winter punch list

Even the best cars need TLC as they age. What's your winter project list now that the weather is changing (at least for us East coast US guys).

After a nice fast drive this morning I brought my car by the emissions station. Passed no problem.

So I'm putting her back in the garage and started writing my list. It's all tiny stuff:

Track down brake light. Might be bulb might be contact somewhere, but top half of one brake light is out. Came back one night, now out again. (thus not likely bulb). Easy enough.

Realign top so driver window doesn;t bind and passenger window goes under top flap when door is closed. This may be lengthy time-wise but again.. no biggie.

Buy new windshield/top gasket thingy (like my technical terms?). She drips slowly on passenger leg when caught in rain. (although I'll re-allign top first and check it again before buying anything).

rebuild rear window motors. Exercized regularly and they've been fine, but one froze today.... didn't want to come up without assistance.

Reattach driver side top to B-pillar where rivet broke. This is minor and no issue as long as you are carefull when folding top to hold it together. When up or down it makes no difference, just in the folding.

investigate/tighten driver side lower front trim/air dam. It sits half an inch low and can move slightly on mount.

un-hardwire old radar detector and phone mic.

fix fan speed rheostat? maybe not worth it. temp one works and fan is high or off so meh...

replace blown speaker in door? I have listened to radio only twice so this is a maybe and low on list.

have longer tow loop made (easy at local sailboat rigging shop... may cost me a beer). The original one with the car will thread less than 1/4 inch before loop hits bodywork and you can't turn it anymore. I'm not trusting that to pull the car up onto a truck.

So nothing mechanical in terms of running the car... just little niggles that don't need to be done but will make me happy. She got new sparkplugs and a tuneup and some new plug extenders and front brake pads and replaced some fuzzy connectors to ECU in trunk and some other little things when she came into MD so routine mechanical maintenance is done until next season. I love this car.

So what's your list for those cold snowy days?

 

That's a nice little Honey-Do list.

Down here we're entering the middle of the driving season but I do have a leaking clutch slave cylinder that needs a tending to. While there, I be looking to see what's causing the buzzing sound around 4k rpms.

 

1) Take one or both rear window motor(s) out to see why they don't work
2) Spec out new door speakers for replacement, old ones have torn cones, especially on bass
3) Connect Battery tender leads to battery
4) Start up the car every weekend (weather permitted), warm up, and take out for a 20 mile drive!
5) Check all fluids and tire pressure
6) Lube doors and hinges
7) Inspect hoses/replace where applicable
8) Check spark plugs/replace (already has new oil change, coolant, air filter)
9) Prepare for a major service in Spring minus the things I have already done myself

Should have a fine piece of Ferrari magic for the c&c in Spring 2012!

Happy holidays this season to all my friends on Ferrari Chat !
-Mike

 

When mine comes home from its service:

1) Drive around a bit to make sure everything working right and to hear the new exhaust
2) Go to detailer, clean dust from transport and test drives
3) Park on new four post lift
4) Attach battery tender
5) Fill tires to 50 psi
6) Add fuel stabilizer
7) Cover and give a fender pat
8) Lift to ceiling

 

I think I might have set myself up with a 2nd full time job after making this list...

1) Rebuild fuse board (Thanks RobzWorkz for the excellent tutorial!), rewire fuel pump
2) Find and replace very noisy bearing in engine
3) Fix center dash vent -- falls out when I hit the "go pedal"!
4) Clean contacts on window switches
5) Clean / treat / give up and rewrap steering wheel.

And if a miracle occurs and all this gets done before spring... HAH!

6) Have rear bumper paint touched up
7) Passenger side boot on steering rack looks a little leaky...
8) Suspension bushings. All of 'em.
9) New carpet

Edit: Yeah, that's my excuse. I'll need stuff to do next winter!

 

I was just thinking of items I'd like to work on. Sadly, my car is now stored 2000 miles away from home. I'm selling my house and plan on moving to the west coast so rather than bring it back from my grand trip I left it out there in CA.

I'd like to:
Replace the drivers door speaker. Already did passengers
Fix heater temp control. I already rebuilt the control unit so I need to look at electrics now.
Touch up rock chips in nose.
If I had money I'd repair the A/C but that isn't in budget right now.

I feel bad, I can't think of anything else it needs. It's been a great car, 12,000 miles this year. I replaced one CV boot and one air injection check valve this year but that is it.

