355 wont crank over.

So...back to the forums for some much needed assistance, advice and relative comfort as I am lost in the sea of Maranello, with one oar left and a ripped sail...It's almost embarrassing to post all of my F-issues here, but I suppose now is when I need assistance the most. I guess I am one of those owners who wound up with the F 355 nightmare story.

Here's my issues. Quite a list.

First: I am not sure if these problems are related, but here goes. This next paragraph details how I hooked up the back-up camera and monitor (wirelss, and independently wired, and not connected to each other except via wireless signal.)

I installed the back up camera. Problem: When I turn on/off the running lights, the motor skips a beat. When I open or close the engine cover, it does the same thing. The wireless camera is mounted to the yellow wire on the rear-right running lamp (outermost lamp). I grounded it to the black. Because of the problem with the running lights, I rewired the ground to a screw that holds some hoses...seemed like a safe spot since it wasn't electrical-related ...same issue remains.
The wireless monitor WAS wired directly to the AC fuse, and grounded to the fuse box (there is a screw on the passenger fuse box) but I rewired all of that to the Alpine stereo (ground and hot wire.) I have a toggle switch for the monitor that is grounded to the bottom of the ashtray-electronics (black wire). At one point when I turned on the running lights, the car shut OFF. Restarted and the same thing. It seems like everything is grounded but the car doesn't like the extra load on the running lights? Maybe it's a ground problem even though I have re-grounded both systems to different areas. I'm lost on this.

Next: To solve a persistent stalling issue when the fan kicks on....I isolated the top air duct with duct tape and carbon fiber tape, so It pulls air from the door-vent mostly, instead of the hot-air blowback from the fan. It totally solved the stalling issue, and I was thrilled. THRILLED!!!! FINALLY!!!!!

What happened next was that the car was hesitating / fluttering upon acceleration. I pulled into a convenience store, shut the car off to look at my new vent, thinking something had changed, but the duct mod looked just like I left it: sturdy.

The check engine light turned on as I parked. I shut the car off...when I tried to restart it, it simply would not crank. I shut the battery on and off, and I have full battery power (lights, dash lights etc). It wont crank. I can hear the fuel pump I think....I know that sound. I checked all of the fuses...and found a blown air-pump fuse and replaced it. Still no crank...I had AAA flatbed it to a friend's house. There it sits.

The next day I looked in the engine bay and saw insulation packing all over the left side. I have a cracked manifold now too.

Car wont crank.
Blown manifold
Electrical issues .

I am out of cash, pretty much. I just gave Ferrari 13K for belts, radiator, tires, alignment, axle boots, AC system update, main oil line, compression test, manifold inspection (said they are fine), exhaust install, etc etc.

I don't know what to do...send the car back to get a bill I can't pay as of right now? I am stuck and need to hopefully figure SOME of this out on my own.

How much is header-repair, roughly?
Did I screw up the car's electrical system some how?
Why would the throttle hesitate? Blown header making a weird air-fuel mixture?
Is it bad to isolate the top duct? The car seemed to run great after the mod and 40 miles. It never dogged-out on me once when the fan kicked on.
What should I check to get the car started?

Thanks...this forum has been great. Where should I start? Any advice or feedback?

The camera seemed like a simple thing to install. Perhaps not....wonder why it is making the car unhappy?

 

I have insulation dust in the engine bay, and caked below the valve-cover. Presumably, this is caused by a cracked header blowing air into the heat-shields and the packing insulation, thereby blowing it out of the side of the manifold at the neck, where the seal is less than perfect. A tell-tale sign, from what I have read. Sigh. Maybe I should contact this fellow forum user; thanks.

 

Thanks...the lights do not dim, there is no clicking whatsoever. I definitely have the fibers all over the place. Might have to get it welded. I will try to pull the code asap.

 

I have full battery power....the headlights and dash lights are are fully lit up...and I use the fob to "beep beep" disarm the car. I have tried arming it then disarming it but nothing. There is no cranking, and nothing happpens except for an odd sound in the dash...it's like a slight buzzing; I suppose its usually there but I never heard it because the engine starting would drown it out.

 

Are there any conditions where a CEL would not allow the car to start as a failsafe?

 

I will do that. Also, I modified the top left air duct (behind the door) so that air only sucks in from the front of the duct as opposed to the back-side, which pulls hot air into the intake, making my car stumble to the point of almost stalling. After the mod, it did not sputter once.
Pehaps I should just modify the radiator with shrouds or the "Gothshroud", as designed by Gothman.

 

Battery reads 12.18 when the car is off....read from the terminals in the engine bay...I read it once when the car was running and it read 13.2 or close to that.

 

I put it in 6th gear took off the e brake ..had the key in my pocket and it was able to move when rock in it back and forth about 2 inches. I disarmed it and tried to start it and nothing happened

 

the windshield wipers do work. I just tried them. Now I'm going to attempt to locate the solenoid which I believe is back near the ECU for the thermocouples correct?thanks you guys for all of your help so far

 

So how do I read the voltage on this Solenoid ? Do I have to have someone attempt to crank the car while I read the voltage or do I just turn the key forward and then test it?thank you in advance. Also I disconnected the power and the ground from the camera and the monitor. I am wondering if I have a bad starter or a bad alternator perhaps?

 

Also...as far as bench testing things I do not have a lift . I suppose I need to go out and get some jack stands.