Not all that much really. The 1965 Corvair Convertible is a family member. The Ferrari is now my daily buddy after 8,000 miles and now on second set of tires.

I DO have a car in to oven though. I have always had a soft spot for the Lincoln Mark VII. In fact I had one for 190,000 miles with all the goodies. But it was just getting long of tooth. Last year a buddy notified me of a good 1988 version [they all look alike] and I bought it out of Chicago. In most ways it is darned near show room.

My mechanic is working on it at his leisure. He has installed struts, my perormance brake disks, rotors and pads. Yesterday he had in the front performance stabilizer bar. We decided on a new power steering pump and performance steering rack. The rear stabilizer bar and the custom exhaust are on the gound.

The big item will be the possitive displacement belt driven supercharger at 7.5 psi on top of the Ford 5.0 engine. It is not one of those silly through the hood drag racing kind. Just replaces the stock manifold. Same item I had on my other Mark VII. Torgue Monster.

This car has stock 3.20 limited slip gears with stock torgue converter. Might be to much. In order to tame down my last one I had 2.73 gears and a low stall speed truck torgue converter. It would still overburn-out in a !/4 mile run if I used torgue braking off the line. The older Mark VII just ate Vettes in the mountain corners. I never passed them as it seemed a dangerous thing to let them try to keep up.

If this one is set up properly (multiple bushing choices) I might just become a cafe cruiser anyway. I am getting to old to screw with Vettes anymore.

 

That is awesome - thanks for sharing! When it comes to good ol Americana - the one car that is my dream car is a Buick Grand National.....