328 GTS Slow Down light | FerrariChat

328 GTS Slow Down light

Discussion in '308/328' started by techmogul, Jul 25, 2004.

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  1. techmogul

    techmogul Karting

    Jun 10, 2004
    199
    TX/ME
    Full Name:
    SCF
    #1 techmogul, Jul 25, 2004
    Has anyone had theirs mysteriously turn on? Mine has now done so three times for about five seconds each. All found me in either first of second gear, in hard acceleration but only between 4k and 6k RPM. Is this the precursor to something worse on the horizon? Thoughts on the cause/fix?

    Thanks,
    Sean
    Austin, Texas
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,145
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    #2 Steve Magnusson, Jul 25, 2004
    If the self-test is also not working well/correctly all the time, the warning light ECU itself is probably bad (and you really can't trust the whole system).

    If the self-test is always good/correct -- then IMO you've got to assume that it's a real exhaust temp overheating problem until proven otherwise.

    That fact that it goes out rather quickly is a good sign that you don't have anything way wrong, but if it ever comes on steady get out and check visually if the exhaust components are glowing red hot.

    So, the 1st question is: "How's the self-test working?"
     
  3. techmogul

    techmogul Karting

    Jun 10, 2004
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    #3 techmogul, Jul 25, 2004
    Steve,
    If, by self test, you mean the lights all coming on when the ignition key is first inserted, the indicator appears to work fine. It turns on for several seconds then goes out as my recollection is that it always has over the years I've owned the car.
    To your point about exhaust temps: It wasn't clear to me that this was what toggled the warning light. But, it would make alot of sense. When the light came on today, I'd just finished a dozen miles of tightly twisting hilly roads where the tachometer rarely saw south of 4000RPM, and speeds rarely exceeded 60. So, high RPMs, low airflow.
    I'm a little afraid to ask, but...What failure does pushing exhaust temps to the point where our "slow down" light illuminates usually preceed? Do I need to be prepared to quickly unholster my cockpit fire extinguisher?

    Thanks
    Sean
     
  4. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,145
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    #4 Steve Magnusson, Jul 25, 2004
    Yes, that's the self-test -- warning light on when the ignition key is turned on, then off after a second or two (while the ignition key remains on). The failure risk is two-fold: 1) as you noted, setting the nearby components/coachwork on fire, and 2) the internal cat matrix can run so hot that it melts/deforms/disintegrates/fractures.
    Frankly, it's a simpiler situation when you're getting wacky warning lights and the self-test isn't working -- you can just replace the warning light ECU without much regret (except for the $ ;)).
    If you read the OM, it's obviously possible to push the car hard enough to make the warning system light flicker even when everything is OK so it could be that all is OK and you're just having too much fun (but you've got to back off when the warning light comes on as per the OM).
     
  5. techmogul

    techmogul Karting

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    #5 techmogul, Jul 25, 2004
    Much appreciated.
     
  6. RussF

    RussF Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
    222
    Washington
    #6 RussF, Jul 25, 2004
    Sean. See the thread in the tech section on 328 slow down light. This problem bedeviled me for about two months. The cure-at least for me-is described in my last post.
     
  7. techmogul

    techmogul Karting

    Jun 10, 2004
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    #7 techmogul, Jul 26, 2004
    Russ,
    Appreciate the redirect to your previous thread. It was very informative. May I ask what brand of contact cleaner you ended up using and where you picked it up?

    Thanks,
    Sean
     
  8. Vito

    Vito Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 29, 2004
    452
    Dutchess County, NY
    #8 Vito, Jul 26, 2004
    I had a similar problem on my '82 Mondial which was the precursor to failure of the ignition sensors that read the fly wheel. There are 3 on the Mondial - one each for each cylinder bank & the third for the tach. I'm not sure if the 328 motor is set up the same way, but it may be worth considering.
     
  9. RussF

    RussF Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
    222
    Washington
    #9 RussF, Jul 26, 2004
    Sean. The contact cleaner that I bought at Ace Hardware is in a green aerosol can that says "CRC Industrial QD Contact Cleaner Leaves no residue, plastic safe."

    As I said in my post I took the panel out and took apart each connection, sprayed the cleaner on the contact and pushed them back together. There is a ground point at a nut on the backside under the panel which I unscrewed, sprayed with the cleaner and retightened. There are also some connections which not readily obvious because they are little more than wires pushed into a sleave. I gave them the same treatment.

    Hope this works.

    Russ
     

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