Please help me diagnose my no start issue. 5.2 F355 | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Please help me diagnose my no start issue. 5.2 F355

Discussion in '348/355' started by Rob'Z, Feb 8, 2014.

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  1. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 18, 2008
    6,059
    Indio Ca/ Alberta
    Full Name:
    Grant
    Mine cranks fine just won't start unless I hit the key fob. Have done that a few times because shut car off to wait for wife.
     
  2. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    29,252
    socal
    If you got no fuel pressure you gotta start there and then see what is next. You can even have failing fuel pump relays that will intermittently work even after the car has started. Those relays suck! An easy thing to do is squirt some start fluid in and see if the car will run for less than 5 seconds. That adds to the confirmation that fuel is an issue. Then you can hot wire the fuel pump and should be able to start the car.

    On everything else with a motronic 5.2 that I have seen including the 550 Maranello if you unlock the car wait 120 sec+ the immobilizer resets and the car will not crank. That is your brain tickle to press your FOB to unlock the immoblizer to get the car to crank and then start. If the 355 does not work that way (I can't remember) then that is another stupid thing on the 355 that makes it wonderful. That wonderful trait if DaveRocks is right just clouds the diagnosis on why you have zero fuel pressure. It is possible therefore that Plugzit is right and the immobilizer it AFU and one of it's actions is to kill the fuel circuit. If the immobilizer has done that then there is the way to excorcizing the immobilizer from the 355 going after that fuel kill circuit.

    If on the other hand you can rule out bad immobilizer function like you can on any other 5.2 motronic car then you have to start looking at things like wiring, connections, fuel pump, fuel filter fouling, pressure regulators, relays, fusebox. You can eliminate fuel filter, regulators, pumps if you can hot wire the pump and start the car. Then you are down to a wiring issue. The Bosch ECU is very robust. It is extremely unlikely that the problem is there but it certainly can be. You want the problem to be somewhere else cheaper.
     
  3. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Nov 23, 2012
    16,047
    Orchard Park, NY
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    Dave Lelonek
    FBB, as I said above, I'm 100% positive of the following:

    1) if the car is locked and you press the FOB, the alarm and immobilizer are both disarmed. If the car is not started within 120 seconds, the immobilizer (not alarm) rearms. To start the car after the 120 seconds requires another press of the FOB

    2) the car will crank with the immobilizer armed but it will just not start.
     
  4. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    Dec 1, 2004
    7,791
    Redondo Beach, CA
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    Bruce Bogart
    First three steps in any non-start diagnosis:
    1. Got starter?
    2. Got spark?
    3. Got fuel?
    It's very easy to force #1 and #3. #2 is somewhat more difficult. If you check these three and find two and three missing, then you can check function of 3 (follow the wires from the pumps, checking for voltage at every terminal), and then 2 same way and also while cranking. If they both go all the way to the brain with nothing, but you have voltage to the brain, then you're there....if you didn't get stopped along the way by finding what's wrong. If the starter doesn't work when you jump the terminals even tho you have 12v there, then guess what? Regardless of how mysterious the system is, there are only 3 basics. Ya gotta do the work. Dayum the accessories! Full diagnosis ahead!
     
  5. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
    1,024
    Tucson,AZ
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    Robert
    Nobody has commented on the fact that my CEL is on when the engine is starting and when it is off I get the no start condition. I am fairly certain it's a connection or chafed wire issue.
     
  6. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
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    Dec 1, 2004
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    Bruce Bogart
    I have to agree with you. I doubt anybody can do further diagnosis by internet or point you to a certain wire in a certain place. Looks like time to start tracing wires and systems. Best of luck to you and let's hope you find it early in the session!
    The "Power Probe" is a great tool for diag, as is the contiuity tester.
     
  7. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Feb 18, 2008
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    Indio Ca/ Alberta
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    Grant
    My 99 f1 works the same as long as the red led is working properly it will also tell you by flashing. When it's flashing car will roll over but no fuel.
     
  8. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    20,034
    The Cold North
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    Tom
    Sounds like you are losing power to the ECU intermittently.
     
  9. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    Robert
    That would explain the CEL going out.... I like it, which pin is 12V keyed? I'll check that first.
     
  10. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    So I still have a beautiful non-operational F355 and I'd like to change that. M

    I have 12V at Pin 26/Row 1 and Pin 54/Row 2. CEL is not on (but should be) and I've swapped out every relay I could find with a working one.

    Short of removing the subframe to gain access to the wire harness are there any other things to look for?


    Rob
     
  11. Badabing!

    Badabing! Formula Junior

    Mar 30, 2014
    731
    NYC
    Have you been actively working on this issue for the last 3 months since your last post? Sorry for your troubles.
     
  12. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    Tucson,AZ
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    Robert
    No, not at all. I found some time over the long weekend to dig into it a bit but no luck.

    I've just been cranking the engine over a few times each month to move the timing belts around.


    Rob
     
  13. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    Robert
    Messed with it again tonight, still no luck. My brother found a pin completely pushed out of the ECU connector (not sure how I missed that) so I got very excited......it didn't fix it. He spent about 20 minutes inspecting all the pins for secure seating in the connector etc. I showed him FBBs picture from page 1 and he said, "oh, most of them look like that"

    I guess it's time to start removing/fixing one by one....l


    Rob
     
  14. Carbuilder

    Carbuilder Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2012
    550
    Bolton, ON
    Full Name:
    Rick
    No, depends on the year of the car. My '96 will not crank when immobilized.

    Rick
     
  15. taz355

    taz355 F1 Veteran
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    Feb 18, 2008
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    Rob in the service manual I believe it discusses the fuel circuit.
    I have read that the ecu does store errors even after the power is cut off. If I am reading this correctly it might be quicker just to take the car to a dealer and have them read it through the sd computer. It looks like the computer will give you previous errors and maybe worth the few hundred bucks for the time it will take you to diagnose each part of the fuel and injection system and sensors.
     
