Changed the battery in my FF, pics | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Changed the battery in my FF, pics

Discussion in 'FF/Lusso' started by vegasviper, Sep 4, 2018.

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  1. otakki

    otakki Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2016
    1,623
    Great job in getting that battery installed! The pressed bushing at the bottom of the heat shield was a big hindrance to me. BTW, I see no one covered the engine oil opening while the cap was off...I covered it with disposable glove because I was afraid something might fall in there.

    Can't open the link with my computer. Hey, if it's smaller and not costing an arm and a leg, I'm all for it. There must be some negatives about lithium battery, right?!
     
  2. ANOpax

    ANOpax Formula 3

    Jul 1, 2015
    1,126
    The Netherlands
    I think I got lucky as I’m not sure my car has the bushing. No bushing on the heat shield itself and just a carbon fibre tray for the battery to sit in (im surprised they didn’t charge extra for that!)

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    And you’re right about covering up the oil filler. I feel stupid now for not doing it as flakes of heat shield foil could so easily have fallen down it (you can see where some rubbed off on the cap threads in my photo). I’m not sure a glove would have stayed on during the battery removal and insertion procedures. For anyone else doing this themselves, I’d suggest duct tape as a reliable method of temporarily blocking the opening.
     
    otakki likes this.
  3. otakki

    otakki Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2016
    1,623
    CF battery tray?! Never heard of that one. How did some cars get that?! It's not even on the option list. Maybe they ran out of steel: "Yo dude, let's just use this sheet of CF randomly lying around here and fashion it into a battery tray."

    I wonder if they have changed to a heat shield without the bushing, which really serves no purpose, other than being a hindrance, in being able to effectively drain anything since it's pressed tight against the battery bottom. In the photo above, see that scraping marks between the 2 oval holes (near the firewall) and center large rectangular opening of the battery tray. The scraping width is the approximate diameter of the bushing. I think the original heat shield probably has the bushing which leads to the scraping marks during the install. The bushing basically protrudes through one of the oval holes; likely the one next to the firewall.
     
  4. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 4, 2014
    9,582
    Full Name:
    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    That is a steel battery tray and the drag marks at the back oval indicate that the bushing was likely torn off the battery shield in the unholy war that is the removal process. The bushing does serve a purpose as does the vapor breather tube.
     
  5. ANOpax

    ANOpax Formula 3

    Jul 1, 2015
    1,126
    The Netherlands
    Thanks guys (solid state and Otakki) - you’re right. I mistook the marks left on the steel tray by the battery shield as carbon weave - duh!

    The presence of the heat shield bushing probably also explains why I struggled to re-seat the battery properly.

    Just out of interest, what purpose does the bushing serve? And I’ve heard mention made of the vapour breathing tube on F12 battery swaps but I wasn’t aware that the FF had a breather tube. There wasn’t one attached to the old battery.
     
    otakki likes this.
  6. otakki

    otakki Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2016
    1,623
    Heck, the purpose of that bushing, along with the tight plastic trim piece around the battery near the firewall side, is to make the diy task difficult so owners will have to bring it to the dealers.;)

    Joking aside, hopefully someone will share some thoughts on the purpose of the bushing. Indeed, there is no vapor tube attached to the battery in the FF.
     
  7. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    Hi guys,
    I changed mine today for a Varta as well.
    The old one was oem from 02/03/2015, probably the second battery as my car was built in 2012.
    Overall much thanks for this thread which helped me to achieve it in <1hour.

    To give my piece I would say you need to kind of rotate the battery (up front) to remove it and the inverse to put the new one in, do not try to lift it, no room enough.
    I sticked some US scotch on the both chassis bars in front of the battery to protect them from friction and paint damage while swaping the batteries.

    The result is the dash voltmeter shows +1 volt vs the old battery, 12,5 to 13 instead of 11,5 to 12 volts. (Key on and engine not fired)
    My car is always on the oem tender so I had no true issue (only some gremlins at the dash when starting from friends after a week end out) but I noticed the tender was almost always on the red led, not the green. With all I learned here about the F cars battery issues I prefered to swap the battery before problems... Much thanks all!

    P.
     
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  8. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    Hum, I ask myself about something: is it better to lock our Fcars or to let them inlocked when they are in the garage? (Regarding the electric consumption of course, not the anti-theft...lol)
    As my garage is very safe (thick tailored iron doors, cams, alarm) I do not always lock it, error?
     
  9. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 4, 2014
    9,582
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    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    I have never locked mine in my own garage nor any of my vehicles so you are not alone.
     
  10. SVCalifornia

    SVCalifornia Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 28, 2011
    2,447
    Silicon Valley
    Full Name:
    Keith
    Not locking should result in lower draw of off power. Theoretically. No security system enabled.

    SV
     
  11. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    Initially I agree, but someone told me locking results in lower draw of off power because some electronics get in standby...
     
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  12. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    I tend as well to let my cars open in my own garage, nevertheless today I locked the FF...
     
  13. timjen88

    timjen88 Karting

    Aug 20, 2015
    239
    Colorado/Palm Springs
    I was told the FF battery replacement suggested is Interstate MTPH8, anyone use this one?
     
