got a 550 today but need some help!!!

Where in the world did you have the PPI done?

Do not drive the car!

An Fchatter in the Nashville area will undoubtedly respond to your dilemma.

Good Luck

 

Those are two different issues.

One issue is your SLOW DOWN light. That means that your catalytic converter(s) is/are near catching your car on fire. It can be a very serious situation.

Your other problem is your engine overheating. When your coolant heats up into the red, you risk warping your heads enough to blow a head gasket. This may not be immediately apparent, either (your car may seem to run "fine" for some time before she blows).

Has your car been in an accident? Do you have complete service records in hand?

Obviously you want to take the car back if you bought it in this condition from a licensed Ferrari dealer (though they typically won't sell a car in that sort of condition).

I'd recommend that you not drive it.

Your two issues carry great personal risk as well as mechanical risk.

 

Does your car have oil?

Also, here's a diagram of your radiator and coolant fill tank so that you can check your water level:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The problem with checking a dry sump Ferrari's oil in your case is that the engine needs to be hot.

 

Might just be a broken thermostat though. Hopefully, as that shouldn't be too bad to fix. I've had that happen and the car says it's overheating (and quickly) but it just *thinks* it is. Get it all checked out but I'd suggest starting there.

I'm not a mechanic either though, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

I've checked my manual to see if there are any other possible explanations, but No Doubt has covered them all.

Considering your light comes up after 1 block around your house, which would NEVER be enough for the catalytic converters to heat up to dangerous levels, the sensor fault suggested seems likely. However, your engine could definitely heat up that quickly if its starved of oil or coolant and that problem to me seems much more serious (or at least it will be if you drive the car).

Whatever the issues are, you should have the previous owner sort them out. He clearly misrepresented his car, but I also can't believe you bought it. Homework is a good thing, you know. Good luck with it - they are fantastic cars when properly sorted.


Onno

 

In respect of water temperature, being in red in 2 minutes is really bad. Probably means the thermostat is not opening, or a big big air bubble keeping the collant to enter de radiator. Nothing that can be fixed DIY. I have had a coolant leak once and the temperature wasn't raising that quick. Given the costs involved in that one the only advice is: get the car towed to thee nearest dealer.

The slow down light is probably a bad sensor.

I hope your seller is honest because this may be a bit costly.

 

Slow down light could be a contaminated sensor. Cooling issues at the same time.

That could be a head gasket.

Did you have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done? You bought a 550 and didn't get an owner's manual? No service records either?

Did you buy this locally or from e/bay?

(Why do I get the impression that a lot of Katrina cars are showing up on e/bay, with vetted titles?)

 

Not true.

An ignition issue can dump raw gas on them and cause them to fail in less than 30 seconds.

I've seen one catch fire on the dyno before with this failure mode...

 

I had some coolant and overheating issues with a 97 Maranello. The problem turned out to be a bad hose under the plenum, which is not an unusual occurence. But, the car did not get 'red hot' as quickly as yours.
I would get a letter off to the seller, confirming that he will pay whatever to have the car sorted; even better if he countersigns it and returns it to you:- i would probably have it trailed to an authorized dealer and let them go over it carefully.

No clue on the cat issue, but another good reason not to drive it until it is checked.

If you didn't have a ppi done, this serves as a good lesson:- the amount of time necessary to have a car checked out is far less than what it will take to fix it once you own it. And a PPI is far cheaper, too.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

 

+1

I had a TR whose Dist Cap and Ignition wires went and Raw Fuel was pumped into the Cats. Luckily no fire started.

Anyway, please have the car towed to the mechanic and do not drive it. Sorry to hear you are having issues, once they are sorted you will love the car.

Best,
dsd

 

I'll go check for you... give me minute.

 

I don't know anything about a 550 but common sense would tell me there should be some oil on the stick cold, and there sure as hell should be coolant in the expansion tank.

 

Oil: 1/4 inch below min.

Coolant: Visible in the neck of the container.




We had all fluids changed in January. Hope that helps!



Joe

 

Dry sumps are funny. When the engine is cold/off, you may or may not see any oil on the dipstick...that's just not how you check the oil on such cars (gotta have the engine running and temp hot).

However, that's the oil.

You should *always* see 3/4 full coolant in your coolant tank...and you check your cooolant when the engine is cold, never when hot.

Opposites.

 

Who ever did the coolant flush should be hi-tailing it over to your house to make sure he didn't just wipe out a car. I'd be freeking screaming.

 

No oil, no coolant, and cat slow down lights on. Coolant temp in the red = warped aluminum heads on a 12 cyl = blown head gasket (which could easily leak coolant out of the cooling system).

This car's got a story. i'd love to hear it.

 

Hmmm. You learn something everyday. I suppose the catylitic converter can act as a petrol trap (why do you Americans call it "raw gas"? It's not gas! ), which could then ignite, that makes sense. You would need a serious issue to cause that, though, and I can't imagine the engine would sound very smooth whilst running at that time.


Onno

 

You would be surprised how smooth a V12 sounds running on only 10 cylinders...