550M losing power + Slow Down sign (any ideas?)

Hi folks. Would appreciate your advice or suggestions...

My 1997 550 Maranello lost approx half of it's power on a road trip today. The SLOW DOWN sign came up on the dash display, intermittantely at first then stayed on until I got it home.

The guages didn't show anything too strange: the engine temp and oil both stayed at normal, but the oil pressure was a bit higher than usual. It felt quite jerky at times, and the power dropped off significantly. Performance was like driving a lorry, heavy and slow. Only other different thing I noticed while driving was it may been a bit louder than usual. (It has a Tubi exhaust on, so is often hard to tell!).

On a couple of other trips over the past few weeks, it has done a much shorter lived version of the same problem too, but previous times have only lasted for less than 20 seconds or so. (This time it seems to have stuck this way).

Any ideas on the probable causes - and some solutions would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,


Joel.

Leeds, UK

 

Check #39 on which side of the engine lost power.

It's probably cooked/cracked/smacked, or otherwise al dente

Part number 179278.

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=208023

You local dudes (Eurospares, etc.) surely have it on the shelf.
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And so the stupid cat ecu's strike again. I'll bet they even have the same part number.

 

Do a search of the archives on "slow down light". Plenty of reading to keep you busy for hours.

 

Cat ECU or Ignition Coil?

 

Fuel pump? Check for debris in the inlet side of the filters. Found another on Friday. It is becoming a common problem now.

Dave

 

I recently had the same problem with my 97 550. Slow down light came on a brief second while in traffic with no other symptoms. Gradually over time the light came on for a split second more frequently (first maybe once a week and then up to once a day) until one time it came on at speed and I could feel the engine decelerate, however once I slowed down it disappeared again. When I started the car the next couple of days the warning light immediately came on and stayed on during warm-up (so I did not drive it) and finally disappeared (of course)after 15 minutes of normal driving on my way to the dealer to get it checked out. They replaced one of the cat ECU's shown above and it has seemed fine since.