Only had a Ferrari 1 week trouble already

If it does turn out to be your battery, or just for future reference, I use an Interstate model MT-34 in my '79 308GT4... Best of luck diagnosing and solving your problem. I'm sure the regulars here will have it licked in no-time!

Aaron

 

starter solenoid going perhaps. many a thread on how to test it, it's easy if you have a digital volt meter.

 

This sounds like an absolutely typical bad connection, probably at the battery. It comes on, you turn the key to start, and the weak connection fails/burns and its lights out. Turn the key off and the lights come on again, try to start it and lights out. Check all your connections and ill bet youll find your trouble. Also check your engine/gearbox grounds and starter motor connections for tightness.

 

If your battery has enough juice to start the car it won't be the battery. I would check for :

Battery leads
Fuse block (and connections to)
Main Relays (and connections)

Look for corrosion on the leads, bad grounds ect. Remember, it's still just a car that plays by the same rules as everything else.

Happy hunting!

 

Electrical stuff is a PITA. You need to be methodical!!!!!

First, you need to get the car in failure mode. Intermittent glitches are the worst because you can't plan on when you're going to fix it. So be prepared.

Get a meter if you don't already have one. When in failure mode, start at the battery and work your way around. Obviously you'll need the wiring diagram. It could be a bad battery cable or a bad ground and you CAN'T tell by looking at it!! The wire or connection may look fine but you can't tell until you meter it! I can't emphasize that enough. Follow the igniton paths.

Since Ferrari fuse boxes are not the best, I'd look there first. Check all relevant circuits and look for obvious melting. Even if it looks okay, check all ignition related contacts. Electrical stuff can be time consuming but a definite DIY. Do you want to pay some guy $120 an hour or do it yourself? Once you find the area, even if you don't want to fix it yourself, you'll save $$$$ by isolating the trouble spot.

Ken

 

What a pain those 70's & 80's cars, I commend you for volunteering your time and keeping the older basket of problem cars on the road. Just not what I want to do with my life after a long work week. I feel sorry for this guy, I know some people enjoy working on there cars, but after awhile that late model with factory warranty starts looking better and better.

 

I don't think that's the kind of input he's looking for. Most Ferrari owners are pretty passionate about their cars and the experiences that come from them, whether good or bad.

junkyarddog, sounds like the exact same problem I had on my '82 Mondial. It turned out to be a bad starter solenoid. The local automotive electrical shop found the problem after bench checking the starter (which I had easily removed myself).

 

Welcome to the jungle!!! It will just get better. I'm still learning "nuances" after 16 years of intimacy with my 1979 308...

 

Actually, I passed on a 996 before I got (and paid more for) my 993, and sold that when I got my 328, which is my favorite car ever, so far. Someday I'll get my Porsche Speedster and maybe part with the 328. My mom thinks I'm nuts and drives a new Lexus with a warranty and valet service. It's just a different perspective.

New cars don't have the character or substance of the earlier ones -- it's the price for better track numbers. Once Junkyard gets his 308 sorted out, it's going to be much more fun than any of the computerized cookie-cutter stuff that gets produced now. If had a bottomless wallet, I'd be shopping for a LOT of 1950s-60s cars.

 

Don't worry about it. When I first got my 78 I had to fix many items. Most of the time the previous owners don't keep completely on top of them. I am pretty firm about maintaining my car. Some say I overmaintain them if that is possible. I repaired them and as always do the usual maintainence. I am now at 114K miles and it always starts and runs. My other 308 is at 130K miles. I use it almost everyday even in the rain. Anyone who says these cars are unreliable either knows nothing about 308s or doesn't know jack about cars in general. These cars aren't idiot proof and they aren't made for the type of person who wants no involvement with their car. IMHO they are the Best cars in the world.

 

Let me get this straight, you bought a Ferrari and you had it a whole week before the first problem? If I had that kind of luck I would be investing heavily in lotto tickets!

I agree with the advice so far, it appears to be a poor connection. Don't forget to check and clean the other end of the battery cables, ie., the chassis ground on the neg. cable and the positive connections at the starter and at those pesky fuse boxes (you will get to know them well all too soon).

 

308GTS is right. You will spend the first few months with your car getting everything that the previous owner ignored all worked out and "right". Then your 308 will be as reliable as any new car, and I truly mean that.

The 308 is known for weird electricals. Pull each and every relay in the relay board and clean the contacts. Tighten the battery terminal connections, pull each and every fuse and clean the contacts, as well as bend the prongs to hold the fuses tighter. Check for melting of the fuseblocks. The 308 fuseblocks are the weakest link in the whole car.

If I recall correctly, the starter solenoid down by the starter motor is operated by a relay in the dash which is operated by the ignition key. The relay in the dash and the power to the ignition key are both powered by the fuseblocks, so there are only a few things that could be the culprit.

Does the rest of the power to the car die when the starter won't work? (Do the headlights work?) That would tell you if the bad connection is between the battery and fuseblocks, or the fuseblocks and the relays.

Birdman

 

Junkyarddog:

Best of luck with your beauty and congrats!

Like has been suggested. Keep her running and keep her well as a LOT of the problems on these cars (and others) are previous owners who DON'T DRIVE THEM!!!

Corrosion is evil and irritating but exercise her regularly and keep your sense of humour and you will have many miles of fun and laughter.

Den.

 

When I bought my 85' 308 last August, I changed the fuseblocks and all of the 20 year old relays. The best $200 that you can invest in the reliability of a 308. That solves 95% +, of all 308 electrical problems imo.

 

Bullfighter, I have to admit, this paragraph is so true. I agree my 996 has NONE of the character or substance of the earlier cars. I do sincerely wish I had the time to have an old 60's Ferrari. i like the Porsche, I get state of the art performance and Lexus quality, character was not part of the package however on the newer cars.

 

I too receintly purchassed a 85 308GTSI, It had a few wiring problems left by the previous owner,

First, the headlights didn't operate, With the help of Brian Crall directing me to the owners site, I got the schematic, and diagnosed a bad head light switch, again with the help of an outstanding Ferrari technician, I was able to repair the headlight switch.

Second, the cat light was on, stuck on, I found the wire had ben pinched in the back by the cover, easy repair. The dealer sent me a new cat light sensor, I hear they are expensive...hope they paid a lot! anyone need one?

Third, a dead electrical system one morning, the was just after I had broken the spider gears in my Jeep the night before, and a fuel pump in my GMC Yukon when I went to trailer home my Jeep. All cars break !
Back to the 308, I placed a volt meter across the two battery posts, I had 13.2 volts, when I turned on the key, it dropped to 3....dead battery.

Lastly the brake system light is on, the dealer gave me a proportioning valve to install, it was a stuck switch, Brian recommended re-bleeding the system. It save me the install, but cost the dealer $400....anyone need a proportining valve?

You just sort out the former owners bugs and enjoy!

Doug Crall