Starting in Gear | FerrariChat

Starting in Gear

Discussion in '612/599' started by donv, May 24, 2023.

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  1. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Since I picked my 612 up at the factory in 2008, I have generally started the car in first gear. In part this is because the parking brake isn't great, so it needs to be parked in first. However, it's also true that the factory after-sales guy said this was fine, and the owner's manual doesn't address it.

    After reading a few posts here over the past year, I started to think maybe I should be putting it into neutral before I start. So I started to do that.

    Around the same time, I noticed something weird, and a bit concerning, was happening. I would press the start button, it would crank about 3 times, pause for a beat, the TFT screen would flicker (so clearly something electrical going on), then it would start cranking again and start. Hmm...

    I finally put it together that this was happening every time I put the car in neutral before starting. Leave it in gear, it shifts to neutral and starts just fine, with no pause. So that is what I am doing going forward.

    Any thoughts on why it does this?
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Don- None here. The OMs say to start in neutral so that is what I do and my 575 has never hesitated, but she has 7.1.1 and yours has 7.3.2. The real reason for doing that is if the battery is low, she can lurch forward if started in 1st and the entire system shift to neutral was not completed. Has happened to a few owners.

    I assume the check ok lamp had already illuminated when you did this.
     
  3. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    The 612 OTO owner's manual says nothing about starting in neutral.

    I have learned over the years to start the car slowly-- key on, wait until the beeps and boops stop, then start. The "Check OK" doesn't actually appear until it has been running for 30-45 seconds, which I know is correct.

     
  4. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Don- Totally different from the earlier F1 Ferraris.
     
  5. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Yes, I think they improved the system. I recall asking the after-sales guy at the factory about it as well, and he said it didn't matter if you were in neutral or not.
     
  6. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Don- My OTO OM says to start in neutral. Did you get an OTO OM or was yours so early it came with the old manual? The OTO OM is 3558/09.


    Starting the engine
    Before starting the engine, make sure that the alarm system and all the electrical devices with a high power absorption are off.
    • Ensure that the handbrake is engaged and that the doors are properly closed.
    • Keep the brake pedal pressed when starting the engine.
    • Do not press the accelerator pedal.
    • Turn the ignition key to position II and wait for the “Check OK” symbol to appear on the TFT display.
    • If the “Check OK” symbol does not appear, turn the key back to position 0, wait a few seconds and then repeat the procedure.
    • Put the gearshift in neutral, pulling both the “UP” and “DOWN” levers towards the steering wheel. Ensure that the gear display shows “N” and that it is not flashing. • Press the ENGINE START button and release it as soon as the engine starts.
    • After the engine has started, the symbol “Check OK” will be displayed.
     
  7. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    My OTO is for the "MY2008" 612 Scaglietti. However, since it does not reference the start button, I think it is for the slightly older version.

    That said, it has the same text yours does, but adds the following text:

    "The engine can also be started with a gear engaged: With the brake pedal pressed, turn the ignition key to position III. The system allows the clutch to open and the gearbox to engage neutral. The starter motor will then be enabled for starting."

    Did they drop that text in the next version of the owner's manual?

    I would also add that I asked the after-sales guy at the Ferrari factory about it when I picked the car up, and he told me to start it in gear.

    In any event, the car seems much happier starting in gear, as opposed to having been shifted into neutral prior to start-- see my first post.
     
  8. brogenville

    brogenville Formula 3
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    It seems obvious to me that there is less drag on the engine if the car is in gear (even with the clutch engaged), or at least the potential for more drag, so its always sensible in any car to start in neutral. Plus there's the risk if the clutch isn't fully engaged that the car could lurch forward if in gear. Its just logical; there is no benefit in starting in gear, but there are obvious risks/downsides.
     
  9. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Your understanding of what it is doing is incorrect. The car always starts in neutral. If it is in gear when you press the start button, the transmission automatically shifts into neutral and then starts.

     
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  10. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Don- Yup, they all do that, but all the manuals still say to start in neutral, just in case. On the OTOs, there are two check ok lamps, unlike eariler F1 Ferraris. One illuminates before start and one illuminates after start. If you are starting before the first one illuminates, that could be your problem. Has caused problems for 599 owners in the past.
     
  11. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    But... my manual says it is fine to start in gear. What part of "The engine can also be started with a gear engaged" am I not understanding?



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  12. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Don- It says it is physically possible to start her in gear and the system will select neutral, not that you should start her in 1st. Just above that it says to start her in neutral. Pretty much what it says in all the F1 owners manuals.
     
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  13. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    I can attest to that. When I first got my 2008 OTO in 2013, I would turn the key and immediately hit the START button. Then when driving sometimes the car would seem to be in a "limp" mode, lack of power. I posted the situation on here and I got the advice to wait until the "CHECK" light went out before starting. Never had a problem since then.

    I always put my car in N before starting, but that's probably just from decades of driving manuals and never (or rarely) starting them in 1st gear.
     
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  14. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    It doesn't just say it is physically possible, it says you CAN ALSO start with it in gear. There are no notes, cautions, limitations, or recommendations against doing it. If they didn't want you to do it, they would have said so, or not included that section. The after-sales guy at the Ferrari factory also told me it is fine.

     
  15. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    You absolutely need to wait before hitting the start button, in gear or not. If you don't, you will occasionally get the various warnings about power steering, or electrical malfunction, or even the limp home mode you encountered. Or it might work fine... but generally, doing it slowly is good.

    I'm curious, though. If the car is in gear when parked, and you pull the paddles back into neutral before starting, do you get any sort of hesitation in the cranking or does it just crank until it fires?

     
  16. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    On occasion, and I think usually when the engine is cold, the starter motor will turn and then stop. Then I have to press the START button again.
     
  17. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Interesting. You might try it with the car in first gear and see what happens. On mine, if I keep holding the starter button down, it starts turning again.

    No hesitation at all when the car shifts itself into neutral, though.

     
  18. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    I'll try it and let you know. I'll probably take it out on Friday.
     
  19. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    They are very sensitive to battery voltage as well, which is always something to keep in mind. Mine lives on a battery tender unless I am on the road.
     
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  20. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    I didn't see any difference. I'm still just going to put it in N when I start it. I'm too old to teach me new tricks! :D
     
  21. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Me, too.
     
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