Mondial expert needed, willing to travel!

Hi Guys
I have a 1985 Mondial QV cab. A one owner from new that I acquired some years ago through AutoItalia, the Ferrari dealer where I live here in Hong Kong.
It seems this city is running our of classic car mechanics and I've just had my car delivered back from a car shop where the chief mechanic gave up trying to get it fixed, and he was originally the boss from the main Ferarri dealer. And this is the second attempt to fix the electrical issues in a year.
The car won't start and it's clearly the wiring, which has been messed with over many years to the point it's apparently too challenging for anyone here to fix. No one can find what wires do what and it needs a real expert to investigate.
Up until this point, the car has been great other than slow windows that I'm aware of being a well-known issue and the fuse box and fuel pumps issues associated with that.
I'm looking for someone that knows their way around this model that would be up for being flown out here to work on the car as I have given up on finding local help.
Let me know if you're that person and are up for an adventure. I'll be ordering a new fuse box ahead of any new attempt as I've read the many threads on electrical problems.
I really think this is a viable option, find someone overseas and bring them to the car.

Thanks!

 

I passed your post on to Motob. He's in the San Francisco area and an electrical wizard when it comes to these cars.

Good luck!

 

Thanks so much!

 

I take it you have the wiring diagrams, as i can help u out with a copy if needed

 

Simon,

Give more details.

Car won't start since when?
What was done to the car right before it stopped working?
Why do you believe it's the wiring?
This is a coupe, spider?
What have the mechanic(s) done so far?
Do you have any resources? Tools? Lifts? Wiring diagrams? A place to work?

You live in Hongkong? Outside of HK? Kowloon?
What are your expectations for fixing this car? Sky is the limit or …?

 

Sounds like hungry rodents might be responsible. Wires typically don't suddenly go bad all by themselves. You might want to search on here about electrical rodent issue as it seems to be more common than one would otherwise think over time.

 

I'd ship the car to the person.

 

Let's start with simple and essential stuff and we can make up our minds.

Does the starter work?
There is a good plus from the alternator nearby, why not 'handstart' with the car on the hoist to verify you have the actual gear in place and working.
Then...if it does turn over...but no starting...look for the three things...fuel, spark, air

The answers should really narrow the area you would want to look into further.
cheers
braq

 

With regard to not knowing what wires do what- they are colour coded and the diagrams are fairly easy to understand. Do u have the wiring diagrams to follow

 

Got those thanks so much!

 

Yes I do have the wiring diagrams but still can't get it to fire up or turn over. Not even a click when i turn the key.

 

Starter motor should be fine but I don't even get a click when I turn the key. I have power on, dash lights on, headlights not on, back windows not on, front windows up and down.
Fuel yes, air yes, spark, well as mentioned, turn the key and it's silence. The shop pulled the wires and couldn't find a fault, fuses obviously checked too. Jump starting very difficult given the road layouts in Hong kong. Hard to get it to a hill.
A few people have had a look and came away scratching their heads so I'm resorting to looking for expertise somewhere in the world....
Thanks so much for your attention!

 

It's a year since the issue started which was the ignition buzzing dramatically with no turn over. Literally just turning the key to on and buzzing. and then it buzzed no longer and went to the shop. Thye had a hack at the wires and came up with no solution and they are supposed Ferrari experts.
The only thing the car experienced up until then was a flat battery after not being driven for a few months which I replaced as first action...and then the buzzing, then the silence. And now everyone looking at wiring and fuses and no solution.
I don't know what the problem is to be honest.
It is a convertible.
I switched the battery and that got all systems on except this ignition issue. The shop pulled the steering wheel base cover off and looked at the wiring to the ignition and things in the electrical chain including checking fuses. But no obvious damage or failure was found and no solution.
I have space to work and the wiring diagrams. Basic tools but not a garage by any means, no way to raise the car.
I'm in Central hong kong Island.
I want to fully upgrade the car and fix a lot of loose ends, touch up the paint, redo the interior leather, and have a roof canvas replacement if I can find someone that can handle that.

Let me know what else I can tell you and thanks for taking an interest.

 

cockroaches more of an issue than mice here in HK, the former being bigger than the latter!....but will have a look thanks.

 

Ha, easier said than done. They'd never let the car back in.

 

Take the rear wheel off and crawl under the car to find the starter motor and its solenoid. Connect a meter up to the big cable bringing the power in. You should have 12 volts.
Now look for a small wire on the solenoid, pull the wire off- this is the 12 volt start signal from the key switch- turn the key to the start position and see if you get 12 volts.
Now put the wire back on the solenoid and turn the key again, does it still show 12 volts or has it dropped. If it has dropped then you dont have enough volts to pull the solenoid in, this makes the circuit to send power to the starter.
These cars have a know fault whereby they lose the 12 volts to the solenoid - if this is the fault then you can buy a relay kit to over come this fault.

 

Do you have an alarm installed in the car, after market? It was often installed on Ferrari way back then.

What model year is this Spider?

 

Got it. Will do and report back. Thanks so much!

 

yes to alarm and it's 1985 QV cab.
Will rip the alarm out first and see if any change.

sb

 

Have a look under the passenger side carpet where your feet go, you will find a steel plate. Check it does not have an immobilizer bolted to the back of it. They fitted aftermarket alarms and imobs here as only place in car with room

 

Hi Simon, I spoke with you recently at the workshop where your car is - you'll remember I have the same model car that I have owned for 20 yrs in HK. ( I suggested you start by replacing the fusebox ) As I mentioned, I have someone who has worked on my car exclusively for the time I've owned it & knows them inside out (replaced fusebox, rebuilt engine etc)
If you want help, pm me.

 

since your starter doesnt engage, try the solenoid with the 12V from the generator rather than the line from the lock, gear in neutral, just to check that what you are missing is the solenoid engaging and verifying the starter as good, cheers, paul

 

The buzzing you heard after putting in a new battery is a good sign, that means your starter was getting voltage, that sound is typically the failing solenoid on the starter chattering away. It could be insufficient voltage, but given the car was running fine, and then it was not, I will place my bet on a failed starter solenoid.

It is tempting to presume classic cars have more complex and vexxing problems, whereas most of the time it is the same old routine stuff that can fail on any car.

A couple of posts have given you ideas on how to check the starter, or the voltage to the starter. This is the sensible diagnostic track.

Eurospares has a used starter for a lower price than new. https://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/ferrari/mondial-30-qv-1984/electrical-ignition/electric-generating-system-engine-with-2-individual-belt-39043

Or you can get the aftermarket high torque starter. https://www.classiccarperformance.com/collections/ferraristarters-com/products/copy-of-ferrari-308-328-high-torque-starter

Or you can get the unit rebuilt locally, the starters are Bosch and a rebuilder should be able to source a new solenoind and other wear parts.

Don't mess around with wiring or immobilizers until you rule out the starter.

 

Do you know @afterburner ? He's in Hong Kong and is a long-term Mondial owner. Does lots of his own work as well.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/members/afterburner.65805/

 

Simon hi - I presume you were the HK person mentioned by Ross at GT Car Parts recently?
Re your problem:
I have an additional relay in my car supplying direct power to the starter motor since somewhere in the original wiring/ignition key/connectors there was too much loss. Problem by-passed.
I also have a full set of colored and named wiring diagrams, which makes reading easy.