328 No start and fix

I had to replace the relay that controls the fuel pump , I also keep a spare in the car.

G

 

I bought it from RIcambi I believe, whichever they had, it was a Ferrari part though . I need to check in my shop where my spares are. I might have a 3rd, I dont know what the part number is, ask RifleDriver, he can tell you what the part number is. If I have one that I can spare, you can have it .

G

 

If it hasn't been done on the car during your ownership, it's good to remove each relay, shoot some contact cleaner into connectors and re-insert/remove the relay a couple of times to clean up the connection before reinserting for use. Same with the fuses. I like to also smear a bit of dielectric grease (silicone grease) on all fuse/relay tabs before inserting. The grease is probably overkill on connections that are not exposed to the weather but it makes me feel better!

 

Have you removed the w white connector (the single vertical connector on the LH side IIRC) from the fuse-relay panel to look for a frazzled fuel pump connection (a large beige wire 4th down from the top). Removing and installing relays gives everything a pretty good wiggle so can affect a bad connection elsewhere. There is another place in the passenger footwell where people have reported 328 fuel pump connector frazzling -- give a shout if the w connector is OK, and I'll dig out the other place to check in the passenger footwell.

 

You don't (and shouldn't) wait for the new relay. You have reported that the fuel pump doesn't run with the safety switch unplugged and the key "on". The next test is to remove the fuel pump relay and use a jumper wire to connect the 30 terminal in the relay socket to the 87 terminal in the relay socket:

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If the fuel pump doesn't run (even with the key "off") = either bad fuel pump or bad connection somewhere.

If it does run, put the fuel pump relay back in and retry the safety switch test:

1. If the fuel pump now runs = you giggled a bad connection, or have a intermittent fuel pump

2. If the fuel pump doesn't run, but does run with the jumper test = strong sign that relay controlling the fuel pump relay needs replacement (but can still be a wiring problem somewhere).

 

Every time you remove a relais from that board, you risk to brake its fragiel solder point...once that happens, you get heat building. Plastic layers starts to melt and things goes worse from there. Using contact cleaner or other brands of chemicals on that board will make the plastic layers weak and will wreck them final. We see the results of that every day...

 

I agree that it is possible for the use of incorrect solvents to cause a problem with plastics but most cleaners state whether they are safe on plastics or not. For example, standard DeOxit is problematic on some plastics, Fader DeOxit is OK. The label on the specific product should provide sufficient info.

"Every time you remove a relais from that board, you risk to brake its fragiel solder point"

Well, I suppose that's true but I'd suggest that reasonable care will prevent damage. After all, the system is designed for the relays to be replaced if necessary.

 

I have had relays on and off those boards thousands of times and been working with those boards since Ferrari began to use them. I also own 2 cars with them and have disassembled many of them for repair. I have never once seen a failure of a solder joint of the female spade at the PC board not related to an overload of the circuit. The spades are quite well supported by the plastic housing. The solder joints fail but not for that.

99% of the failures are at the output terminals and internal failures while rare are as a result of excess resistance at the outputs. That design should never have been used.

 

Don't use the spray deoxit, it just goes everywhere and you only need it on the metal contacts. Use the one that you put a dab on and clean the contract with a q tip or a small piece of rolled kleenex. If the dexoit it is on the metal only, you are fine. The poster is correct that many electrical cleaners contain alcohols that can stain or damage plastic and increase the delamination of the old circuit boards.

https://caig.com/product/deoxit-d100l-25c/

This stuff solves for many electrical problems. Almost invisible oxidation on contacts from moisture in the air over years can reduce the success of an electrical contact. The deoxit cleans this, and actually imparts a checmical reaction the metal that improves conductivity.

Once you have cleaned a contact, and you want to protect from further corrision, you use this...https://caig.com/product/deoxit-shield-s100l-25c/

On relays and such, you will never have trouble pulling out the relay in the future, it acts as a lubricant. Unlike eg. dielectric grease which protects but is non conductive, this protector is conductive. You use extremely sparingly to get the desired effect.

I have used this on the various engine grounding straps as well as the fuse box relays and connectors, after the cleanup with the first deoxit product noted.

The aerospace people use this or similar compounds, and companies like eg. Lexus apply some of these products at the factory. The only mistake is overdoing the amounts used, it takes really small amounts to work for both products noted.

 

Re DeOxit (and similar products)...

Just to clarify to avoid possible confusion, the DeOxit products commonly used for electrical circuit cleaning/protection, (are claimed to) improve electrical conductivity, but they are NOT conductive in themselves. They are cleaners and/or sealers and they work well within the physical limits of what such products can actually do. IOW, IF the product can successfully remove a contaminant that is causing a poor connection, THEN the conductivity of the switch/connection is improved.

 

I recall the first start after winter this year. My 328 did not start and the starter did not engage. Lights and other electrics were normal. I tried charging the battery and this did the trick. No problems at all. Nearly six months in the garage and started instantly.

 

Yes, good clarification, the deoxit product is not conductive. My post indicated it was, that is not so.