599 GTB Museum Engine Stand Project

Hello everyone!
I'm new to this forum, but I've already spent quite a bit of time browsing and using the wealth of information here—so much so that I figured it’s time to give back and share my own project. I’m currently building an engine stand for a Ferrari 599 GTB engine, which will be displayed at the Throttle Stop Museum, just outside Road America.

Now, I’ve made quite a bit of progress on the project itself—most of the fabrication and assembly is complete, and I’ve ironed out a lot of the fine details. But I'm currently running into a bit of a wall, and I’m hoping someone here might have some insight or experience with similar issues.

The Problem:
I’m working on getting the 599 engine to fire up and run on the stand—without all the key modules and systems that a real 599 would have. Right now, I only have the left and right ECU’s wired up, and I have confirmation that all the factory wiring is correct and all the engine sensors are functioning properly. With some foresight, I already sent the ECUs to ECUdoctors to have the immobilizers removed, which was a step forward, but I’m still running into a snag.

Without the full set of modules that the 599 normally has (including things like the ignition switch, body control modules, etc.), I'm struggling to get the engine to fire the coils and the injectors. Essentially, I need to simulate just enough of the car’s electronics to get the engine running, without the complete system in place.

What I’ve Tried:

• ECU Immobilizer Removal: As I mentioned, I’ve already had the immobilizers removed from the ECUs by ECUdoctors. The idea was to eliminate the need for the full key system.
  
  
• Wiring Harness & Basic Power Supply: I’ve assembled the basic wiring harness and connected the engine to a power supply, but the engine still won't start without the key modules.
  
  
• Testing all engine sensors: I wired in a factory OBD port that will remain as part of the display package for diagnostic purposes and have used it and other means to test all of the coilpacks, injectors, cam and crank sensors, as well as some of the other basics like O2 sensors and throttle bodies.
  

What I Need Help With:

• Has anyone here worked on getting an engine to run without the full car setup? I understand that there are key modules that need to be tricked into thinking the engine is in the car and ready to start.
  
  
• Are there any specific resistors, relays, or bypasses that I could use to fool the ECUs into firing up the engine?
  
  
• Has anyone dealt with similar issues in the past with Ferrari ECUs or other high-end performance vehicles? I have read a few threads on here and @360trev mentioned a few key elements that may really help me move forward on this project.
  

Any advice, tips, or resources would be hugely appreciated! I'm at a bit of a standstill at the moment and could really use some expertise.

Thanks in advance!

Here are some pictures of the project, please try to ignore the clutter in the backdrop.




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That was my thought too, but the client suggested this was the preferred route first.

Thank you so much! It is a really neat project and I'm excited to see it run. At this point, it's still in progress so I can't give a complete quote just yet, but the stand itself is designed in CAD so I intend on using this platform for other engines in the future that will also be on display in the museum.

 

It’s possible to have the immobilizer removed, and I’ve already had these two ECUs modified for my project by https://www.ecudoctors.com/. The team there has been extremely helpful in supporting my work. They believe the issue might be due to the absence of the Body Control Modules (BCM). If I can't find a solution to get these factory ECUs working, I'll be putting the units up for sale and going stand-alone.

 

Reading through the forums it seems like he's the man with a solution to my problem!!