348 Strange Problem

This morning I went to start my car. Due to heavy work load I've been away and not started the car for around six weeks. The last run it had was a 2500 mile run from the Uk to Modena for Ferrari's 60th. The car ran perfectly.

I normally flick the key over without getting into the car key wait for the various pumps and relays to stop - the engine just turned with no hint of firing up. I checked connectors etc but no change.

I got into the car pumped the accelerator a couple of times and it started to catch. When it did the engine rattled like a bag of spanners. The oil light was out and the pressure was up. I switched off - checked the oil which was ok and fired it up again. At tickover it gradually (over about 30 seconds) began to run quietly. It sounded more like the top-end than the bottome end.
Since then its started fine and seems back to normal - I'm just concerned its a sign of things to come.

The only thing I do know is that on my long trip I couldnt get any fully synthetic top-up oil so I used some 10/40 semi synthetic. Any ideas ?

 

Strange alright mate. You do not have to pump accelerator pedal in your 348, because its EFI. The reason it could have been a b*tch to start could be bad fuel. Fuel goes stale very quickly. 6 weeks, the fuel is not as flamable as it used to be, so would have been harder to start. Top it up with some fresh fuel and run it through Leo.
Because your car sat for so long, the oil from the top end of the engine slowly drains back to the oil pan. When you started the car for the 1st time, it would have taken some time for engine oil to totally lubricate the top end ect.....while engine was running. Thats what that rattle noise would have been IMO mate.

Personally, I think there is nothing to worry about Leo. Try and drive the car more if possible or at least have a mate/partner/someone trustworthy......start the car for you once every fortnight to keep battery charged up and keep everything working.

 

Well, I'd suspect one of two things:

If you are lucky, it's #1.

1. Low voltage and current from a nearly-drained battery caused inadequate firing of the coils so you had misfires right at first that self-corrected as the alternator charged up the battery a bit.

or

2. Your timing belt skipped a tooth or two, pistons impacted some of your valves, and the car began running right only after the valves and/or valve guides bent/deformed.

If it's option #2 then you'll be seeing high oil consumption and plenty of smoke out of your tailpipe, even though the car could seemingly drive fine otherwise.

 

Id suspect neither of those two........

 

Thanks people,
The battery is new and on a trickle charger turned the engine easily. The engine is quiet now so I'm swaying towards the oil draining away - surely if it skipped its yr old cam belt it would be down on power if not missing/noisy with bent valves. It certainly feels normal but i like to worry.

 

Bingo!! Didnt happen!!
No need to worry around here mate.

 

Hey, you're the man!

 

We both are!!

 

Whoa...you've got more posts on Fchat than NNO!

 

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Where ya been ND?? That was sooooooooooooo 3 weeks ago!!

 

You guys are F1 champs and consultants? C'mon, if the battery is flat, the starter engine draws MUCH more power then the spark plug coils. If it turns over enought to overcome the additional friction of an oilless top end, then the plugs will spark. Secondly, once the engine reaches 4-500 RPMs (in the Old F119 engine with a stock alternator) the electrical bus will draw power from the alternator and not the battery. Want to try it? Disconnect the battery after the engine starts and all the electrics will run, ergo spark plugs only drawing power from battery as soon as alternator inverts the main bus power flow to charge the battery when its output is higher then the battry.

A slipping belt? when woud this have happened? when the engine was sitting still for 6 weeks, or at a magical moment before shutdown which did not cause an INCREDIBLE racket and smoking at the time?

C'mon guys, if you have to be taken seriously speculate on what IS reasonable and not what sounds like what an F1 consultant would say...

Marco
Amateur mechanica who has rebuilt 3 F119's and has the scars to show it.

 

You guys are F1 champs and consultants? C'mon, if the battery is flat, the starter engine draws MUCH more power then the spark plug coils. If it turns over enought to overcome the additional friction of an oilless top end, then the plugs will spark. Secondly, once the engine reaches 4-500 RPMs (in the Old F119 engine with a stock alternator) the electrical bus will draw power from the alternator and not the battery. Want to try it? Disconnect the battery after the engine starts and all the electrics will run, ergo spark plugs only drawing power from battery as soon as alternator inverts the main bus power flow to charge the battery when its output is higher then the battry.

A slipping belt? when woud this have happened? when the engine was sitting still for 6 weeks, or at a magical moment before shutdown which did not cause an INCREDIBLE racket and smoking at the time?

C'mon guys, if you have to be taken seriously speculate on what IS reasonable and not what sounds like what an F1 consultant would say...

Marco
Amateur mechanica who has rebuilt 3 F119's and has the scars to show it.

 

2 identical Posts in one Thread Marco, jeez you definitely wanted to get that off your chest

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