Hi I hope somebody an give me advice on this. I have been having the following problem recently: As I am driving along its as if half the engine shuts down. The engine has a flat sound, hardly any revs and no power. It will keep going like that for a minute or two. Then all of a sudden the engine come right and then it goes perfectly. Then after a while it will all happen again. No warning lights come on at all. At first I thought it could be a cat sensor but when I phoned our Ferrari agents. The workshop guy said it couldnt be cat sensors as no warning lights came on. He thinks its vacumn pipe pipe problems causing fuel starvation and that I should take it in to them. What do you guys think? Where abouts are the vacumn pipes. Ease to replace them myself? Thanks a lot. Kevin
... check that your car actually has the warning lamp BULBS installed. With the key in the "on" position (but not start) do you see the Slow Down indicator on your dash?
Hi Daniel. I just checked now. The "slow down" light bulb is definately working when the key is "on" position.
So half the engine is shutting down for a short while then coming back on with no warning lights coming on. Any ideas? This has happened full fuel tank and half full fuel tanks.
It sounds like you have one bank shutting down; I had the same thing happen in the past and it was an electrical/ECU problem. Ultimately installing Dave's connector kit fixed the problem for me but here are some things you can try now: - Even though you aren't seeing any warning lights, pull the stored error codes from your ECUs (procedure: http://www.my348.com/348.html#ECUcodes). - Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery. - Remove the ECUs and make sure the wiring loom running through the firewall to the engine is not damaged and shorting any of the wires out. - Clean the connectors to each ECU with a wire brush and electrical contact cleaner. - Inspect your chassis ground and make sure it has a good rust free connection to the frame. - Install your ECUs and connect the battery. Start the car and let it warm up for 15 minutes to re-learn the parameters. - Drive the car and see if the bank still cuts out, and then pull the error codes again. You could have a crank sensor going bad, or possibly a combination of other sensors, but with the OEM electrical connectors being so flakey on these cars it makes sense to try this first before throwing parts at the problem.
Thanks Eric. I will try it. Did you also have no warning lights when one bank shut down? What is Daves connector kit?
Yes, it sounds very similar to my issue - no warning lights, a bank would cut out, and then I would get a check engine light when the bank came back on. I chased error codes that indicated crank sensors, phase sensor, TPS, O2, etc, etc and played the game of chasing the problem by replacing parts. After a good cleaning of all contacts I had some improvement and began to clue in. I talked to Dave Helms (username: davehelms) who was able to explain the dynamics of what was happening to my car far better than I could ever explain it here. I bought his "precious metal connector kit" and installed it. Not one error code, bank cutting out, etc since I've put it in and I've driven it about 5,000 miles since then. Dollar for dollar the best money I've ever spent on the car.
Thanks for that info. I dont get an check engine lights come on after the bank comes back or any other warning lights at that time. It just goes like there was nothing wrong.
This evening was the first chance I had to work on the car. So heres the report back. I first checked the vacumn pipes which were fine. Disconnected the battery and removed the ECU's cleaning the plug points with a brush and contact cleaner. Refitted them. Then checked all the sensor plugs and reseated them, in the engine bay. Checked all the earth points. Ive just come back from a half hour ride over a mountain pass nearby and it went perfectly never missing a beat. Couldnt really push it as its 10pm here but did take it up to 130 mph. Holding thumbs for this Sunday's Ferrari owners club outing that the problem doesnt happen again.
Thanks for reporting back and hopefully the problem is resolved. If it occurs again though, you now have some good data points that help to pinpoint the problem to the electrical/ECU area.
