Ferrari is dead, this sucks. | FerrariChat

Ferrari is dead, this sucks.

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by jimpo1, Jan 2, 2004.

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  1. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    I walked to the parking garage today after work, the car won't start. Cranks and cranks, won't start. Tried to push start it, no go. Norwoods is already closed. I guess it's going to spend the weekend in the parking garage. Good thing we have security!

    To top it all off, my Jag is in the shop waiting on a part that won't arrive until Monday! I wonder if my bike works?

    Happy New Year.
     
  2. Tony Fuisz

    Tony Fuisz Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    182
    Bethesda, MD
    Full Name:
    Tony Fuisz
    Luckily did a little walk around today of the 330 before launching on a drive-found a medium-sized puddle of brake fluid near the front wheel and a fuel leak from near the fire wall.
    The price of ownership...(and I'll find out the exact price in 6 weeks or so when there's space at a local shop).
    Makes all those nice newer cars at FOW look tempting (like that silver 328!!).
     
  3. Bryanp

    Bryanp F1 Rookie

    Aug 13, 2002
    3,799
    Santa Fe, NM
    damn, Tony, that sucks - didn't you just have your master cylinder rebuilt? Maybe the next weakest link in the chain gave out? a buddy of mine just went from stock rubber brake hoses to woven stainless on his 365. . .
     
  4. carlrose

    carlrose Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2003
    321
    Hi Mr. Jimpo,

    Pretty white 328. Some preliminary diagnostics:

    1. Spark to cylinders? (Wearing gloves - pull plug wire, make small wire jumper & hold near ground see if sparks). If not work backwards to distributor cap/rotor/coils.

    2. Fuel to cylinder? Pull plug & see if wet or if smell gas in cylinder after cranking.

    FWIW, *most* catastropic (i.e. immediate) engine faults tend to be electrical in nature. Clogged fuel filter or such usually would demonstrate poor performance prior to refusal to start.

    Hope this helps. Besides a few folks on here, JRVs very experienced with these & typically responds to posts very quickly.

    :) Carl
     
  5. Tony Fuisz

    Tony Fuisz Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    182
    Bethesda, MD
    Full Name:
    Tony Fuisz
    New master and both bonaldi boosters, plus new calipers from the last guy. I think its leaking at the hardpipe/brake hose connection. But probably best to just replace as much as necessary to get dependable stopping power.
    Car is jealous because I put a deposit down on an Elise (meant to be a companion not a replacement). Bryan-will our cars ever be functional at the same time?
     
  6. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    I hope it's not an ignition problem, I've already been terrified of the potential price if it is. Then I have to decide to keep it stock or upgrade.
     
  7. carlrose

    carlrose Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2003
    321
    Possibly expensive if ignition problem. Some numbers for you:

    Plug wires : $225
    Plug extenders: $80
    Spark plugs: $80
    Dist Caps: $225-250/each - 328 uses two
    Rotors: $55-60/ea (as above)
    Coil unit: $350
    Flywheel sensor: $150-160

    All in all, not too expensive if only a single component fails. And fixing yourself will prevent some of the repair bill & instill accomplishment. Fortunately failed in secure place - almost as good as home garage - and not on the road.

    Guessing at etiology or jumping into parts replacement would be premature at this point. Can you run some tests as above?

    :) Carl
     
  8. carlrose

    carlrose Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2003
    321
    Jimpo let me back up a moment to try some easy stuff:

    * Fuel pump fuse
    * Cold-start "electrovalve" fuse

    Both under dash on passenger side.

    :) Carl
     
  9. LSU348

    LSU348 Formula 3

    Dec 19, 2003
    1,047
    Sugar Land
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Pull that fuel pump fuse bud! Sounds like "my" 308 gave yours the flooding disease. It will start for a sec then die. Third fuse from the left on the 308...no clue on 328.

    Good luck!

     
  10. JimSchad

    JimSchad Guest

    note to self: abandoned 328 in las colinas somewhere......a couple more beers and I am going on a scavenger hunt.
     
  11. Darolls

    Darolls F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 2, 2003
    7,782
    Full Name:
    Sparky
    Was the car running fine the last time you drove it?

    If so, check easy things first like the fuel pump fuse. Is it intact?

    If so, make sure the connectors are tight and there's no corrosion on the contacts. Try wiggling the fuse to see if contact can be made.

    If the car ran fine before you parked it, it probably doesn't have any serious problem.
     
  12. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    Car had no issues whatsoever before I parked it. This was the first time this has happened. I'm going back over there today to mess with it and see what happens.

    JimS, you can drink all the beers you want, but I alerted my building security that the car is there and you can't get in or out of the garage w/o a pass! Sorry!
     
  13. REM9

    REM9 Karting

    Jun 17, 2001
    175
    Finger Lakes NY, USA
    Full Name:
    Russ Moore
    Look for the thread I had in the technical heading. While the problem I had was with a TR, the culpret is also common to the 328. I had no warning either. Car ran fine, then nothing when I went to start it. I also have a 328 and am glad to assist. Do you have a schematic for the car? The title of the thread was TR starting Problem. Again, the problem was in the fuel injection system and the 328 is very similar and even uses the same relay that failed in mine.

    Russ
     
  14. Darolls

    Darolls F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 2, 2003
    7,782
    Full Name:
    Sparky
    Jim-

    Did you see the post I made to you in the 'Technical Q&A' section?

    If not, check it out.
     
  15. shelbee

    shelbee Guest

    Been gone out of town for a coupe weeks. Optima on my 550 works fine but OEM battery on my 360 almost could not make the car start. But after a couple more try (soft try) it runs.

    I still prefer Optima gel battery over the OEM's
     
  16. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    I spent some time on the car and it's none of the fuses. It might be a relay, or something else I'm incapable of testing. As I was checking fuses, I noticed a part of the antique alarm system the car has. I've never used and don't even know how it works, but I wondered if it might have an ignition kill switch that was somehow activated. We'll know tomorrow, it's getting towed to Norwoods in the morning.

    Does anyone know if a towtruck can get in a parking garage w/ only 6'10" of clearance? This might be interesting.
     
  17. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,510
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    You guys are good! The culprit was a burned connector in the fuel pump relay. The good news is it didn't cost much to fix, the bad news is I had to pay for a tow.
     
  18. 4re308

    4re308 F1 Rookie

    Jun 13, 2001
    4,813
    Woodstock, GA
    Full Name:
    Mitch D
    Guys, my 308 QV has iffy fuel pump fuses in the fuse box. It would nto start one day at my girlfriends....so I went to my mechanics house, picked him up and brought him to the Ferrari! He found the bad connection in the fuse box, and the car fired up immediately. A darn cool mechanic, huh?
     
  19. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
    Full Name:
    Kenneth
    Pay for a tow??? Join AAA!! I get free flatbed for my Lotus and in 2 1/2 years I've had 3 tows. Not that I'm anticipating any more, but the peace of mind alone is worth the yearly fee.

    Ken
     
  20. David512

    David512 Formula 3

    Dec 15, 2003
    1,654
    Northern California
    Just saw this thread. FWIW--and future reference for 328 owners--I had the identical symptom on my 1989 328. The car was towed to Ferrari of San Francisco. They found a burnt connector (much too high impedance) on a circuit board under the dash. The mechanic said it's not uncommon for this circuit to suffer deterioration becuase the fuel pump is one of the higher-current users in the car, and the heat/increasing impredance over time causes the connector eventually to fail. They repaired rather than replaced the circuit board, and the car has not had the problem for 3 years/17K miles.

    David512
     

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