Hi Guys. This is going to be the first oil change I'm going to do on the 348 since I bought it a month ago. Manual says 11+ litres, so I'm going to standby 12 litres of oil. Is it really that much? Some mechanics have been telling me something more like 8 litres. I'd like to get as much advice on this from those who are experienced. The other thing is that my brake pressure warning light and ABS light come on after 6 full and hard strokes on the brake pedal when stationary, and engine on. The ABS pump whizzes and the lights go off after a short while. Otherwise, during a normal drive, the warning lights do not ever come on. I guess this is because there is never a moment when I need to be pumping the pedal fully up to 6 times during driving. If, on the other hand, I need to hold down on the pedal hard and keep it down indefinitely during a stop, no warning lights come on. Is this normal?
I try to keep the oil somewhere between the minimum and maximum range always. Fill about 9.5-10 litres and run the engine for some time till the fans come on, switch off the engine and then check the oil level. I don't know about the brakes. do you have enough meat in the brake pads and is the brake fluid reservoir topped up?
I bought 10 litres of Mobil 1 when I did my oil change. I used both bottles, 10 litres and had to get another 1 litre top up bottle. My car took 11 litres all up mate. Um......dont know about that one.
Thanks guys for the info on the volume of oil that I need. About the brakes, can I assume you guys don't ever get any warnings lights no matter how many times you pump the brake pedal when stationary and engine on?
Blast!!! I was just driving my car around 5 mins ago. I should have checked for you to see if my car does it. I will check tomorrow for you if you like?
Already bled. Main Hydraulic Unit/Master Cylinder is new too. Only the ABS pump assembly has not been changed.
Just went and had a look for you mate. Engine running, at idle.........it took 13 pumps before my brake and ABS lights came on. After 2 seconds, they turned off. It then took another 13 pumps to do it again.........and so on. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hey PAP, thanks for checking your car for me! Looks like it's "normal" for the lights to come on after many pumps on the pedal with engine on, only thing is how many pumps it takes for the lights to come on which is the real issue... how many pumps do we then consider "within normal operational limits"? Then, which part deteriorates and responsible for the variance in number of pumps till lights are on? Haha. I know it all sounds weird, or am I too particular, but I guess it's good to know. What do you think?
I dont know mate? Good question though. I do not think its an issue either way. Im not too concerned. As long as I have brakes, thats all I need.
My spider does something different. When I first start the car, without touching the brake, the Brake and ABS lights stay on for 5 to 10 seconds, but then they go off by themselves. I just assume that the sensors are overly sensitive.
I think they all do that mate. Both my lights stay on for around 20 seconds, then turn off. Strange how they are all different 'time levels', so to speak??
I think as long as there is low pressure in the system, like when starting up for the first time, the lights will be on until the correct pressure is built up by the ABS pump. So, all cars will do this. Only variable here is the length of time it takes our different cars to build up this pressure. As long as it can build up the required pressure in a decent amount of time I think most of us are safe. My concern is the loss of pressure when pumping the brakes, when the lights come on again. Where does the pressure go? In the above case we have some pumps being more efficient than others causing the variation in time required to build up the required pressure, but in this case why is there a variation of number of applications till the system pressure is lost and where does it go. Perhaps we could get more of the 348 owners to try pumping their brakes with engine on idle, to see how many pumps it takes till the lights come on. Maybe there are some who never get the lights on? (I assume this would be the ideal situation? and all other cars have issues?). Or do these ideal cars not exist? Food for thought? Or paranoid? Haha... Cheers!
If I recall correctly the ABS light comes on at start up and stays on while the system self tests. If no faults detected the light goes out, if the system detects a fault, the light stays on and ABS is disabled until corrected. I believe the manual details this procedure or I could be completely wrong!
I recently did a complete brake flush and bleed and it takes me consistently 6 full pumps at idle for the lights to come on. PAP, if you're getting 13 pumps, I think I should get my system looked at. I'm guessing either the ABS pump is getting tired, or the pressurized accumulator needs renewing. This part comes as a whole unit from Ferrari, which to me seems unecessary. Has anyone found a source and changed the accumulator by itself, and has anyone reconditioned the ABS motor before? Seems to me that this would be a much more cost effective solution than buying the whole unit new.
Yeah, dunno mate?? As long as you have strong brakes, I wouldnt be too concerned with it buddy. Perhaps the gas in the accumulator is low. Maybe the ABS unit is getting tired?? I am sure even get them both overhauled would cost a lot of money, which is probably un-warranted at this point in time. There are not too many times when driving, that you will hit the brake pedal 6 times in a row to slow down. Even when the light came on for me after 13 pumps, I still had a full brake pedal. Do you still have a full/strong brake pedal after 6 pumps? If so, I wouldnt be to worried mate.
It might just be your old brake lines. I completely warped/destroyed my OEM brake lines at the track last week. It now only takes me 5 pumps to get the ABS light to come on. But I'm about to install steel replacement lines. That (and a full brake/clutch fluid flush) will make a substantial difference over the old factory rubber.
No Doubt, just a question, how would the old brake lines cause the system to have less pumps till the pressure is depleted.
I'm not certain, but my best guess would be that the old rubber brake lines swell a little bit, taking more fluid to obtain the same pressure. So new rubber would better, and new steel lines would take many more pumps before the same amount of fluid flowed. I could be way wrong on this, though. It's just a guess on my part.
You know...people say this. People also say 348's have crap brakes especially on track. Well I tracked my car only with a totally stock system except stainless steel brake lines and used a race pad and huge 3" brake ducts from the fog lights. My brakes never faded on track, were rock steady, perfect mondulation, fast heat up, totally straight high speed braking. If I pump my pedal at idle I would never get my abs light to come on. Guys with the light coming on after pumps have some other system fault. If I go out and pump any other car I own the abs light does not come on either.
fatbillybob, so what should we do? what's the solution to the light coming on? Any suggestions? Earlier in the thread, PAP and I were wondering how many on this board get lights coming on and after how many pumps. I think you're the only one who doesn't get a light, but I', only assuming. Perhaps some others might want to try and see if you get the same results? PAP and I may have faulty cars!
That being said, this 348 is the only car I own that uses positive pressure to assist the brakes, and uses a pump. All others I own use a vacuum servo and diaphragm to assist the brakes. These two systems are completely different in terms of providing the assist. Needless to say, on conventional systems that run on vacuum, there isn't a pressure switch like the 348 that will notify or warn a low pressure state, as there is always constant vacuum from the engine to provide assist. I am under the impression that the 348 running on a pump and accumulator, will eventually reach a stage when positive pressure is depleted, otherwise why is there an accumulator? The basis of having an accumulator is obviously because the pump cannot provide the rate of pressure increase/restoration that is required for the system. This to me is common sense. However, what I do not understand is where the pressure goes since it is a sealed system. I have a feeling that the lights will come on NO MATTER WHAT, just that what counts here is how many pumps it takes for it to be acceptable. But of course, I am no expert and could be wrong. fatbillybob, are you completely certain that your lights don't come on after infinite pumps on the pedal? This would be very relevant information for us.
This link says that you can tell if your accumulator isn't holding pressure or isn't getting pressure by whether or not you have a hard to press brake pedal: http://www.albeedigital.com/supercoupe/articles/abs-system.html But getting the ABS light after a half-dozen pumps wouldn't seem to be that.
