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512tr almost over heated...question?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by ross, Jan 28, 2006.

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  1. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    38,145
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    #1 ross, Jan 28, 2006
    i got the beast out today since it was sunny - very cold though, right around freezing. after running it for about 45 minutes with everything behaving normally, i went to get it washed. as usual i instructed the guys not to spray directly into the engine area, but you inevitably get some spray going in there.

    then i continued driving. it was stop/go heavy central london traffic as usual. i noticed the water temp gauge going past the usual 95/100 degree mark where the fans normally kick in....nothing happened....then the fans came on, but they usually stay on till the temp comes back below 90....not this time. they came on for a short period but then stopped....the temp kept rising and rising with the fans sometimes coming on for a few minutes but not seeming to have any effect. i was in the middle of the traffic - couldnt pull over, couldnt stop. so i was trying not to push anything hard but the temp kept rising till the light came on. i was pretty nervous at this point. then the traffic eased slightly and got some forward movement and luckily the very cold ambient air temp helped to cool things down again. then when i was pulling into the garage the temp spiked again and got over 110, and the fans were on but didnt seem to make any difference. then i parked it and turned it off. opened the hood, but couldnt tell if anything was amiss.

    so now it is sitting in the garage. i dont know what this was all about. i have had this car for years and it has never acted this way even in the hottest stop/go traffic in the middle of summer in italy. about 200 miles ago, i had a regular fluids service done.

    so was this something that happened during the car wash?

    unless somebody here gives me some advice i think i will take it out for another spin and see if it happens again....if so its going straight to dealer.

    any ideas guys?
     
  2. tvu

    tvu Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    1,367
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Trieu
    #2 tvu, Jan 28, 2006
    Sorry to hear that! It's always nerve wracking as you are seating there and seeing the needle climbing and you are in stop & go traffic. It's a rudimentary question, but have you check your fluids?? Are there enough water/coolant? I don't remember the exact level or check procedure from the OM or WSM, but you should be able to open up the radiator cap, and dip your finger in, and touch the top of the fluid level. And the fluid level shouldn't be close to the top of the cap for expansion purposes obviously.

    Good luck.
     
  3. Myhorse

    Myhorse Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
    387
    #3 Myhorse, Jan 28, 2006
    you don't think that steam from the wash is "fooling" some sort of sensor do you?

    Fire it up and see what happens.
    Please let us know the result
     
  4. greg512tr

    greg512tr Formula Junior
    Owner

    Feb 19, 2002
    994
    Dallas TX
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    Greg B
    #4 greg512tr, Jan 28, 2006
    Mine did the same thing and it needed to have the air bleeded out of the system and then filled up. There is a bleed screw.
     
  5. John Harry

    John Harry Formula Junior

    Sep 8, 2005
    328
    Pittsburgh PA
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    John Harry
    #5 John Harry, Jan 28, 2006
    This may be way off the wall, but I once washed a car (not a Ferrari, but whatever) in very cold weather and had a sheet of ice form over the front of the radiator core. It was thin, but enough to stop all air flow. Not realizing what had happened I drove away and soon the temperature spiked. Fortunately I was able to pull over and saw what had happened.
     
  6. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    35,532
    Victory Circle
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    HUBBSTER
    #6 WILLIAM H, Jan 28, 2006
    Ross, make sure you dont have a leak in your system, I had a loose hose clamp that bugged me for weeks until I found it
     
  7. F1 MONZA

    F1 MONZA Formula Junior

    Sep 6, 2004
    483
    California
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    John
    #7 F1 MONZA, Jan 28, 2006
    the best thing is to have it checked out by the local ferrari dealer or your ferrari shop.. or give it a day for the water in the bay area to dry out fully. i am surprised had my engine staemed cleaned never had a problem. only some smoke but then cleared away... hope its nothing too serious .. f512tr are tough cars.. let us know,,take care have a great weekend..

    john
     
  8. Shamile

    Shamile F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2002
    6,712
    Lakeland FL
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    Shamile
    #8 Shamile, Jan 29, 2006
    Dear Ferraristi,

    Just a thought. Did you check the fan temp sensor in the left side radiator. I have a 91 Testarossa, so I don't know if a 512tr is the same but I bet it is. Since the fans came on and off, maybe the connectors are corroded or loose and the water from the car wash was the last straw. Pull the spades, clean and reattach. Those fans shouldn't turn off till the temp goes down.

    Shamile

    Freeze.....Miami Vice!
     
  9. Norm512TR

    Norm512TR Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2001
    895
    Colorado Springs, Colorado
    Full Name:
    Norm
    #9 Norm512TR, Jan 29, 2006
    I had a bad radiator cap that let coolant escape and air into the system, this caused the problems you had. It can be difficult to bleed the system, I think there are actually 3 bleed screws in the system.
     

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