The Honeymoon is over! I broke down. | FerrariChat
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The Honeymoon is over! I broke down.

Discussion in '348/355' started by Bee Jay, Aug 31, 2007.

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  1. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #1 Bee Jay, Aug 31, 2007
    I left for work this morning, with the top out. It's a beautiful California morning and I'm driving my Ferrari to work!!!, and hey, it's Friday:). I am trully blessed. I go to raise the windows becuase it's a little nippy, and they are extremely slow, slower than usaul. Then my check engine 1-4 light came on, then my check engine 5-8 light comes on. Then the engine loses most of it power. I decide to turn around and head home. I'm barely making it up the hill on hiway 1. I turn off the headlights, the sun was up now, and the engine gets a little bit stronger. Aha, maybe the battery is weak. I go to honk the horn, and nothing. Well, it's obvious that I'm not gonna make this hill, so I pull over to the side, and when I clutch, the engine dies. I go to restart and there is no juice. No horn. I go to check the volt meter/ammetter gauge, and there ain't one. What the heck Enzo! Well, I didn't really say heck, but this is a family forum. The battery is dead. After I sit a few minutes calling the wife and my buddy Eric, there is enough power for the flashers. Eric shows up, and we hook up cables. His alternator changes tone, so we know it's charging my battery. We let it charge for about five minutes, and with the cables still attached, I start the car. I drive it home with Eric following closely behind. Once home, we put a tester on the car, and the alternator is not charging. I turn the car off, and turn the key to the on position, and there is no battery light. It was there before when I first got the car, so it prolly burned out, just so I wouldn't know the alternator was not charging. I just put the car up on the lift, and I'm trying to decide whether to go put the four hours in at work that I already put on my timesheet, or change and start removing the alternator. I can see that the alternator is definitely not 15 years old which confirms my PPI that said new alternator, but it's a Delco Remmy.
    What's next? I've rebuilt alternators before, and NAPA downtown can test it for me. Replace diodes and brushes is my usual procedure, but I've never owned an Italian car before. Any advice or links for me to go to?
    PS, I got a brand new red top Optima with my major, and we just tested the battery, it's good.
    Please go easy on me, it's my first time.
    Bee Jay
     
  2. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    #2 No Doubt, Aug 31, 2007
  3. gothspeed

    gothspeed F1 World Champ

    May 26, 2006
    10,244
    U.S.A.
    Full Name:
    goth
    #3 gothspeed, Aug 31, 2007
    Dang "brotherhood" and their impecable support infrastucture....:mad:........ why do you guys have all the cool stuff and we just get bad headers and guides.... :confused:.......???
     
  4. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #4 Bee Jay, Aug 31, 2007
  5. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    #5 No Doubt, Aug 31, 2007
    Ha!

    Don't fret. The above fixes also work on 355 alternators as well as Mondial T alternators. This brotherhood is wide!
     
  6. bcwawright

    bcwawright F1 Veteran

    Jul 8, 2006
    5,234
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Bruce
    #6 bcwawright, Aug 31, 2007
    Hey,ND,Ernie,FBB,PAP, and other 348 brothers have helped the 355 owners on more than one occassion...
     
  7. modena2904

    modena2904 Formula Junior
    Owner

    Jul 6, 2007
    917
    Ellicott City, MD
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #7 modena2904, Aug 31, 2007
    Bee Jay, sorry to hear about the misfortune, but think how lucky you are to have this forum and the Brotherhood as a support group. I'm sure you'll be back on the road in no-time. Keep us posted.

    - Eric
     
  8. gothspeed

    gothspeed F1 World Champ

    May 26, 2006
    10,244
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    goth
    #8 gothspeed, Aug 31, 2007
    I know..... I was just complimenting their coolness ...... :cool:!!!!
     
