85 Testarossa Will Not Start

Having tried a number of tests, I'm getting a little desparate, and could use some input: My 85 TR (Cdn model) was in the body shop for over two years. It ran fine when it went in, but on its return to me it looked great but leaked fuel from both fuel accumulators. I replaced both, but the car refused to start. Spark seems to be OK on both banks, and my efforts to turn it over have lead to raw fuel running out of the header/muffler joint underneath. The fuel actually runs out fairly quickly after I try cranking the engine, so I don't think it is purely from me overly beating the dead (prancing) horse. Have I missed a steps with the accumulators? Any other painfully obvious things I am missing here? Any help will be greatly appreciated...

 

Thanks for responding. It's an F113A (block #00272). After I got the car back, we never got it fired up as the accumulators would leak through the vent as soon as the power was turned on but before the starter motor was engaged. The accumulators are the Euro style with the vent-to-air tube on the back side. One leaked a stream fairly aggressively, while the other had a drip.

 

Steve- Thanks for the input. I'll test your suggestions tonight.

Rocco- The car is indeed a single mirror, and for some reason (probably date of delivery), was registered as an '86. After posting the VIN on the single-mirror registry thread I learned that the car's VIN made it an '85.

I'll report test result as and when I have them...

 

Steve- I pulled relay U as per your suggestion, and it produced no discernable change in starting success. I pulled a spark plug to double check the spark, and again found a strong spark through a number of cycles. Next I pulled the power lines to each of the cold start injectors, and finally had some good luck: with a little coaxing, the car started. I ran it for about 30 seconds, but it was blowing so much raw gas out of the exhaust pipes that I decided to give it a rest until I can pull the car outside tomorrow. At this point I am hopefull that the cold starting system is not at fault, but rather that there had been a significant accumulation of unburnt fule in the cylinders and pipes from the previous attempts to start the car. I'm also presuming that once I start it in earnest, it will clean out as operating temperature is reached. Let me know if you think I should follow a different path with this. Once it has "cleaned out", I'll let it cool all the way back down, then reconnect the relay and injectors and test it once again. Regardless, I'll have a fire extinguisher at the ready...

 

I'll try these test suggestions tonight. The fuel pumps do not come on when the key is in pos II. However, there is a wrinkle with this car in that the ignition switch must be turned to pos II to charge the system, but a small starter button under the dash must be pushed to commence the starting cycle. I understand that the car has some '80s customized security system in it, thus the funky buttons. It may also be a source for unique electrical problems, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that such is not the case today. Thanks again...

 

By way of update: with the cold start injectors and the relay U unplugged, we successfully ran the engine for at least 15 minutes. In that state, it would not idle, but we did keep it going, and it did seem to clean out well. Next we plugged the cold start elements back in (both cold start injector lines and relay U). The car started and ran OK initially, and would also idle. However, after a few minutes of idling, it became rougher, and needed some coaxing to run cleanly again. We then shut it down, and once again found the strong odour of gasoline and saw raw fuel leaking from exhaust joints. I'm securing a meter to try Steve's recommended relay test. I'm also commencing the hunt for a new relay U in anticipation of that being the weak point. I'm leaning to the relay being the problem, as fuel is running out of the pipes on both banks (although the left side seems to have slightly more aggressive leaks than the right), and I would be surprised if both of the independant cold start injectors were defective at the same time. But stranger things have happened...

 

Although I've let this thread go cold since early May, I feel obliged to provide an update for the benefit of those kind individuals who helped me with the diagnosis of my TR's ailment(s).

I ended up finding a small shop in my town which specialized in maintenance of 60's to 80's Ferrari's and other Italian marques. Run by a diminutive Italian gentleman who looked like a model for the Mario character of Nintendo fame, I knew I was at the right place when he showed me his own '86.5 TR. It took a month or so, but he was able to do a complete check of the fuel system (and any other bugs). Ironically, the main culprit causing my grief was not electrical. It seems that a pin or other piece from the left bank fuel distribution cap had broken off, thus causing the fuel supply to remain open. One new cap later, and all is well.

Thanks again to those who offered assistance and support.

 

I checked in the Ferrari Workshop Manual, and the part is called the "Mixture Regulator". We replaced the part using descriptions alone, so I don't have a part number and haven't been able to figure out a way to copy the pictures from the manual CD. That's the best I can do for now. The good news is that it's still running and running well...