Makes you think Maserati didn’t entirely trust the new technology back then. I’ve had the car running successfully via the points and coil with the CDI disconnected. Mark
The under reading tach has been resolved! The tach was unable to ‘read correctly’ the 12 volt square wave signal when running on the Bosch CDI unit, a re-calibration by a specialist in Automotive Gauges fixed the problem. Now all that remains is how durable the Bosch CDI unit is, and I now know how to hook it back up via the coil and points if it stops working (as experienced by Ivan) Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback. Mark
Mark, Very useful feedback. I may have the exact same issue with my wrong reading tacho: possibly also a failing CDI unit that may require recalibration (hoping it is possible). I have to check on my car whether activating the switch on my 4900 Indy impacts engine running, I had never thought of doing it.
If you want to drive your cars reliably I think you guys should seriously consider getting the health of your distributors verified and then convert to a Pertronix system. That's what I've done on my 71 V12 single distributor Espada which had 4 sets of points to align! That car had no CDI box and with two Pertronix systems mounted inside the Marelli distributor everything is invisible but it starts quite smartly every time and there's no need for a CDI box. I even have the capacitors and resistors still mounted though inactive on the dual coil bracket just like original. I'm sure you could figure out some way to make the old Bosch box look like it was still involved? Just make sure that your advance mechanism in the dizzy is healthy. My only failure was one of the Pertronix coils failed once.
My Indy has the ‘pusher’ type thematic fans mounted in front of the radiator, however after a long run the fans sometimes continue to run even after the ignition is switched off until the thermostat turns them off, is this normal or should the fan relays be connected to switched power so the turn off when the ignition is shut down?
I'm not an expert on how the Indy was wired but that doesn't sound original to me. However it sounds like a very worthwhile modification so long as the fans are wired to operate via relay to prevent any dashboard switch overload if there is such a switch. The fans on my 84 Biturbo continue to run so as to cool down everything in the engine compartment. I changed the thermostatic switch to let them run longer and it really helps in hot weather for things like vapour lock and hard starting. So as long as it's been wired properly I'd consider this mod a gift.
The Indy was originally wired so that the fans would only be on when the ignition was switched on. Having them running after the ignition is off is actually a good thing, as Bob mentioned. Ivan
Thanks again Bob and Ivan for your replies. I suspected it would have been wired to switch off with the ignition originally, however my wiring layout like other aspects of the car seems to be a combination of the first and second series cars, in that it has a 12 fuse fusebox (later 4.2) but other characteristics of the earlier models, I guess they just used up the parts on hand until the newer parts came on line, my Fulvia Zagato is similar, nothing completely follows the published literature, the joys of low volume ‘hand built’ cars
I doubt your radiator fan wiring is a factory modification but rather an owner modification. In California where I lived for 25 years many of the Maserati GT car owners who had to deal with temperatures of 95-100F in the summertime added switch modifications for the fans so that after traveling on the highways and then exiting onto local roads they could turn their fans on full time before the thermal switch in an attempt to keep the engine cool. On my Bora even that didn't help as only high speed travel could bring the heat down.
I agree it was most likely an owner modification. It is very easy to do. Simply locate the wire on the fuse box that goes to the radiator thermo sensor and change it from a switched fuse to an unswitched fuse. Ivan
Some Italian GT exotics actually require you to turn the second fan on via a switch! LOL, as if their cooling systems were even adequate. My Espada is like that and ... It's a pair of pushers up front, another dumb idea.
Yes owner mod (by error) as the entire wiring harness has been out of the car, I even managed to reverse the polarity on the AC/Heater blower and wondered why I wasn’t getting much air volume! I have wired the thermo fans back to switched power as the car seems to run within spec temp wise despite our local temps hitting 95-100F already, I’ll report back if there are any measurable differences ie after letting the car sit for 15 minutes and restarting. Thanks again for your collective thoughts and feedback it has been invaluable in helping get the restoration sorted, Maserati experts are not exactly abundant in rural Australia (read non existent) where I live
I have reports from a shop I know in Arizona that a well-tuned 4.2L Indy made 212bhp at the rear wheels on their dynojet. Was that anyone here?
The (refurbished) cooling system of my 4.9 Indy, the later system with two pullers within a shroud, looks to be pretty efficient. The water and oil temp gauges never exceed mid range, even driving in town traffic. It is also wired "normally", without extended cooling after switching ignition off. I also think it is not needed, considering the efficient cooling.
While my Indy has the older style pusher fans it has proven to be more than adequate at maintaining normal temps, took her on a 250km journey on a hot 37c day no problem. Unfortunately the hydraulic brake switch didn’t like the hot weather and gave up, so no brake lights. Is the switch a common type or will I have to source it from one of the specialists?
The brake hydraulic switch is common with British cars such as the Jaguar E type, MGs and Triumphs. Ivan
Hopefully there are no ‘dumb questions’ on this thread, but I’m puzzled as to where you position the factory ‘Battani’ Jack under the sills on an Indy. I can’t see any areas (jacking points) large enough for the rectangular top of the Jack to engage with? Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have never tried jacking my Indy yet. I notice however that there are reinforced rectangular areas under the two ends (front and rear) of the sills. The chrome plates also show a recess along these areas. I guess that these are the areas that you are looking for. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks, yes my car has the same sections, however they are not deep enough for the top of the Jack to fit, assuming the jack is positioned at 90 degree, as with most cars utilising a scissor jack, surly the jack isn’t positioned parallel to the sill?
I assume the jack has to be positioned parallel to the sill. That way, the handle (thanks to its specific design) can still be handled perpendicular to the sill (I hope though that there is no interference of the jack with the tyre).