  9. brent Lachelt

    brent Lachelt Formula 3

    Dec 6, 2003
    1,831
    Brownsburg, INDIANA
    Full Name:
    Brent R.Lachelt
    #9 brent Lachelt, Aug 31, 2007
    No worries Bee Jay. Now you get to have fun working a little on your 348. I think half the fun is getting all the bugs worked out of them after you buy one. Nice thing about the 348 is it's something that you can usually fix with the help of the brotherhood. However, if it's ever something major take it to "Le Grande Master" Eugenio!! :)
     
  10. UConn Husky

    UConn Husky F1 Rookie

    Nov 11, 2006
    4,425
    CT
    Full Name:
    Jay
    #10 UConn Husky, Aug 31, 2007
    Hey BeeJay, thanks for posting your bad experience, that's what makes this forum more useful. Ironically people browse here and see these 'issues' and conclude all the cars are falling apart. Quite the contrary!
     
  11. SonomaRik

    SonomaRik F1 Veteran

    Dec 15, 2006
    6,904
    Folsom, CA (formerly Sonoma)
    #11 SonomaRik, Aug 31, 2007
    beejay

    to post your solution later on this thread...always good to hear the followup. :)
     
  12. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 19, 2001
    22,620
    The Brickyard
    Full Name:
    The Bad Guy
    #12 ernie, Aug 31, 2007
    Before you go diving into the alternator, make sure that your bullet connectors haven't come undone. That is if you have them. If you do have them and they did come loose it will cause the problem you have. I have had both the bullet connectors come undone, and the alternator die. I got rid of the bullet connectors for solid cables, because of this problem. Well then the alternator died and I knew it wasn't the connectors cause I didn't have the stupid things any more.

    Anyway, Shemp....ahem...I mean, NoDoubt gave you the link you'll need to rebuilt the alternator if that is indeed the problem. What ever the case let us know how it turns out.
     
  13. 285ferrari

    285ferrari Two Time F1 World Champ
    Sponsor

    Sep 11, 2004
    20,973
    MD and NE
    Full Name:
    Robbie
    #13 285ferrari, Aug 31, 2007
    That sucks---Hope you get it running again soon and cheap!!!
     
  14. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #14 Bee Jay, Aug 31, 2007
    I got the alternator out. The secret is that you have to remove the shifter cable bracket to get the long alternator bolt out. Took me an hour to figure that out. I'm headed into town now to get it repaired or to find a replacement. I saw a thread earlier that listed the NAPA part # and the GM part # for reasonable prices, but I lost it. Any help while I search again.
    Bee Jay
     
  15. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
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    Mr. Sideways
    #15 No Doubt, Aug 31, 2007
    One potential Mondial T/348/355 replacement alternator, new from NAPA, part number is 13-4553. The Delco part number is 10479969. GM part number: 1101267 Cost: $144.

    Dunno if you have the Delco or Nippondenso alternator...

    Elreg price quote for Delco parts:
    Rectifier: 311-618XHD $8.23
    Regulator: 101-670HD $9.72


    Here are the Regitar parts for Delco:
    rectifier - #RN-02
    http://www.holcombedirect.com/browse.cfm/4,478.htm
    http://www.holcombedirect.com/browse.cfm/4,569.htm

    USI part (better) number for Delco:
    regulator - #00632, 71-30003/SCP
     
  16. traimpz348

    traimpz348 Formula 3

    Apr 13, 2004
    1,568
    Avon,CT
    Full Name:
    Matthew
    #16 traimpz348, Aug 31, 2007
    If you're going to Napa/AutoZone etc, etc. get an altenator that is a quality re-build. I got one from AutoZone - it melted 4 months later.
     
