I know this sounds strange, but how good is your battery? Mine was doing the same thing you described. I had an issue when the battery was good enough to turn the starter motor and energize the fuel system, but was not getting good spark. I changed the battery to a fresh one, and it started right up. I had the same flooded sputtering at first, and it smooth right out. I actually recharged the old battery, and it started, but after a few weeks, it did the same thing, pulled my battery out of my z, and it started right up. Got a new battery ( my was five years old ) and have not had the issue again. I assume that the electrical system needs a good 12V source. Cheap fix, and easy to test.........Hope it helps
Thank you, Bob. Battery is two years old, and was on the trickle charger (with green light) before I started it the first time. I recharged it completely when I was stuck, and it didn't change the no-start. But...that doesn't mean it isn't the battery.
I have no idea if it is related to your problem but regardless, I concur 1000 percent with removing any aftermarket alarm system that is on the car. Aftermarket alarms are tools of the Devil and they are often installed with a total disregard for anything remotely related to electrical knowledge/common sense. Pull it and toss it in the trash. If it's not causing a problem, it will...
My advise is to unplug the cold start injector (blue connector) on the airbox. It is often the root cause of flooding and your symptoms are pointing in that direction.
You can try this:behind the metal plate on the passengerside you will find on the left a white connector .Many times there is a bad connection between the male connector and the female connector ,mostly on the brown wire. If you find oxydation on this connector near the brown wire the car will not start. Cut the both brown wires from the connectors and put them together. I had two cars with this problem and solved it this way with succes. Wish you luck and greating from Belgium.
It's fairly common for these Bosch plugs to start corroding because of their location. What had happened to me was that the female pin on one of the wires was loose and only made intermittent contact with the male end. These connector pins are replaceable. Just need a small jeweler's flat head screwdriver
Can you be a bit more specific on where this is located? I got passenger side, but I don't know where exactly on the car. Also what is this connection for? Thank you.
The connectors are under the passenger footrest plate. If you peel back the carpet there are some screws and the plate can be removed. The feed to the ignition system does go through here and then down the tunnel but this should not be an area prone to corrosion unless the car has been leaking water into the interior. Under this plate there is also a ground busbar which is screwed to the chassis. If the screws securing this plate come loose all kinds of very weird stuff happens so worth checking too as a preventative measure when the plate is off. Not as likely an area as alarm or crank sensors though (AKA flywheel sensors in later replies) but worth checking out.
I think Andy and Mark may be correct. I had a similar starting problem with my 328. It took me over a week to discover a bad connection in the white connector plug that resides behind the plate in the passenger's footwell. We only found it by jiggling the white connector and then trying to start the engine. Good luck, and keep us posted. Alan New Jersey
If you want me to take some pictures of this connectors just ask. Try to move the white connector while somebody else is starting the car. If you tried a lot of times to start the car it will be nessecary to change the sparkplugs first. Can you hear the electric pump turning ? Keep us informed. Good luck!
Thank you, all. Car is starting and running fine since last week, but I did not fix anything yet. I will inspect the connectors and grounds under the passenger footrest. Thank you.
The fact that the car is running now is sufficient evidence to replace the crank sensors. They respond intermittently as they begin to fail...
A buddy had the same issue(intermittent start, no start or barely start), it was crank sensor. Change them and you will never touch them again. Not bad preventative mait.
Regarding the crank sensors - since there are two on a 328, if one was intermittent or failed, wouldn't the car still run on one bank? Wouldn't it at least show some signs of ignition though not start? If one fails, does it completely cut the spark to both banks? I am trying to diagnose what would completely stop the spark. Since a lot of the ignition system has two sides (coils, distributors, etc), what would affect both banks at the same time? Thank you.
No. If the rpm sensor fails, the car will not run at all. This sensor tells the Microplex unit that the engine is turning. The other sensor tells the unit when TDC occurred.
yes the TDC pickup sensor is likely to be the culprit, ask Greg328, he struggled for some time, trying everything and finally found that the TDC pickup sensor was faulty....sometimes it will start and run perfect.
So, if I do replace the two flywheel sensors, does anyone have some really good directions on how to do this at home? Are they both the same level of difficulty to swap? Thank you.
This is a useful thread. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/mondial/364375-rough-idle-loss-power-backfire-5.html I couldn't find the original Magnetti Marelli SEN 8F sensors, so I bought the very common SEN 8D sensors and modified the mounting plate (the only difference), like explained in the thread above.
Thank you. That thread helps a lot, but I am not sure that the sensors are in the same place on the 328, since it only has two, not three. I can see the two white wires near the coils, but can not see where they go. I ordered two sensors, so I will start digging in when they arrive.
As an aside, have you ever crossed paths with a 328 GTB in Alaska? Supposedly there's one up there somewhere. -F
There are about 7 or 8 Ferraris that are here, but I have never met. Last summer, I saw a black F430, a F355, and a Testarossa. I think there are 3 or 4 308s in Anchorage alone. But I only know one or two guys, because we don't have a club or get together or anything.
Just to cover everything, I did pull out the battery and clean all the terminals very well. I am taking it to the shop to test today. Though it is only two years old, it may not be perfect. Thank you.
Mule: Did you ever get to the bottom of your no-start problem? Maybe others on this board can learn something from your trials and tribulations.
