328 Won't Start

If it were me I would take it to your man Brian. Me not knowing much and him one of some repute in these environs seems like the way to go.

As for your symptoms sounds like some fuel pump noise but not much else. Yeah the starter could be bad or the solenoid but usually it's the battery. If you wanted to gamble you could start there and just replace the battery.

But between Brian and Ferrari of Merced well I would go to Brian.

 

It's possible that it is nothing more than an old battery. It is common that when a battery is on its way out, it won't start the car but the lights work fine.

Could also be a poor connection - check the big red ground connector behind the driver side headlamp - it is visible, with the 'trunk" lid lifted. Again, a connection can be sufficient for lights/other fairly low current tasks but not be able to activate a starter.

It's possible that there's a charging issue but I'd bet it's either the battery or a connection.

 

For this simple problem, Ferrari of Silicon Valley in Redwood City will do you fine. It would be harder if the engine cranks over but no start. There are only a few things this can be for you

Battery and its connections
Ignition switch
Solenoid and starter.

That is it.

 

+1

There is also another of those big red connectors hiding under the car behind a cover just in front of the engine.

The symptoms are also typical of a malfunctioning alarm/immobiliser system.

 

Good ideas here.
Check the ground. These cars are known for grounding issues. Sometimes they come and then go away. Sometimes hard to find. Ask me how I know. LOL

 

Have you tried charging the battery? That should be the first step, imo.

 

If the headlights are nice and strong and don't dim when you try to start the engine it might be the small red wire that plugs into solenoid on the starter motor. Might have unplugged itself or have a bad connection/corrosion. Could be bad "starter" contacts on the ignition switch too.

Probably not a good idea to look into it yourself if you don't have any background in this sort of stuff. I'm not convinced it needs a Ferrari mechanic to look at it. A good automotive electrical guy would probably be fine but ONLY if he knows how to raise this car correctly without doing any damage to the underside. That's where a Ferrari mechanic would have the advantage on something like this (and the fact that he may have seen the exact problem a number of times in his career!).

Search function...... it's probably not you as much as it is the search function itself. Also I would say a lot of "blame" is with the people that post things and are very vague in the "Title" description.

 

I've had the same issue a couple times on my 308 GT4, and both times it was a loose battery cable. Started fine and I drove it to pick up my daughters at school then went to start it back up and got lights and buzzer etc, but as soon as I went to ignition it died.

So check that the battery cables are nice and tight first, then if they are, try a battery charger to test the voltage. If that checks out well, then it's most likely a bad connection at the solenoid, a bad key cylinder or problem with an alarm.

 

From your description of the problem,I cant see why a competent auto electrician couldnt fix the problem.The 328 isnt really complex electrically.

 

There are plenty of good independents closer to you than Brian Crall. Tony Palladino at Modena Motors in Redwood City; Dayal Drindal at Prancing Horse in Burlingame; Johannes Huwyler at Dino Motors in San Mateo; Sal Garcia at Waterfront Automobili in San Francisco.

 

I have learned to pay extra for the up-to-100 miles towing service with AAA. They don't get to tell me where to tow it, I tell them where to go.

However, this problem is really simple. Any mechanic with a socket kit can find the problem.

 

I had a similar no-start issue with an '84 Mondial QV that I owned. It would start fine most of the time, but now and then, especially when it was hot, I would turn the key, lights, etc. would come on, but turn the key and nothing. No clicking like a low battery, just nothing. I would wait a while, and it would sometime just "fix" itself and start.

Turned out it was a bad ground connection. The Mondial has a battery cut-off switch that was located right next to the radiator in the front of the car. The switch had a lot of corrosion, as did the negative battery cable. When they got hot, resistence would go up enough that I didn't have enough power to crank the starter. I removed the switch, got a new negative battery cable, ran it directly to the chassis, and no more starting problem.