  14. sftradercoder

    sftradercoder Rookie

    Nov 1, 2019
    7
    San Francisco
    Full Name:
    John Sarikurt
    Hi everybody,

    I just replaced 2012 FF battery. Yes, the most difficult part is the removing the battery itself. After some wiggling and damaging the middle finger nail, ;), all is good and changed. Right now, the car starts as soon as I touched the start button. By the way, I have changed from Interstate MT5 AGM to Antigravity Lithium ones. Antigravity also sent me free bluetooth battery tracker since they messed up the order at the first try. Anyway, the new battery is exact drop-in size so didn't have any problem with its installation. Taking out the old one; however, killed me. Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  15. ANOpax

    ANOpax Formula 3

    Jul 1, 2015
    1,126
    The Netherlands
    Thread update. The FF has been slow to start and I’m getting occasional electrical warnings at startup or shutdown.

    I changed the OE FIAMM battery for the highly regarded Varta less than 2 years ago but today I got the battery tester out to check the battery’s CCAs

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    Not good. The Varta has been kept on an upgraded CTEK tender 24/7 but has still deteriorated to the point where the car is struggling to start and throwing random errors. The battery is warrantied for 24 months so I’m going to see about a warranty replacement but I’m not holding my breath.

    The bottom line message is that batteries can fail or degrade at any time (even new-ish ones). A CCA tester is essential as the battery still measures healthily on a voltmeter (12.7v).
     
  16. Bamsefar

    Bamsefar Formula Junior

    Nov 26, 2012
    523
    Well for a completely different reason I have been investigating into AGM batteries (which is what the Varta battery is):

    I had to change my original Ferrari battery after 4 years, and replaced it with the Varta. It is by a large margin better than the original, I could never have the old battery for more than 10 days without a start/charge. Now I can easily get to +14 days. Not that I do like to test this...

    ....however the other week I got injured, and my right lung is damaged (not covid!) and I have orders to well do nothing....

    ...This made it hard to drive my damn good FF (trust me, I simply can't - yes I tried, yes I failed) for a while. Now in the garage where I keep my FF there has never been any problems before. But sure as hell it is now. For some reason the owner to the garage (it is a rather large garage, about 60 spaces underground) has decided that charging a lead battery is not allowed any longer since it CAN create a gas that can explode (I know the name in my local language but for the life I can not figure out the english name...). Now AGM batteries are known for not exploding, and if it is in a crash it will not leak. So I got a bit surprised to say the least.

    We all know that the Ferrari labeled charger is a CTEK. And it is about the best design you can get hold of, yes you could use a stronger version and all that, but from a safety perspective, I simply do not know anything better.

    So for the moment I am looking into options. The only thing I can say is that AGM batteries seems to be among the most safe batteries that exists, and - in this case - worth mentioning that it is a sealed battery with a catalyst to handle the explosive gas IF it is created (IF = one charges it the wrong way with to much current and so on).

    Sorry for outside topic somewhat :)
     
  17. papou

    papou Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    May 18, 2012
    1,567
    plantation Fla
    Full Name:
    daniel ross
    Let’s forget the battery issue and get you back to good health..
     
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  18. otakki

    otakki Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2016
    1,623
    It's too bad that battery installation for this car is so difficult. Otherwise you can just have it charged inside your home.

    I did that back then when I had to park my 90s era car on the street. It took me less than 5 minutes to pop it back in and drive off. It also made the car highly stolen-proof, too.:D
     
  19. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Feb 4, 2014
    9,582
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    Maximus Decimus Meridius
  20. sftradercoder

    sftradercoder Rookie

    Nov 1, 2019
    7
    San Francisco
    Full Name:
    John Sarikurt
    I think they have the exact height. I have a photo which shows not exact height but it may give you close enough idea.
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  21. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Feb 4, 2014
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    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    Thank you. The new one does look taller. Surprised you got it to fit. Perhaps each car has slightly different dimensions. When I did mine there was zero clearance on height.
     
  22. sftradercoder

    sftradercoder Rookie

    Nov 1, 2019
    7
    San Francisco
    Full Name:
    John Sarikurt
    Interesting! I took a live picture with my iPhone and when I played the picture, the new one looks maybe couple millimeters shorter to me. If I have a time this weekend, I can measure the height of the batteries. I haven’t discarded old one so we can compare. But if it is such a difference, the push button on heat shield won’t be closed. Did you clean and reseat the battery holder? That heat shield looks flimsy and can be broken to small parts easily imo.
     
  23. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Feb 4, 2014
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    I performed the swap of the original OEM with a US Varta equivalent on my F12. The heat shield was in new condition and I added some aluminum tape to the engine header side and bottom for better shielding. It gets incredibly hot there. Also removed the battery holder bottom to measure and install the vapor breather tube. Even had to loosen the overhead ductwork at the firewall to get another couple millimeters vertical height. The F12 has a false negative terminal assembly that goes under the overhang that I don't believe the FF is quite the same. If the replacement was any taller than the original it would not have worked.
     
  24. NickB_dmd

    NickB_dmd Rookie

    Jun 21, 2021
    17
    Full Name:
    Nick
    ey everyone,
    I am in the process of changing my battery. I am still battling with removal but I’m getting there. Main Question I have is, am I looking at a problem with my main connection to the positive terminal? It’s the main cable to connects. I removed it off that central box and my battery both have corrosion and something looks weird. The battery has the melted circle like it got super hot and under the box it looks like corrosion and melting. I would love some insight here. Thank!
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