Well, where do I start? I have an '01 360 Spider w/8000 miles. that I purchased from a local Ferrari dealer 4 months ago. Approx. 2-1/2 months ago, I started it up in the garage w/the door approx. 1/3 open for ventilation, and had it idling for 15-20 minutes. When I got in the car, I immediately noticed the following: 1. Lots of heat in the garage 2. Idle was rough, and 3. Engine didn't sound right. I drove the car and the CEL came on. I called a local Ferrari dealer(mechanic) who told me to rev the engine past 5-6K rpm and the issue might clear itself. I did that, and also reset the battery power switch in the glove compartment. Sure enough, the CEL light went off, and the engine ran as it should. 1 month later, I had the fluids and timing belts(2nd set as the first owned replaced the orig belts 3 years ago) replaced by a VERY reputable independent mechanic whom I trust wholeheartedly. The car ran great, and approx. 2 weeks ago, due to lack of driving, the battery died. I trickle charged it, and it ran fine the next two times I drove it (approx. 20 miles). THEN, when I started it up again, the problems began. The engine sounds like it was not running on all cylinders again. This time, though, when I revved the engine to 6K rpm and reset the battery power in the glove compartment, the CEL light did not clear and the engine still sounds like it was running on less than 8 cylinders. I took it in to a local Ferrari dealership(repair facility) and was told the following: They need to do a leak down/compression test because the car is getting PO300 and PO301 error codes (Multiple missfile and major emissions problem in cyl. #1). I spoke to my independent mechanic(the one I trust wholeheartedly) and he felt doing the leak down/compression test right away was "jumping the gun" and that other potential issues should be ruled out first. I agreed. I then had the car flatbedded to a reputable Ferrari dealership (Ferrari of Orange County) who will soon be checking for possible causes/problems. The independent mechanic, whom I preferred to take the car to, was booked solid for the next several weeks, and actually referred me to the person at Ferrari of Orange County). If anyone had a similar problem, or have educated guess on what could be going on with my car while I await the diagnosis from FOC, I certainly would appreciate any input. James (Brian Crall, do you have any thoughts on this issue?... Thanks)
this does not help a whole lot, but p0301 is cylinder 1 misfire. ferrari may call it something else but it is a globally uniform code-not maufacturer specific. they may word it "major emissions problem in cyl. #1", but it is a misfire. the question is why is it misfiring? i agree that a leakdown/ compression test seems a little too soon, but then again i dont work on ferrari's......good luck
Misfire and Major emissions are 2 seperate errors. If it is actively missing it is the easiest thing in the world to figure out. The motor only needs 3 things to run and one is missing. Leak down and compression are not known faults to a 360 and they do not come and go. Whoever said that is not in possesion of the most basic diagnostic skills. Take it to someone who does have them. Revving a missing motor high to make a miss go away? That person is too stupid to help. He should seek a new career as a toll both attendant. Never,never,never,never turn the battery off. It fixes nothing, can cause problems and at best makes diagnosis (for someone who actually knows how to do it) more difficult. If you had brought it in then instead of what you did do it would be fixed by now. Engineering put that switch there for me to use.......not you.
Thanks Brian. Believe it or not, the person who advised to do the leak down / compression test is a service adviser at a local Ferrari dealer/repair shop. I know now not to shut off that battery switch. Again, thanks for your input. James
I believe it. Service advisor is a sales position, not a technical one. He is selling you. The problem is no matter how good or bad his mechanics are you will get what is sold, proper diagnostics or not. That is exactly the problem with most dealer service departments. Talent or lack thereof in the shop has little to do with the finished product.
At some point someone will maybe diagnose it and then we will know. The other possibility is that they will throw parts at it until the problem goes away and we will never know. And then there is the third possibility that the car just has a bad battery and low voltage is causing fits with the engine management system and the mechanic is just embarking on an expensive wild goose chase.
If the motor is running right the carbon build up will never happen. In other words it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Carbon build up was a side affect of poor carburation, poor cylinder sealing and poor ignition. There were some cars so poorly built and engineered that it was considered normal in them. This is 2007, we no longer need to accept carbon build up, polio, and spoiled food as part of our every day lives.
i only ask this question because ive seen this happen on 2000 and up 3.7 l and 4.7l jeeps . ii also know that they are not ferrari s . i have also seen carbon build up on a 1996 viper.
