91' TR Battery drain

Hi All,

I've owned a 91' TR US version for 4 years now. Recently the car wouldn't start, and I went through the process of trouble shooting it. The no start issue turned out to be a Protection C relay. I fixed that last week and made a little video on it. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CeA8tY8vSw).

This week, the car had a battery drain/power loss upon start. The electrical systems were not operational. I replaced the battery and the next day . . . DEAD. Checked to see if the car was pulling amps while off, and she is pulling 2 amps. I pull the radio fuse still getting between 1.6-3.33. Next, I pull fuse 2; all of sudden, I am getting .07 on the meter. All things are pointing me to the cigarette lighter.

I was just curious to know if anyone knew what else ran on that circuit. I don't have an alarm system or power locks. I see that the rear window defroster is also apart of that. When I pulled the fuse and turned the ignition pos II , I got a buzz. I figured the buzz was a don't do that indicator so I stopped that.

Another issue: when parking her in the garage after a short drive this weekend, I didn't park far enough to close the garage. When I started her up again, she started idling at 750 and I had a lack/loss of power. What I mean by that is I put my foot on the gas and the rpms wouldn't increase. The car was idling between 500-750 rpms not its usual 1100. I believe it is one of the ignition modules so I ordered two new ones (who doesn't need a spare) from Ricambi. I also ordered a light to test for spark but what really stood out to me is that it had a strong odor of fuel when the incident happened. The next morning I went to start her up and she started up just fine. She has been fine starting up since then, and stays between 1000 +/- 100, but I was curious to know if others had encountered something similar. Any suggestions of other issues/parts to look at would also be appreciated.

Thanks,

Sancho

 

The 509/88 US TR wiring diagram book says: "Heated rear window - Roof lamps - Cigar lighter - Door lock", but "Roof lamps" = the dome/map lights and the door lights. Nothing shows that a blown (or no) fuse #2 would affect a buzzer so that's a bit odd (or maybe a sign of some modification).

What do you mean by: "I don't have...power locks"? Do you mean nothing has been added and everything is still stock (and working), or your stock door locking actuators have been removed?

 

Steve,

I was hoping the Testarossa GOD would bless me!

I meant that everything is still stock and working. I pulled the cigarette lighter wires out and tested again. When I did that, the meter read between .03-.07. I suspect that is it. I cannot find the replacement part though. I don't smoke so don't need it, but I don't want an open hole so I looked into replacing it with a USB outlet instead. I am not sure if anyone has tried that, but I figured it would serve a better, more useful purpose.

Sancho

 

Interesting Sancho -- I wouldn't have thought that the cigar lighter/socket could have a limited problem of just a couple/few amps, but I've never dissected one (shorted = yes; open = yes). See how you couldn't buy a new one because there was never any replacement demand, but have you checked with the Dismantlers? No matter how crunched, that part should survive

 

This may have been caused by the starterswitch ... have heared that more than once.

One bank did not get its power ...

Contacts were "eaten"...

 

Can you be more specific on this "starterswitch" ? I haven't had the one bank go out on me since my original post. I bought the ignition modules and have yet to replace them but want to gather as much info as I can before it happens again. I bought a Spark light tester as well but she has been running great so I'll just be patient and wait until it happens again.

I mentioned earlier I Installed a USB adapter Socket instead and haven't had any battery issues even though the light on the USB socket stays on. Was worried that this would drain the battery but its been a couple of weeks and I took the car out this weekend with no issues.


Thanks,

Sancho

 

I meant the (car)key-switch

 

Please tell me more. Any threads pointed in that direction would be really helpful.

A light bulb goes off because the issue occurs only after I re-start the car up after a drive. The other thing I recall is sometimes I get a 3-5 second delay when starting the car. What I mean is on occasion I will turn the key but will not hear the starter, after a few seconds of continuously having the key turned the starter will click and start the engine.

 

you have a car alarm in this car?

 

Which lightbulb do you mean here ? Is it the main alarm red one ?

 

Which light went off ? This main alarm sign ?