So I tend to agree that you probably have a problem with either a bad connection (probably a bad ground) or a weak/dying battery. Batteries are easy to check -- take it to any Auto Zone or similar store, and they will put it on a tester for you. Bad grounds -- look at the negative battery terminal and it's connection, clean up that disconnect that was mentioned behind the driver's side headlight. These things, and checking the starter solenoid, connections to the starter, etc., don't require a Ferrari mechanic. Any decent local mechanic who is familiar with auto electric should be able to sort out that problem. Brian Crall has a great reputation. But you don't need the pro of all pros to sort this one, IMHO.

Please, when you do get it fixed, let us all know what the problem actually was (let's see who wins the guessing contest here!!).

 

i have just been dealing with the same situation. recently replaced the soleniod. when doing so i removed and cleaned all the grounds. engine to chassis, battery to chassis. all was well then the other day went to start and nothing. the red dash lights came on and when i turned the key they went out. tried to engage headlights and nothing. i removed the battery checked all connections for corrosion. all seemd well. replaced battery. car started immediately and has been fine since. why? no one seems to have an answer. have you tried to run a jumper cable directly from your ground terminal on the battery to the engine? this will bypass the chassis ground as the starter is grounded to the engine. if the engine responds you have a bad chassis to battery ground. i hate electrical problems. good luck with yours

 

Electrical gremlins can be quite frustrating! Rick at Great Marques in Redwood City (650-366-5082) is very talented at discovering what could be causing these kinds of probs. Two thumbs way up!!

 

It seems to me that all indications are that it is either the battery or electrical connections between the battery and the starter. I would break all the connections, clean them, shoot them with De-Oxit, coat them with di-electric grease and re-assemble. This includes all/any grounds. Note that part of this check would include checking the batt cables - they can be corroded internally but look fine externally, proroducing the same symptoms. You can't adequately check a batt cable with an ohmmeter because the circuit can look perfect under that minuscule voltage but fail completely under high amperage.

Did the shop do a voltage drop test as part of their check? If not, it should have been done; it will immediately show faulty wiring/connections, etc.

 

Sounds exactly like the internal battery connections, which are virtually crimped lead. This happens faily often. Just CHANGE the battery. NEW Testing won't find the problem. This can happen even with new batteries. The lead plates are attached to a bus bar which connects to the round battery post. And that connection is mechanical and subject to failing under high loads.

Ignition key on, gauges come on. Key to start, everything fails. Mess with it a bit, charge the battery, and everything repeats. Symptomatic of internal battery failure.

CHANGE THE BATTERY

 

...especially since it's cheaper than the $165 you already spent.

In the process you can clean a few connectors.

I just did this myself, was a piece of cake.

PM me if you want any help. I'm just up the road from you, brother!

 

FYI ... through the grapevine I hear that the folks at Ferrari of SV don't know doodlie about any of the older cars such as your 328. You might as well have taken it to the corner Chevron station. A better choice would be one of the several independents in the area .. Brian Crall has particular knowledge of 328's. Ditto Juan at Grand Prix Motors in Campbell.

 

I agree that the battery and connections are the first thing to look at. But keep in mind that the symptoms noted are also what you get when the brushes in the starter get worn. You get intermittent contact from the brushes and slight variations in voltage, temperature or just random settling will cause a no start. When the brushes get short, the springs dont press very hard and the contact pressures go down leading to problems.

Look at the connections and battery first. If you still get intermittent problems, check the starter. Especially if the voltages are what they should be.

Its a bosch starter. The brushes are replaceable. You dont have to buy a new one.

 

I had similar problem that turned out to be the ignition switch, right behind the ignition. Was poorly contacting. Caused months of problems. Assuming not starting, hold the key all the way right as if starting. Reach behind the switch w.left hand and monkey with the contacts, gently, and see if it wakes up.

Does not sound like batt to me.

 

Those wires are not original. At a guess maybe audio equipment or something to do with an alarm or tracker system. They look very "home brew".

Worst case they are a bodge/work-around for something else that failed at some point in the past.

 

Stop wasting your time and buy a new battery....Looking at the photo your battery is from 06.....at least 4 years old! Start your trouble shooting with a new battery.