1981 QP III 5 Speed and 1986 QP III Auto

See the repair invoice. Carpathian Burl Elm
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Well I took the car out for a quick detail before Christmas. Anyway, overheating in the shop and a floor full of rad fluid. Then when I picked it up limited power steering (fluid on the belt?) and overheating.

So not sure what has gone on but I had the free flow rad installed and since then the rad light comes on for fluid level but never this issue. Hmmmm what does it mean but I dont want to cook the engine. The engine light did not come on either but there was steam from the front end. Not sure what is up but clearly either the fans are not kicking in right or there is some issue with the free flow rad conversion.

Does put a crimp in the holiday driving plans. Anyone else out there have an issue with a free flow rad?

 

Hi I will try to answer a few questions or at least point you in the right direction. See above in Caps

QUOTE=F456M;141989921]Hi William!

Fantastic thread which shows your ability to overcome the various challenges related to a project like this.

I just bought a LHD 1981 QP3 and I have a few questions for you:

1) Where do I get the MASERATI and QUATTROPORTE chromed badges for the bootlid? THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET THAT HAVE THEM. MIE HAD ONE OR TWO BUT MAY BE SOLD. ALSO AT BILL MCGRATH IN LONDON. CHECK OUT EBAY BY SEARCHING QUATTROPORTE III OR 3 AND YOU WILL GET SOME SELLERS
2) Do you know of someone who have a cylinder sleeve with a matching piston and rings that I can put into my "stuck" 4,9 engine? HMMM TOO TECHNICAL FOR THE LIKES OF ME! I SUGGEST MIE/BILL MCGRATHS AND MAYBE THE SHOP THAT IS WORKING ON MY CAR NOW AS HE IS DOING THE MOTOR ON MY 1981 AND SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE SOURCES.
3) At what speed does the "lock-up" of the converter kick in (auto tranny)? NO IDEA ON THAT ONE BUT IT WAS DISCUSSED ON THE SITE EARLIER. IF YOU CANT SEARCH FOR IT I WILL FIND IT. AS THIS IS A 727 CHRYSLER UNIT THERE ARE A FEW PLACED THAT CAN SORT THEM OUT
4) What is your typical milage when driving at a steady 110 kph.? I HAVE NEVER CALCULATED IT BUT CANT BE MORE THAN 8 TO 12. ONCE I GET IT TUNED PROPERLY I WILL DO SOME CHECKS BUT THERE WERE SOME VALUES POSTED ON THE SITE IF YOU SEARCH YOU WILL SEE
5) You wrote that you bought a new mirror from MIE just to get the rubber seal.... Was this right or left side mirror? My left side mirror is broken. I could be interested in this mirror if you want to sell it (my gasket is perfect) - MIRROR WAS A BIT OF A WRECK. I BOUGHT A "PERFECT" EXTRA SET FROM JOEDRO ON LINE WHICH WERE QUITE RUSTED AND ROUGH. THE ONES ON MY 86 WERE ALSO A BIT ROUGH SO BETWEEN THE 4 WE MADE ONE DECENT BUT NOT PERFECT SET. THE SPARE FROM MIE WAS REALLY JUST A SHELL BUT HAD THE GASKET. MIE DOES SELL A REPLACEMENT UNIT BUT NOT SURE HOW IT FITS ON WHAT CARS
6) The exhaust tips on the PQ3s seem to differ a bit, but I am nut sure if some just are aftermarket systems. I would like to buy he original "big tube" tips and have the small pipes inside like on an original car. Mine have just some sort of small wedge-cut tips and I am uncertain if these are original on the first years cars or aftermarket. I noticed MIE has a system availible, but these have the tips like on your '86. I want the ORIGINAL ones...I THINK MIE HAVE SOME ORIGINAL TIPS (MAYBE) OTHER THAN THAT THERE ARE SOME ITALIAN SITES THAT YOU CAN FAX YOUR REQUEST TOO AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE PARTS AT A VERY HIGH PRICE.
7) Was it hard to screw off the exhaust manifold/header nuts? I DID NOT DO THIS BUT HAVE NOT HEARD IT WAS AN ISSUE FROM THE MECHANIC. USUALLY IT IS A BIG ISSUE AND THERE ARE SOME POSTS ON THIS IN THE VARIOUS THREADS THAT MAY GIVE SOME HINTS. EVEN ON THE OTHER THREADS THERE IS GOOD USEFUL INFORMATION AS THE MOTORS SHARE THE SAME GENESIS (A BIT). THE QP III IS TREATED A BIT LIKE THE BASTARD COUSIN BUT STILL FAMILY.

ANYWAY, ENJOY YOUR CAR AND POST SOME PICTURES.


I am in the process of getting a fine "Maroon Colorado met" (Light brown) car on the road for 2013!!

Cheers from Oslo

Erik[/QUOTE]

 

I had the issue with the car overheating the other day after I had put in the free flow rad and got it on the road again. It dropped a few litres of rad fluid on the floor of the detailers shop (he left it running probably as he was worried about it starting!)

I would top off the expansion tank but still the Rad fluid light would come on. It was losing fluid out of the expansion tank overflow when hot but the other side (by the rad) showed fluid? Could it be a vapour lock as someone suggested or could it be the water pump packed in during the recommissioning.

I am not familiar with the expansion tank system - can someone give me a quick primer?

If so, someone mentioned running it with the caps off and the heater on full. Is that the recommended approach. I would like to do a few self help steps before having it towed away!

 

Hi

Radiator Issue

Hi I put some water in and warmed up the car as advised with the caps off and heater on full. The fans did not come on.