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LOL I meant a light bulb in my head goes off. None of my dash lights come on. When you said "car key switch" I started thinking about how the car has a delay from when I turn the key to when the starter kicks on. I apologize I should have mentioned the light bulb was in my head. haha

 

No car alarm.

 

and the battery is completely full charged?
then it is a problem of connection
does the starter makes a "click" as soon as you turned the key to start or does it takes a while without this "click" before the starter turns? if second then you may dismatle the starter and clean all and check the brushes and the connection in the solenoid
but also you may check the wire coming out of the ignition switch what brings power to the starter. may be corrosion in this switch?

 

The starter is less than a year old but you can't ever go wrong giving it a fresh clean. The starter does not make a click as soon as I turn the key. It seems the delay is from when the key is turned to the starter clicking. My battery was going bad. I just replaced it in August 2017 with a yellow top optima. No offense to any optima fans but those batteries are crap. Two out of the three batteries I received were bad.

Sancho

 

then meassure on the small wire at the solenoid if there is power as soon as you turn the key to "start". then you see if the prob is from the battery to the solenoid or the solenoid itself.
also you may take a wire directly from the big + terminal at the starter ( so the wire coming from the battery ) and connect it to the solenoid where the smallwire goes
and you test the battery under load ( so one person may put in 5th gear, don´t push the clutch and then start the engine but max 2 seconds and the other person goes with a multimeter at the battery before starting and meassure the voltage, also during the starting, the V may not go below 10,5 V. if under then replace the battery or charge it with a charger and test again

 

I got immediate power on small wire at starter. Doesn't go below 10.5 on battery. Now that I have tried this I know what to look for if the issue ever occurs again. Car has been running perfect. No start issues or ignition coil issue. I appreciate you giving me this walk-thru.

Sancho

 

Use a relay ....

 

What do you mean?


Alright issue happened again. I went for a 30 minute drive parked in the downtown garage. Finished up what I was doing went to start the car and didn’t hear the starter enagage. Kicked the clutch in and tried still nothing. 3 attempts in I poped the hood to run turbojoes test and before I could get out I turned the key one last time attempt 4 and the starter was slow but engaged slightly. This did not start the car but did enagage the starter. Attempt number 5 starterd her.

 

@turbo-joe I don’t believe I did this correctly the first time. I ran the test again and wasn’t getting any voltage but the car would start. I pulled out the white connecter at the solenoid below the big gauge wire and tested didn’t get any voltage and the car didn’t start. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login This is the small wire you are referring to correct? I stuck the probe inside the connector had someone else turn the key and still no voltage. Put the white small wire back and the car started but still didn’t read voltage. I know I am messing up so I was wondering if you could be more descriptive because I am a little confused. Hope this makes sense....

 

@Steve Magnusson when you turn the key in the door is it supposed to lock or unlock both doors. My car doesn’t lock or unlock both doors it will only do so in the one the key is in.. However, when I am in the car and pull the latch to lock or unlock the driver door the passenger lock will follow. I ask because last week randomly I turned the key twice in the driver door and both doors unlocked. I tried this again today it wasn’t the case.

 

that is indead strange - very strange
when there is no power on the white wire then the magnet never will work
you are sure that you not changed the white wire with the blue-white one?
tomorrow I will have a look at mine - may be I can tell you more then? but in the 1st picture for me it seems as if the blue-white wire is connected to the wrong terminal? but not sure yet. on the magnet there are at the terminals numbers? if so then the white wire has to be connected to number 50, not the blue-white. this will go to number 15

 

If you are not getting any voltage on the white wire at the the starter solenoid with the key in Pos III, also check/reseat the square C11 connector under the coolant expansion tank and the w & y connectors at the fuse-relay panel -- post #7 in this thread has photos (but you need to click on the photos to enlarge them):

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/ace-electric.106848/

 

I'll have a peek at the TR schematic tonight. On my TR, using the key in the Driver's door definitely operates both door locks, but not sure about the passenger side (my foggy guess right now is the pass side only operates the passenger door lock -- but let me check that).

 

The battery was going flat on my 86 Testarossa between drives. After some investigating,found out that the door locks were not working. Also found out that door lock actuators were draining the battery. After I disconnected the power to the actuators, the problem disappeared.