Well on the way back from C and C Irvine this weekend I noticed the mileage creepin up so i snapped up a couple of pics. So far i've put close to 1.7k in about 6 wks of ownership. i've noticed the running water temp seems low. The pics shows moving water temps. The heavy traffic or stopped temps go up to the next line or little past it. Fans do cycle. Could this be the normal oper. temp, or is the temp sender may be failing or is off a bit ? The fans do cycle so they must be triggered by another sender? Is there a seperate sender for the guage, fan and i hope ECU. Simply wouldn't want it to run in warmup(rich) mode. Seems maybe the fans are operating at a higher temp, i would think for cooling. I see no ill effects of running like this, what do you think? My guess is the sender for the guage, which i hope is different than the one for the ecu. I would maybe think at this temp it would be running in warmup(rich) mode. Thanks Also hit 25k Image Unavailable, Please Login
Mine runs cool like that if it's kind of cool outside and it's been in 6th for a while. The oil temp should still be in the middle though.
I'm lean more towards not real, because the fans cycle at a much higher temp and they do cycle. If it was the thermostat then the temp would never hit the fan temp switch temp if the guage was right, don't you think. I have to look for a guage temp sender and see if it's routed just for the guage and not combined with the ecu water temp for obivious reasons. If anyone knows please fill me in. If its a failed thermostat does it fail open or closed ? Thanks
It's been fairly cool 55-85 degs. here in socal. I don't have a oil temp guage to see where thats at. This is the moving temp pretty much alwasys. Traffic or stopped goes up a line or little more.
You probably have a thermostat stuck open. They can stick open or closed. There is a seperate sender for the water temp gauge. Left radiator is controlled by the thermoswitch at the top of the radiator. Right fan is controlled by the Motronic water temp sensor next to the oil filter mount (just to the right of it). Again, your symptom sounds just like a stuck open thermostat...I had that happen right after a major service. New thermostat, and normal operation returned.
Ferrari should never have replaced the oil temp gauge with the F1 transmission read out. They should have simply moved the oil temp gauge and replaced the clock with it. Why save the clock?
I'm still not seeing the thermostat. If the thermostat was stuck open then why am I still getting the fans to cycle in traffic or at a stand still? Those temps for the fan are much higher. If the guage was reading correctly then those fans are below there switched on temp.. Please explain if my logic is off. Yeah i'd prefer a oil temp over a clock also. Is it possible to overheat the oil if the water temps are normal?
The proper thermostatic lower limit is around 175-180dF for both water and oil temperature gauges. Lower than these numbers indicate a sending unit or a thermostat problem
Where is the sender for the guage? I hope easy to get to.. Logic is telling me it isn't the thermostat, because the fans cycling.(higher temp setting) Is there a aftermarket sender or is the ferrari sender the only one? Thanks Reminds me i need to get new batteries for my laser temp guage so i can point it at the radiator and see what that tells me. Thanks
Yes, you do need to check some temps with your laser thermometer. Radiator, hoses, even head temp. I agree with you that if the fans are cycling on the real temp is higher than what the gauge is showing. IF the gauge is right it would be harmful to the engine to run it that cool. At least that is my understanding-- modern engines are designed to have proper clearances when they are at about 190F.
Yeah, i'll check with a laser today. Which of the senders is for the guage? Does it have to be Ferrari or is there a affordable aftermarket one. I'll going thru the tech manuals today to see if i can find wich it is. Thanks
The sender for the gauge is not very accessible. It is under the expansion tank, toward the front of the engine. If you do need a new sender, get the factory part, it is not that expensive. I guess I am confused by the description of when the fans come on...they typically come on when the needle on the gauge is between 11 oclock and straight up at 12 oclock. If they are coming on before that, then yes, there might be an issue with the sender for the gauge. But the description of your gauge reading normally in city driving, and too cold on the freeway is just how mine read with a stuck open thermostat.
Thanks guess i got some work to do. The guage never gets up higher than the line past where the needle is now in the pic. Still to low.. Was hope the sender was easier to get to. Anything I should now before i tackle it on my own.. I'm a very good DYI'er. Thanks again..
My 95 does the same thing and I have changed thermostat, oil and water My oil temp will eventually go down to 160 once the water temp is downto 150 for awhile. This is when driving in highway speeds at 55 degree temps in 6th. I had my car at Road America in 45 degree temps for 7-8 laps at a time and the car was always running 6-8500 rpm and water and oil were pefect. I don't think it is a sender because the oil temp and water temp both go down
U must be Cels. temps.... I don't have a oil temp to go off of.. Yes water temps go up and down but at about 30-40 degs. F low.. While my temp switches for the left fan and right ecu fan seem to cycle fine at a much higher and normal temp (I hope). Hard to believe there all off by same amount. Fan cycles need to be confirmed as it's just off remembering hearing them cycle. it's getting detailed now so i'll reaffirm the fans cycling when i get it back.. While i'm not to concerned i like EVERYTHING to work as it should. Not anal thought. Anyone have the time and knowledge with the Ricambi site to know which p/n# it is for the temp guage sender is, I see 2 i just don't know which one... Thanks
Part number is 148677, and holy cow, expensive! http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=201043
Marcelo, I have a 1992 512. My car does exactly as yours. When stopped or moving slow, the temp rises and the fans begin to cycle. At speed, the car runs very cool (abnormally?) in anything less than hot summer temps. The car will run cooler yet if it is raining. If there is anything wrong with you car and I don't think there is, it would have to be the thermostat. Here is how to check the thermostat without removing it from the car. You can do this check with an infrared thermomenter, or just your hand. To check the thermostat, start the car from absolutely (overnight) cold. The radiator hose downstream from the thermostat will be cold. As the engine warms up the radiator hose will remain cold. When the thermostat opens that hose will get very hot very suddenly. If that is the case the thermostat is fine. If I have not been clear, please let me know Tony
Definitely not real. Try re-seating the connection to the sender. Temp sensors are NTC (negative temperature coefficient) devices. Therefore corroded contacts and bad connections introduce resistance to the circuit and result in a lower than actual display of temperature. The fact that your fans cycle means that the thermo-switch is working correctly and t-stat etc. are ok. Sensors are for the computers shown by the two blue connectors at the left of the H2O plenum, sender is at the top right as shown. I know it's a 348 engine but you get the idea. Hope this helps. Image Unavailable, Please Login
More great info!! I got my infrared temp ready for the morning. Going to see if i can get to the connectors without taking to much stuff off. Here's a pic of the senders. Which one is it for sure....#39 facing forward or #40 facing towards the rear of the car ? Thanks.. I guess just double checking F355spider saying it was this one. Part number is 148677, and holy cow, expensive! http://www.ricambiamerica.com/produc...ucts_id=201043 Image Unavailable, Please Login
First off, make sure your temp gauge is working (recording the actual temp) --- use a separate gauge to verify true temp. Then, if it is actually cold, check that your t-stat is not stuck open.
Did some checkin this morning.. Thermostat is closed at startup opening when about 165F +- 10 degs. Both fans are cycling on and off. Had to block the intake on the driverside to get the passenger side fan to come on. Infrared therm. reads at about 170-189 degs. dependin on where i check it. Thermostat good therm switch for fan good thermo for ecu good (ecu switched fan) themo sender for guage no good. Going to get at it soon and check for a good connection (per fchater advice). Then i'll replace it if doesn't get better. Whats the verdict on which one. #39 or #40 ....? Thanks