You fellows that are pulling the rear window motors, make sure to take pictures and keep notes of anything that is helpful, I will need to do that someday.

 

Did mine this summer. It's time to drive now!!

See this thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348023

 

My car is just out of service so engine wise everything is ok. But here is my list.

1-radio and speaker to replace, original speakers are finished, radio cd stopped working
2- I have a moto coming from Italy for the rear window, I may replace the old one if it is the same.
3- replace all the trunk and hood lifts
4- clean window switch
5- antenna sometimes won't go back down so I plan to fix it
6- burnt license plate light
7-repair leather stitching on driver seat
8-I may replace the other crank shaft sensor (preventative)
9- I have to get new rubber covers for the electric posts on the fuel pump on the left side, it was shorting on the bottom plate. Read about it in the technical section
10- front light switch needs to be looked at, the lights take forever to pop up.
11- treat leather, wax paint and detail interior.
12- stab for fuel and plug in tender

That's about it

 

This is a great thread, giving me all sorts of ideas. I have started a couple of projects and will likely come up with more over the winter.

1. New front rotors.
2. Clean electrical contacts/ replace bulbs in front marker lights.
3. Clean electrical contacts on license plate lights. Clean lenses while I'm at it, they're filthy. (Lino, neither of my license plate lights worked, and in neither case was it the bulb!)
4. Maestro, my passenger side steering boot is leaking as well!
5. New tires.

Still thinking...

 

Wow fellas! Great minds think alike, and I'm sorry Chris I didn't ever see this thread you started. I'm in!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today I worked (played) in my garage for a few hours doing a couple of housekeeping items I've been meaning to do for a while on my Mondial. I replaced the rear bonnet gasket, replaced front and rear lid support struts, replaced my cracked overhead vanity light, and replaced my broken passenger air vent. I still have a bunch of minor projects remaining, but I was curious what everyone else was doing outside of engine service stuff. By the way, took it for a drive in the 40 degree weather today. Boy, is that heater awesome.

Viva Mondial!
__________________

 

Anyone know of someone who can fix the little leather straps that hold up the rear seats vertical? One of mine broke.

 

Yes. FUTURELINE in Exton, PA. These guy are magicians. They do a ton of work on old Ferraris and their list of satisfied customers is a mile long. I can't recommend them strongly enough.


http://www.futurelineauto.com/interior.html

 

Thanks bud. I'll call tomorrow.

 

Jay. Where did you get them and did you get them for a good price or did you go for the OEM?

I have to replace all 3 of mine

 

Ted, pm sent.

I got my replacements from T Rutlands, but I also sent my original ones to Strutwise for recharge.

 

forgot to ad.... drive as often as possibe. today was gorgeous out so I took a loooong lunch break.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Please for the love of all that is holy, tell me there is no rock salt on the ground where you live.



I think I am having heart palpitations

 

oh... is all that white stuff bad? I'll rinse it off the top next week and I'll try to get it off the undercarriage in the Spring.







just kidding. Roads here haven't been done at all.

 

Whew, that was a close one.

 

Fellas, IMHO don't pull the rear window motors that work. Try WD-40 overnight, then cover the worm gear in new lithium grease. Mine have been fine since I did that on the passenger one that did not get stuck like my driver's side rear window did. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=302898&highlight=mondial+rear+window+stuck

But both are fine now and move at much better speeds than before. It's a PITA to even get a tool in there, let alone remove the entire mechanism. This is good preventative maintenance for everyone's list.

 

Jay, you got lucky with yours, both of mine does not move at all no matter what I do, so I will at least take one side out and get that one going before I would take the other side out. It is truly a pain in the a$$ to take out, I've tried already!

 

After all the talk about these window motors, i had Bradan (they are doing a major on my car now) remove both my motors, lube and add accelerators to both, lets see how that works. I purchased the accelerators from Ricambi for $85 each.

 

Because of your comments and others, I relubricated both of my rear window mechanisms today. I should do the front ones as well and put those accelerators in while I'm at it.

 

Other punch list projects this afternoon were touching up Ferrari logo on airbox, putting up soft top, washing wheels and wheel wells, and vacuuming interior and trunk.

Does anyone know how to attach airbox clamp so it sits properly? One of the two is a little different as a result of the A/C recharge work I did.

 

Jay, the two clamps on the neck of my airbox looks like this, but the filter box is screwed tight by 4 Allen type screws. Hope the pic helps.
Image Unavailable, Please Login