Flat Battery in a Ferrari?....... you don't say.

Ok I admit, I was dumb.

Had the motor out of my 348 for a few months fixing a burnt valve and a list of other minor bits and pieces.

I thought I had switched the battery disconnect switch off but,..... obviously I hadn’t, & when I got everything back in and tried to turn it over…. Flat as a tack……

It should have kept a bit of charge; the battery is only about 4 months old so I must have a stray draw somewhere.

Before I drag out the multi meter and test everything I noticed something unusual. When you turn the battery disconnect switch “ON” there is a click from a relay somewhere and the door lock buttons twitch. It does this both in the lock and unlock position.

Just wondering if this is normal in other cars out there, if not it may narrow down what I have to look at.

Have had a search of F-Chat for battery draws and can't see anything specific......... Any suggestions gratefully received…..

 

The ECU's, clock, etc. all have a small current draw when the car is not running. That would be more than enough to drain the battery over a few months.

 

Agreed

 

Yup.
Unless you drive daily, the battery tender is your best friend.

Kai

 

+1

I never use to believe this but after over a year of owning a Ferrari you tend to change your outlook on a lot of what is usually normal for other cars...

 

Actually, any car made in the last 15 years or so that is driven rarely and on short trips, will suffer the same fate. I am on some BMW lists, and owners there show the same surprise if they suddenly drive their car only every other weekend for a short trip and find a flat battery after a couple months of this. Same solution...drive regularly or get a battery tender.

 

Just thought I would add my 2c here.

My car just the other day sat for 5 weeks before I went to the garage and started the engine. It started straight away, no issues. I didnt have time to drive the car, so I let it run for 5-10 mins and turned it off.

2 weeks later, I went to the garage to start the car and take her for a drive and I found the battery was flat.

I charged her up JUST enough to get her started and took her for a drive for 20 mins or so. Came home and parked the car for another 4 days. 4 days later, flat battery.

Then I went on holidays for nearly 4 weeks. Last week I put the battery charger on the car. The battery was THAT flat, it didnt look like the charger was doing anything and I thought the battery wasnt going to take a charge. I.E-dropped a cell.

But, after charging it for 48 hrs it was fine. Battery fully charged and car cranked over stronger than ever.

I took her for a drive and enjoyed EVERY minute of it.

So I wouldnt stress about a current draw there mate. Sitting for a few month is bound to flatten the battery in these cars.

 

Thanks all....

Looks like my car is behaving ........ "Normally".....

I bought a new Ducati St3 a few months ago and noticed it came with a "Battery Fighter" charger in the bag of stuff, thought it was a bit of bad omen for Ducati electrics, but looks like I will get one for the 348 as well.

Just waiting for the injectors and all systems go, apparently they are still not flowing to 100% got a heap of disintegrated fuel pump mount rubber through the system and is proving to be a bit stubborn to shift.

 

It's a weekly ritual for me in the winter. Every Friday I switch the Bat tender from the 348 to the Monster and then back the following week.

 

Check out my post in the technical Q/A section about the battery kill switch.

it can help to clean all the connections to the battery,

but of course if you leave the car for weeks you should use some kind of charger.

 

My lasts about 2-3 weeks or so before the battery is almost too weak to start the car. I either drive it weekly or charge up the battery every 10 days. Yeah a tender would be nice but I don't like to have stuff plugged in the garage without me watching it. When 'i had my Spider with alarm and stereo it lasted a week only before the battery toasted. At least this car is much less demanding.

 

another two cents. Very common if not on tender to have a low or no voltage.

However, currently[sic] on the 456, this weekend will be spent diagnosing a brand, new battery put in couple weeks ago [old one had a dead cell], where the battery goes flat in just 24-30 hours. Completly dead to the point the clock or key fob won't work.

will spend time pulling fuses, seeing the draw, then replacing....the only fun part of this event, Sat., is baby gets a brand new set of shoes.

PS: I know the alternator and such is ok, what I'm thinking and I'm no eletrical genius, but, in the olden days, like tubes and all, I remember the adjustments some circuits made when a tube started going bad. The remaining tubes would adjust to the changes. It wasn't uncommon to replace/fix an errant tube only to find the others start to go bad either immediately or quite quickly as their adjustments to the replacements were too sudden.

SO: I'm wondering, in these 'ECU' type of circuits if something similar isn't happening. I know, they are solid state, but there are a bunch of sensors/relays that are somewhat mechanically electrical to make such circuits start to fail like in the 'olden tube days'. Perhpas someone with more electrical insight can put that to rest.

rik

 

Bloody hell!! I wonder how long they had crap in them??

You and the previous owner were VERY lucky that you didnt blow a hole through a piston!!

 

I use one of the Griot's Garage battery managers on the 328. It just sits in standby mode unless the battery charge drops below full. The 328 has nothing except the clock to drain the battery, though, so the battery manager doesn't kick in that often.

I like the fact that the alternator doesn't have to work as hard after the engine is running.

 

Not to derail but what is a "Flat" Battery... Is that the same as a dead battery? I've never in my life heard that term.

 

my car has a kill switch located in the engine bay close to the battery. When i turn it on i can here the central locking. Is this switch a standard feature or something the previous owner put on?

 

Flat means dead, no power, kaput, nada, niet broom broom......

Sorry did not realise the term was not in general use,.... must be an Ozi-isum

 

I guess I was, only to have a couple of valves die.

Like I said before if anyone has the fuel pump rubbers go to S**t, time to change filters, clean the tank, clean the fuel rails, regulators, return lines AND at least have the injectors checked...... unless you have burning desire to see what the inside of a Ferrari engine looks like.

 

Since you never filled out your profile, how are we to know what car you have?

But since you are in the 348/355 section, I have never seen one with a shut off switch in the engine compartment, except when added by the owner.

 

I thought the older 348 had the kill switch in the engine bay...

 

mines a '91 348 TB, the switch is close to the battery

 

Yep yep!! Thats RIGHT!

One was burnt out was it??

 

Yep one was burnt, but the other exhaust on the same cylinder looked suspect so that went over the left shoulder as well.

All others had a good seats and sealing, all had minute amount of guide wear but not more than expected in 20,000ks so left well enough alone.

Compressions now all either side of 190lbs per cylinder, the cam timing is "right" now but as the previous "expert" said "A tooth or two either way is "not a problem" ....50lbs difference in compression "not a problem". Yeh Right

Brakes, clutch and coolant bled spun up oil presure today hangin out to get the injectors back and go for a run....

 

So would you recommend using a tender with the battery disconnected in order to leave the F-car in storage for 5-6 months at a time? Or would you use the tender with the disconnect switch in the connect mode so all electronics in the car are in a function mode? I have several vehicles (MBenz ML 320, GMC Sierra, HD FLHT) left 5-6 months at a time with tenders and never have any problems. This is required because I work overseas.

 

I have had a different experience with my 348. It has never been hooked up to a battery tender, and it has sat for some long periods between drives. The longest has probably been around 3 months. It starts up everytime without issue. I am glad that I don't have an aftermarket alarm system, they are well known for causing dead batteries.

BT