Hello Everybody!! This is my first time on Ferrarichat; I have a 1991 348 TS, Black with red interiors and with a fantastic Tubi exhaust just installed. This is my problem: The car is perfect and starts perfectly when cold; but when is hot there is a problem. The elctric starter runs but the car have some difficult to start; only if I give full or almost full throttle the engine starts. Consider that I have just done all major service: all filters, spark plug, timing belt, clutch and so on, have been replaced 2 months ago. If someone can help me I will appreciate. Renato Italy
Your clutch was replaced? Check your parts list to see if 3 x 137249 is listed (o-rings). My vote? Gummed up flywheel and failure of triple seals. Next time this happens, try starting the car with the clutch fully pressed in, and key on for a second or two before attempting to crank.
What the heck are you guys doing up at that hour. LOL Do you start in neutral with clutch in or out? Sometimes when hot I think it starts better with clutch out. Sometimes I'm not sure it makes any difference.
I'm afraid I don't see how it would make any difference whether the clutch pedal is in or out, since the flywheel and clutch assembly would be rotating in either case - no difference.
Maybe a small difference as some of the gearbox internals would or would not be loading up the drivetrain a little. With a cold gearbox you can see the revs dip when you release the clutch in neutral.
It could just be that the starter is getting too hot and doesn't turn the engine over fast enough. Used to happen to our corvette all the time then we got a little heat shield and problem solved for us.
Hey Renato! You need to perform a quick and easy test to see if your problem might be flywheel related or fuel pressure related. To Test: Drive your 348 until it is hot, then stop and turn off the engine. As soon as your engine stops, immediately start your car again. Now, if your car does start right up when hot using the above test, then you probably have a fuel pressure leak in the fuel pressure regulators, fuel pumps, or fuel check valve (could even be in a fuel injector or two). On the other hand, if your car won't start right up when hot using the above test, then check out the online threads regarding hot start problems such as flywheel/grease, starter, battery, alternator, etc. The reason that the re-start test above works is that it takes a few minutes for a fuel pressure leak to actually reduce your fuel pressure so low that your car has difficulty re-starting (this isn't a problem when your engine is cold because the 348 has "cold start" circuitry that kicks in to supply extra fuel/pressure)...whereas a hot start problem from something like flywheel grease causing flywheel vibrations will be present all of the time when your car is hot. See more here: http://webpages.charter.net/aircover/348/1994Ferrari348Spider.html Oh, and nice job at the World Cup. Forza Italia!
Thanks to everyone has suggests to start the engine with clucth fully pressed; it's a bit little strange but the engine starts easily even when hot. Renato