I was wondering if this had something to do with having the TEDEL 102 out of the car but there was nothing showing that this linked to the fans at all. The fuse looked fine so I think I will need to get it checked.

TEDEL 102

I got this reply from the TEDEL repair expert.

"William

We have some defined results for you! We have tested both units (but only charged you one test fee of £44.50)

1. Old unit is damaged badly, but is repairable. Damage to switching circuits

2. New unit is the wrong one for function.

The only logical conclusion is you have a host wiring fault which is eating the units

I think we can repair the old one for about £125.00, but we will only know the outcome when we try to do it (it is a mess).

You need to find the host loom fault before we go ahead with the repair here!

You thoughts please?"

The issue is with Pin 5 Blue/Red - Interior Lights

Pin 2 Black - Ground

Pin 7 White/Violet - Ignition Switch

Hmmmm I need someone who knows about QP III electrics to track this down and at the same time to fix my fans and install a back up toggle manual switch for the fans in case this happens again (every car has had this issue so I do think this is a MUST for the QP III)

 

Well a short update. The Tedel 102 repair was unsuccessful! The only solution was to buy a unit from Germany. Thankfully they have a source there that is making or remaking these so it should be here in a day or so - expensive.

I did find a "mobile mechanic" service that came out and actually knew what they were doing. He didn't want the manuals just jumped in to sort out every electrical issue. Said he was very familiar with the car. Fixed the lights, ground short, got motor in seat working, fixed connections for fan which were the problem, a light issue caused by ground fault in the rear light, cigarette lighter working, etc. The dimmer was not sorted as we are waiting for the 102. He even got the courtesy light in the engine compartment working.

Also, we wired in a switch for the fans. He did this properly by taking out the front fuse box and baring two brown wires for the fans and soldering in the new wire and running it to the cubby below the steering wheel. At least if nothing kicks in on the fans for some reason I can turn it on and get home!

I will try to post a picture or two particularly when the 102 is going in.

Car was in great shape as was wiring. Really almost like new.

 

Yes your diagram was a great help as we had the box checked by P Remmington here in the Uk and he identified the issues which were caused by loom faults of some kind. This enabled us to have the electrical guy track down the underlying faults which were causing the box to blow.. So hopefully when we put in the new 500 pound box it does not go "boom". I had bought a spare box before from Joedro but it was all blown up inside too - Anyway, quite the saga. The box from MIE was not the right one either - not sure what it is for but it went back to them.

Anyway, all good fun but now the car is running like a tank so needs to go back to the mechanic. Obviously the overheating was not good for the running trim.

Ciao for now

 

Great to hear your car is going and rescued. Also, thanks for your comments re the thread. I got the TEDEL 102 back yesterday and got it into the car. The electrician checked it all out and it is working (somewhere in heaven a choir was singing). He did say that the copper connectors etc in the boot for the lights really were a poor design (they have a bar across the lights for ground) and he was proposing to come back and solder a proper ground connection for each light. I asked him to consider this a bit more and perhaps could be go to a brighter cooler light like LED without destroying the look. He thought it may be possible and would consider it.

So a bit more work for the future.

Anyway, the TEDEL did not help the running of the car so we will have to limp it to the mechanic for a mani/pedi.

Ciao for now

 

Well - the system here is not user friendly but if you get an error message then picture size is too big. Some seem to get a lot of pictures up but I can only ever get 2 per reply (maybe 3).
Open a reply
Manage attachments
Upload 2 and then wait - there is no timing bar or hourglass so you have to look at the static uploading and wait.

That is all I can help you with.

 

This picture shows that the car is fairly low at the front, due to mounting F Daytona coils in stead of original ones. Handling is great but the chassis tends to touch the ground on certain steep speed bumps.



I am having issues with the TEDEL as well. I was happy to read the recommendation to repair the wiring first, before putting back a repaired or new TEDEL.

Cheers![/QUOTE]

On the Tedel the only solution I found was Herr Scheimenz from Bonn - sent it got it back and it worked.

Front end. The MIE solution shocks are too high on the front. Now that mine is running I have a special Ohlins system made for the QPIII. It will be a bit expensive but should be amazing. Off there maybe end of next week.
If you want I can connect you up once you have seen what was posted.

 

This is the website. No one there replies or communicates probably because all is in German. However, Mr Lange (black QP III fame) listed on this site liaises with him for me. The cost was 500 pounds including postage.
fast turnaround. It looked the same (only the plastic melted to seal the box) and even the board end looked the same. Not sure if they repaired it or if it was new but it did work.

Picture of it going back in

www.schiemenz.com

translation from their website ----

Maserati engines
According to original specifications with current materials or alloys and production methods.
According to an old Italian craftsmanship.
Unit overhaul and repairs.

Maserati bodies
After original accuracy with today's surface quality, sealing and corrosion prevention.
According to an old Italian craftsmanship
Manufacture, repair, renovation and painting to original recipes.

Society is changing, not the lifestyle of Maseratisti. Without your Maserati, the world can be very lonely, we are against loneliness.
Do not take our word for it!

Mr. Schiemenz is:

Founding member of the Maserati Club
Founding member of the Registro Maserati Modena (since 2004 Maserati Fabric)
Member of the Scuderia del Tridente

Vehicle offers, please visit our used car page, or on request.
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Well, a long long delay for the 1981. Not all ALSA's fault though as they knew that the motor was out and I had another car! There were a few emergencies that came up with other clients that needed attending to so we agreed to a few bumps! Anyway a few update pictures.
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A couple more pictures....
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Well - I got out finally to see the 1981 motor stripped out. I will post some pictures but it looks very robust. Thankfully also it was in very good condition, crank was ok and wear ok looks just like bearings.
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