  16. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    Robert
    Ok, here's the latest.....

    I removed my ECU and tried it in another '97..........……… it did not start. Cranked but no CEL (should have a P1448) but no fire. Reinstalled the ECU that I removed and it fired right up.

    He offered to let me try his ECU in my car. I'm afraid of damaging his though. July 31st marked the five year Anniversiary of Ferrari ownership for me. I was unable to celebrate by taking my baby for a drive. :-(

    I am looking for a spare ECU to borrow (or buy) in an attempt to get my car running once again.

    I am also contemplating going with a full standalone system. It is much cheaper, allows for E85 and or boost in the future, will eliminate many potential issues that owners are battling with and it is a sure way of allowing my engine o produce that beautiful music once again.

    Its insured as. Collector so I do not need to go through emissions (OBDII port will no longer function) and I never plan to part with the car.


    Thoughts?
     
  17. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2001
    13,662
    San Carlos, CA
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    Mitchell Le
    I read your very first post and your last post, and this is my wild ash guess.

    There may have been a wire or two damaged during the engine out service and it caused the ECU - immobilizer communication to go haywire. The damaged wires further destroyed the ECU board which caused it to go from intermittent to permanent no-start. It was a good guess on your part not to try a working ECU with your car.

    If it were my car, I would inspect the wiring harness very carefully for messed up wires. It may require another engine out, but ... c'est la vie.

    I also would open up the ECU unit and inspect to see if there is an obvious burnt components. You have nothing to lose with the bad ECU.

    I would not put a working ECU in that car until I find the cause and fix it. That is bad but this is not an easy problem. Good luck.
     
  18. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    #43 Rob'Z, Aug 6, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2015
    I did check my harness and the power and ground wires seem to be OK with the exception of one ground wire (not sure which pin off the top of my head). It's an analog ground iirc. It seems to never ohm as a ground but the reading changes with the ECU plugged in when the key is turned from off to run. The reading does not change with the ECU unplugged, battery switch on or off.

    I did pop open the ECU and saw no visible signs of damage.

    I did ask earlier and was satisfied that there would be no issue with using my ECU in the other car (immobilizer). A few VW friends (similar Bosch systems) said they can't change ECUs due to immobilizer incompatibilities. I understand this to not be an issue on the F355. Just want to nail this down.

    I guess I need to identify this pin again and ask another 5.2 owner to check the ohm reading on their (running) car and compare the results.

    Thank you
     
  19. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2001
    13,662
    San Carlos, CA
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    Mitchell Le
    There is an analog ground pin in the ECU that is actively driven by an amplifier in the ECU board. They do this to cancel out the noise on this pin. If this is the pin, it will not ohm out to GRD, because it is not GRD.
     
  20. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    29,252
    socal
    Wow! No 355 over 1 year? I feel for you. If not racing a stand alone will drop the value of your 355 and proper tuning and testing is not as easy as you think especially in a streetcar. OEMs take great pains and spend zillions and still get it wrong. Why not buy a new harness and ECU? Why not take the old harness out and verify/trace every wire? It is tedious but not impossible. Or I'm always on the lookout for a racecar project. I can be in Tuscon Saturday and my Friend needs to buy parts too big to ship from GT Car Parts anyway.
     
  21. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
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    #46 Rob'Z, Aug 7, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2015
    Definitely not concerned with resale whatsoever. I plan to own this car through my last breath.

    I just want to drive the thing again, it's been since February 2014!!!!!!!!!!!! Only about 125 miles since I did the major, ugh!

    I added a lift in the garage so I can take my time on the next engine-out (last one was on the lift in the carport in the backyard).

    I'm all for having you over to take a look FBB but the car is absolutely not for sale. ;-)

    As for tuning, I have a close friend that owns a shop. All he does is tuning, he has a Mustang AWD dyno. He'd take his time to iron out the maps to give smooth drive ability and he's close so future changes would be easy.

    I just know that for ~$1700 (parts and tuning) and an engine drop on my end I would have a running Ferrari once again.
    I could find a used ECU for roughly half of that but it could just crap out again.

    I hate repairs and tend to turn them into modifications whenever possible/affordable. This seems to fit that scenario.
     
  22. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,813
    Lake Villa IL
    Pro efi with fuel composition sensor would be pretty neat. (though I'm not sure entirely necessary).

    You could then use 2.7 induction system (with no maf's)
     
  23. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
    1,024
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    Robert
    I'm leaned my heavily towards the stand-alone option. It's a known cost and will get my car back on the road.

    E85 (more timing advance/more power) and possibly boost in the future.

    Speed density is the plan most likely. Uninterrupted intake paths. ;-)
     
  24. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 14, 2011
    8,636
    SoCal LA/OC/New Mexico
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    Tim Dee
    ~If you are keeping the car, PERIOD to get buried in.
    ~If you dont need to connect to an OBD for inspection (there is a work around for that also not cost effective yet but soon)
    ~if you want to tune tune tune then tune some more on the dyno.


    =////=

    By all means go stand alone !!!!!! These Motronics are slow and wonky
    Your in AZ, your weather is pretty flat all you would need is a running AFR to adjust for altitude.

    :)
     
  25. Rob'Z

    Rob'Z Formula 3

    Mar 29, 2008
    1,024
    Tucson,AZ
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    Robert
    I have access to two tuners locally. Worked with one at a shop in the past and have been friends with the other since '04. He works for World Challenge.

    The company I'm looking at is keen to build an ECU that will be able to plug directly into our harnesses........no rewiring necessary. Will delete the MAF and use a MAP and IAT sensor instead.

    Stay tuned. :)
     

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