  17. Davidt

    Davidt Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2003
    713
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dave T.
    #17 Davidt, Aug 31, 2007
    No worries Bee Jay. My dash still thinks it's the 4th of July. :eek: The good this is that they tend to be easy and cheap issues to resolve. :D Good luck and hope you're behind the wheel soon. ;)
     
  18. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 19, 2001
    22,620
    The Brickyard
    Full Name:
    The Bad Guy
    #18 ernie, Aug 31, 2007
  19. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,224
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    #19 PAP 348, Aug 31, 2007
    Happens to the best of them Bee Jay!! :):)

    Glad to see you got in and got the alternator out. No mucking around at Bee Jays place!! :D:D
    Everytime I see a brother down, I wish I was alongside them swinging spanners!! :D:D
    I am sure you will have your baby back on the road in no time my friend. Like........today!! :):)

    Please let us know (I am sure you will ;)) how it goes. Whether you replaced or rebuilt your old alternator. :):)
    Oh, and pics?? We always love pics around here.........;);)

    Have fun mate. Half of the fun of 348 ownership is that you can work on the car yourself. :):)
     
  20. 3forty8

    3forty8 F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Apr 25, 2006
    2,713
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #20 3forty8, Aug 31, 2007
    It sounds like you have the Delco unit - I ordered the Elreg parts and had my alternator rebuilt with them. Rock solid - I've had no more alternator issues since then. One other thing I did was to reinstall my alternator without the heat shield. One of the heat shield mounting points is also a fixing point for the alternator. In order to get it tight, I found the heat shield would bend and come too close to the alternator (death by heat absorption) or if the bolt is not as tight keeping the shield from deforming, the alternator will vibrate and you get death from internal components being shaken. With the new internals installed and ditching the heat shield the damn thing finally works like it should! Good luck!
     
  21. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Dec 7, 2003
    16,462
    Winston Salem, NC
    #21 Ricambi America, Aug 31, 2007
  22. 3forty8

    3forty8 F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Apr 25, 2006
    2,713
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #22 3forty8, Aug 31, 2007
    The heat shield on the Delco Remy CS-130 also functions as a piece of crap. The Nippondenso shield is a different beast altogether - good info there Daniel.

    NAPA has an exact replacement for the CS-130 (mentioned earlier in the thread) that is spec'd for a 1992 Chrysler V6 engine. The pulley wheel I believe is also correct, but my local Ferrari tech said the Ferrari units have upgraded bearings to handle the higher RPM's. If that is the case Bee Jay would be better off replacing the internals than getting a new unit.
     
  23. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #23 Bee Jay, Aug 31, 2007
    I got er done. After getting the alternator out, I took Sylvia lunch, and drove to Santa Maria. I was kinda bummed because it was almost 2pm, and I'm sure that they would keep the alternator untill Tuesday because Monday was labor day. I really wanted to drive the car down to Ventura in the morning to pick up my daughter because she would really like that, and I wanted my ex-wife to see me in my Ferrari. I know, mean isn't it? I took the alternator to Centruy Auto Elcetric and Mike Taylor helped. Well the second question out of his mouth is, "what's it out of?". I cannot tell a lie, so I say proudly "92 Ferrari 348ts". And he said, "so you got the Delco unit". He was on it like a fly on pie. He mounted it tested it, and told me to come back in an hour and a half. I had my totally rebuilt alternator home by 4pm and the car running by 5pm. Sylvia and I took it cruising thru the Lompoc Farmers Market. All is cool. The rebuild only cost me $100. I got my wax from Scott Kennedy today also, so I'll go outside and wax it down for my trip to Ventura in the morning.
    Bee Jay
    PS changing the alternator in my Porsche was much much harder.
     
  24. brent Lachelt

    brent Lachelt Formula 3

    Dec 6, 2003
    1,831
    Brownsburg, INDIANA
    Full Name:
    Brent R.Lachelt
    #24 brent Lachelt, Aug 31, 2007
    Great work! Glad it turned out to be only $100
     
  25. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    #25 No Doubt, Aug 31, 2007
    Sweet!


    Gee, I just "hate" it that your ex-wife is going to have to see you drive over to pick up your daughter in your Ferrari!


    Life is good.
     
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