weird new sound at startup 83 308Qv | FerrariChat
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weird new sound at startup 83 308Qv

Discussion in '308/328' started by aseweepay, Apr 16, 2008.

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  1. aseweepay

    aseweepay Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2004
    400
    Mid-West
    #1 aseweepay, Apr 16, 2008
    Drove the car yesterday for the first time in a few weeks. Started the car and there was a tapping noise for a few seconds that I have never heard before, then it went away (oil issue ?) it started the high idle warm up, I backed it out of the garage to let it warm up and all of a sudden there was a noise coming from the passenger side of the car, not sure how to explain it except that it sounded kind of like a flapping noise as if something were in the engine compartment and getting hit by the belts, grabbed a flashlight and looked, nothing looked "out of place", belts seemed solid (not moving back and forth or rubbing)...The sound went away after about 30 seconds maybe a minute. Has anyone else heard this ? I am wondering if it could be the water pump, it was replaced a year or so ago and since then I have had an on again off again slight coolant leak (only starts to leak once in a while and only starts a few hours after car is put away)...every time the car is looked at in the shop, they can't replicate the leak even after driving or pressurizing the system overnight. Maybe I should have shut the car off but after I didn't see anything I went back to shut it off and the sound stopped. I drove the car 50 miles or so running errands so I started and stopped the engine about 5 or 6 times and never heard the noise again....It was only about 70 degrees out and the car ran cool (about 145 to 160 degrees unless stopped at a light, then up to maybe 185 or so at the most)...
     
  2. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,022
    Groton, MA
    Full Name:
    Verell Boaen
    #2 Verell, Apr 16, 2008
    The A/C belts are known for making a kind of snapping/ rapping sound for a few seconds on a cold start. 1st time I heard it, I swore it was a bearing death rattle(ask me how I know what that sounds like...).

    It's the A/C belt doing something wierd till it's run a bit. Spots on the belt seem to stick for just long enough to make the snapping sound. Allegedly it's the cold belt generating static electricity that causes it. Proof is to remove the A/C belt & it immediately goes away, reinstall the belt & it reappears.

    There's 3 or 4 threadds on it, & a couple in the old fchat archives. A search for 'belt noise' will probably turn them up.
     
  3. tatcat

    tatcat F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2001
    11,013
    panama city beach FL
    Full Name:
    rick c
    #3 tatcat, Apr 16, 2008
    terrifying isn't it? i had the same issue with my 85qv a few months ago. wrote basically the same post as you. the consensus of opinion was it's the a/c clutch sticking at start up. mine sounded like a snapping almost electrical arcing sound. by the time i got around to see what it was the sound stopped. if you've checked all the usual suspects and they all check out ok then don't worry about it. mine just went away. i think the outside temp may have had something to do with it or not. either way it's been a few months now since the episode and so far all's well. relax, go for a drive.
     
  4. RVIDRCI

    RVIDRCI Formula 3

    Dec 1, 2005
    1,576
    Long Beach / Phoenix
    Full Name:
    Luigi
    #4 RVIDRCI, Apr 16, 2008
    My 85QV has done the same thing for over a year. I isolated it by removing accesory belts one at a time and cold start testing. My A/C works great, I drive my car at near redline shift on a regular basis and all is well (except for that annoying clatter during cold start warm up). Between that A/C snap and pop, and the weird oil cooler moan and whine, cold starts on my car are quite a symphony !!! (sometimes I sing along in my best pretend Pavoratti tenor ..sannnntaaaaaa...luciaaaa :)
     
  5. aseweepay

    aseweepay Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2004
    400
    Mid-West
    #5 aseweepay, Apr 17, 2008
    Thanks for the reply(s) guys, I really appreciate it..In two years of ownership and driving thousands of miles in the car it was the first time I had heard either the "tapping/ticking" and "slapping" noise on start-up...
     
  6. desire308

    desire308 Formula 3

    Oct 19, 2007
    1,433
    Florida
    Full Name:
    Peter W
    #6 desire308, Apr 17, 2008
    Not for nothing but if I heard a "slapping" noise...I'd shut it down ASAP...check this one out...

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194092
     
  7. jsa330

    jsa330 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    10,048
    75225
    Full Name:
    Scott
    #7 jsa330, Apr 17, 2008
    I haven't heard anything off yet, but then have put less than 1K miles on the 308.

    Wierd noises coming from a Ferrari somehow have an extraordinarily unsettling quality.
     
  8. mike

    mike Formula Junior

    Nov 2, 2003
    721
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #8 mike, Apr 17, 2008
    I had the tick..tick...tick at cold start up on my 308 2v.. It was the air conditioner clutch. Got it replaced & no more noise
     
  9. Mike C

    Mike C F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 3, 2002
    6,081
    Southeast USA
    Full Name:
    Mike Charness
    #9 Mike C, Apr 17, 2008
    Start your car up in a darker environment and you'll likely be able to see that indeed the belts generate static electricity! I've seen it -- pretty cool to watch.
     

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