328 starting / electrical issue HELP!

All, just purchased my 1st Ferrari a 86 328GTS 46K miles this year & up until a few weeks ago I did not have any issues. I had a PPI done, buyer owned for 7 years & put on 2K per year, did his own work, etc. Battery is only 1 year old. I've been using the car for around 2 months now about 3 times a week for the short 15 minute commute to work.

Looking for some input form people who have experienced a similar issue so I get pointed in the right direction without just checking everything.

Problem-
Starting a few weeks ago every once in a while you'd put the key in, turn to start & get nothing. You'd hear a buzz from the injection system but other than that nothing... The 1st few times it happened I'd get out of the car, look under at the engine like a deer staring at head lights, get back in & she'd start. A week ago it would not start & actually had to get a push from the local farmers for a bump start. Also note that when the car was delivered after sitting a few weeks on the transporter the batter seemed dead, & it would not turn over but after a jump it started & I drove it home to charge (2 months ago or so). The battery / alternator light also comes on as in most peoples car until you blip it over 2,000 RPM (I read don't mess with it).

What I've checked-
I checked the voltage at the battery, was around 11.8V.

I charged it & after that it was around 12.4V.

I tried to disconnect the negative on the battery to check the current draw & could not get a socket on it & after fiddling with it (maybe tuned it 1/4 turn) I was able to twist & pull the cable off the greased terminal (maybe it was a little loose & could not draw current for the starter??). When checking the draw the alarm must have chirped & blew my 200mA fuse in my meter.

I started it in the garage a few times over the last 2 rainy weeks with no issues. Charged it last night & drove to work with a volt meter in the cigarette lighter. It started at 12.3V, turning on the head lights etc. it got down to 11.8V, with them off once I got to work in 15 minutes it was 11.9V then after shutting the car off bumped back up to 12.2V.

So what do you think the intermittent starting issues is (my main issue). Does it sound like I have more than one issue as I'm not getting 13 - 14V when driving at the cigarette lighter? The next time I start the car & it does not start I plan to see if the lights dim but I have to wait for the problem to occur & hope I'm not near a hill. I've been told this could locate the problem in the ignition switch if they do not dim. I also have my spare key on me in case it's something simple like a worn primary key.

OK, after a long post & lots of info any thoughts or things I can check easily?

Brad in NH

 

The problem (turn key to start & no starter action, noise, nothing) has happened when the car was sitting all day at work & also after sitting for a few hours another time.

Brad

 

Thanks all, I'll check into the grounding as that sounds like an easy / cheap one to check (I hope).

Brad

 

The problem (no cranking) has not happened since I tigtened the negative terminal & fiddled with the ground up front. I'll clean / check the grounding more carefully as without the problem occuring again (OK with me) it's a little hard to debug. I'm also going to check the voltage at the battery as I'm told there could be drops to the lighter that may not give good results.

Although the voltage thing is odd it does not seem to be keeping me from driving the car & that's the goal. When I got home last night & shut her off, turned on the lights, & cranked her up & she cranked strong. This AM on the way to work no issues except it needed $31 in gas.....

Thanks for all of the input.

Brad in NH

 

This is the latest if anyone is interested;

4 days of running 15 miles to & from work each day with no starting issues.

Without disassembling the ground & just plugging / unplugging the battery switch that negative to ground seems OK. What I did find (thanks to the prev. owners suggestion) is that the new stereo amp up form was connected to the + & -. With the battery switch disconnected the 12.2V at the lighter or + to ground turned into 11.36V. I disconnected the neg. from the amp & will reroute it to a ground point some other day. Driving in today it did not behave any differently. The car started at 12.2V but soon after running it stayed at 11.5 - 11.6V all the way to work checking at the lighter.

I did check the current draw when I had the negative terminal off & as you put the meter on it would hit 210mA the drop off to 26 mA. This was with the battery switch connected or disconnected before I removed the negative from the amp.

The negative terminal placement on the battery seems like it could be problematic. If you don't get it pushed down real well it does not seem like it can clamp tight enough (tapered battery posts). This could well have been my intermittent starting issue. It still seems like the alternator is not charging at the proper voltage but must be doing something as the car keeps getting me to & back from work.

Glad this board is out here to sound out ideas on debug, you guys have been helpful.

Brad in NH