400i barn find let downs

Hi all,Iam hoping for some help,I pulled this 400i auto from a shed after 5 years of storage and perhaps my expectations were to high, but she just dose not drive that well, she seems flat,I mean FLAAAT ,kick down is not happening until you`ve got your foot to the floor,and she`s got a hissing rumble of sorts that just spells "OLD" I`ve done the diff bearings,but the TRX`s are old as and the new ones dont arrive for awhile yet, and I hate that wuring,hissing,rumble sound that i just cant find the source of !,I mean I HATE IT to the point I`ll sell it just because!,don`t get me wrong she`s a good example but I love good stuff not rumbley old stuff,I`am happy to invest some time and money to make her right but some help would be great,What I want is a nice smooth,quiet(excludeing engine noise), car. Also she `s running rich as,and the boot smells like raw fuel,I love her lines n looks, and a nice, sorted one would make a great car ,but I`ve got to get her to that stage, and right now it seems a long way off,so any help would be great
Regards Todd

 

Photos?

Mike

 

If the engine is sound (good compression, leak down etc.) then your first order of business is change fluids, check air filter and change if needed, change plugs, adjust Bosch FI mixture. By the way, the Bosch FI was a very common fitment on literally thousands and thousands of early 1980's BMWs, Mercedes and Volvos and so even many local service stations can set the mixture correctly with a screwdriver and a meter in a few minutes.

Change the fluid in the automatic transmission and see if that helps the kick down problem. If not, then it may need some adjustment. The TH400 transmission from GM is known for strength and reliability and, even if it were to need a rebuild, chances are there are many in New Zealand who can service it at a very reasonable cost.

The fuel smell in the trunk is a common problem and it can take a little bit of work to completely fix the problem. You need to check all of the fuel lines for leaks and weeping, including the short line that runs between the two fuel tanks. FullGarage on this site just went through this and a quick search of the archives should turn up some useful information.

Please keep us informed about your progress, post some pictures and other information about the car and its history. This is a very rich forum for all things 400i and it can help get you on the way to enjoying your 400i sooner rather than later.

 

There is a micro switch on the throttle linkage that controls the kickdown, easy adjustment.
Ancient TRXs are hard as bricks and just as rough. Reserve judgement until the new tires are on.

 

I will give you 5 grand for it

Seriously, invest in some fluids, time, leads, sparkplugs and tinkering time for ignition, connector cleaning and injection work. Find a friend that has a lot of technical experience with cars of that era. You will be amazed what you can do in a weekend with some help.

 

You could always(unless you are/have already)join the Ferrari club.
There are many knowledgeable members who could help.........even in the land of the long white cloud.

 

I would have soaked the rings a few days to free them up, or your compression will be "not so good"....did you do that????

 

Father time does a pretty good job of damaging hoses, rubber, and fluids. Hissing may be from hoses (vacuum perhaps) that may be leaking. Bad fuel may be gumming up the works.

Raw fuel in the boot is a real problem. I would find out what's causing that before doing anything else. You don't want a fire.

Good luck on putting her back together!

 

car was started every six months or so whilst in storage,work to date includes ,full engine service, all fluids,i mean all, new filters, air con service, fuel system flushed and tuned, trans serviced, diff striped new bearings seals etc, electric window motors striped repaired, new front bumper(that HURT),brakes striped new pads discs resufaced, a few suspension bushes etc,all this before i drove her only to be disapionted,Its the rumble and grind sound i cant stand,it just sounds OLD,not smooth and refined as I thought it would be,I was expecting jag XJS meets porsche 928 if you get what i mean,A gentlemans car if you like, perhaps its just the tyres! and some more time and money to sort it

 

Tires, Tires, Tires
The nicest car on the best tires will feel like junk if the tires are really old and flat spotted from sitting.

 

head gasket ?

 

Just to be sure, does the engine run right ? Do you get the idle you want ? Or is the problem only when the car is moving (and something you'd hear if the trans was in neutral and coasting) ?

I'm amazed that anybody would have tires older than 10 years on their Ferrari, but because of the TRX replacement cost it seems common on 80's Ferraris...Lee

 

Just bought a 75 308 GT4 and the Michelin XWX tires were date coded December 1974!! Plenty of tread left!

 

It's the flex additives that wil be "missing", not physical appearance per se.......

 

Well with 13,000 miles nobody ever saw fit to replace the tires...which looked fine- They are hard as wood! My 412 had tires date coded 87- looked brand new- they were even harder- for whatever reason the TRX compound seems to get way harder than the XWX.

 

++++++++++1!

I have been amazed many times over the years by how much carefully selected new tires can totally transform the handling, ride and general feeling of a car. Wait until you get the new TRX's installed. Even though they are not the best compared to the latest technology, the difference between the new version and the old, hard version will blow you away and absolutely astound you with how much better that 400i feels, handles and drives.

Put them on, drive for 5-10 miles and then give us a report.

 

John is accurate as always. Old tires KILL a car.

 

Just a thought..A few months back during my T400 tranny total rebuild, we found the reason for truly sluggish performance was something only Brettski would have thought to direct me towards..inside the propeller shaft housing tube is a bearing ..mine was very nearly unturnable..probably had never ever been serviced/replaced (even by me ) once repaired..the car accelerated like a shot..it was the cause of a previous tranny failure the tranny was eating itself alive ,even after the previous rebuild,,this is the perfect place to overlook..thank you so very much again, Brett.(Brett..I,m working on my accent..just for you)..Jacques.