Dino 246 GTS ventilating system?

the slider next to the ashtray is for the choke. i have never used it as i have never had to start the engine in cold weather. the vent system is very simple. one slider controls the temperature. the other slider controls the air output location. the a/c system is operated by the knobs near the ashtray.

 

the DR/DL toggle switch turns on the fans for the vents that are at your knees/ankles on the left and right of the cockpit. You have to set the sliders in the middle position to make them work, then you flip the switch down to turn them on. The fans draw air from the front of the car where it supposedly is a little cooler thatn the cockpit, but once the car warms up, and the radiator is full of nice hot water, some of that cool air advantage goes away.

As I understand it, early models had a toggle on each side that turned off the fans individually. When Ferrari added hazard flashers, they took one of the switch poditions for that and combined the fans into a single switch.

The sliders control where the flow of air goes when you turn on the heat or defrosters.

What year and is it a Euro or US model?

All of this is hiding somewhere in the owners manual. IF you don't have one, go download it for free from the Ferrari Owners site.

https://www.owners.ferrari.com/

 

DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CHOKE THE ENGINE TO START IT.

YOU WILL FOUL THE PLUGS QUICKER THAN YOU CAN SAY "$300 TUNE UP."

My mechanic often disconnects the cable on Dino's to prohibit its use because despite his advice, owners seem tofeel the need to use the choke.

Starting cold is simple. Turn the key, wait 10-20 seconds for the fuel pump to build pressure, pump the gas peddle to the floor twice, let it go, and crank the engine, should start right up.

Warm start is similar, wait for pressure, 1/2 pump of the peddle, crank the engine. IF it doesn't fire, put peddle to the floor, crank again, it'll fire up.

But, warm starts can be difficult, and you may have to crank it for 10-15 seconds.

Enjoy the ride, Dino's are great cars.

OH, and fill out your profile when you get a chance.

 

On the tag when you open the door on the door sill. ALso, there is an additional tag visible on top of the steering column through the windshield. Also in engine compartment. See pix.

takes a day or two for them to process it. I think they email you.

the choke shows blue and red, push it towards red. - towards the dashboard, forward.

www.reoriginals.com - matt
www.superperformance.co.uk - mike
www.worldupholstery.com
www.allferrariparts.com/home.html - dan

these are good places to start.

I have that switch in my car also. There isn't any drain on the battery from the car itself. Older cars do not have a lot of electronics in them. However, the Dino charging system is not the greatest in the world, and your car will discharge at idle. So, I use a battery tender. Not a charger, a tender, when it is parked.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=36804

I get a fair amount of air out of mine, but nothing like a modern car. This may be a problem because they fan isn't running up to speed. Indicates other, maybe electrical, problem. Clean the connections to the fans, especially the grounds. But, with the indicated battery problem, it may be that your alternator isn't up to snuff.

Car didn't come with one, not even as an option. But if you want to add it, which I don't suggest as you can't see squat from the mirrors anyway, superperformance has them.

Bring 'em on, that's what we're here for. Post a picture when you get a chance.

Dave
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Clock. Give it up. They don't work on any of these cars. There are some places that will replace the original guts with modern stuff, but why bother.

Exhaust smells like?? Raw gas?? or does the interior of the car smell like raw gas?

When was the last time you owned a carburetor car?

Is the exhaust otherwise clean, not white or blue smoke?

Details, need the details to better diagnose.

 

Is it a pull-to-adjust on the Dino?
It is on my 330, which I wasn't expecting.
Although my clock still doesn't work....

 

Don't know about cars without a/c exactly, but, you may have a bad valve on the heater, or it may be that the connection between the middle lever and the valve is broken.

It should be a little stiff to move, is it?

My car blows no smoke at all. Blue is a sign of oil buring. Does it come out of one side, or both, and how many miles are on the car? If you are buring oil, it may be the source of your smell, also. does you car smell a little like a diesel? Or is it just a rich gasoline smell? If gas, then you may be running rich, and/or you may just not be used to having a little bit of the raw gas smell that comes with carb cars.

205 -70-14 are not hard to get. Speed rated or period correct tires are a little tougher. www.coker.com sells michelin xwx tires which are the exact replacement for the originals, but are about $300 each US Dollars. Sumitomo makes a very nice tire in this size for less than $50 each US. I am running them on my car.

You're welcome. You're also going to need to find a mechanic for that car, pretty quick unless you are awfully good with a wrench. Might want to post in the appropriate regional section about needing a mechanic. Also, post your oil question in the technical Q & A section after doing a search for "blue smoke" and "burning oil"

Dave

 

Take the roof off to switch on!
Put it back on to switch off (Partially)!

Good luck though, I bought my GTS nearly a year ago and despite a new problems which seem normal in these cars it has been great fun.

 

That's a fairly common problem, it's temporary fuel starvation, due to the car having two tanks and the connecting balancing pipe not being that efficient a system.

 

That's actually a problem with the carbs that is inherent to the system.

Can't fix it.

My mechanic's advice is, just stay on the gas, hard, it'll starve a little less, but, you're still going to get the starvation some. Of course, staying on the gas, hard, does require some guts.

The original review in Car and Driver in 1972 makes a note of the problem, as do most reviews of the Dino.

That's just a quirk of the carbs, no getting around it.

 

Wow. I'm surprised that Dinos have fuel starvation problems during hard cornering, and even more surprised to hear that there's nothing you can do about it.

Isn't that really frustrating? I would think that a major reason for getting a Dino is its lighter weight and nimble handling,

What's the cause of the problem, and why doesn't it show up in V-12s? Aren't the carbs similar? Isn't there both a mechanical and electric fuel pump?

 

These particular carbs were designed to be used on an engine that was mounted longitudinally, like a V12, or front engined Fiat Dino. When they are used on an engine that is mounted transversely, hard cornering in one direction causes the fuel to slosh to one side, forcing the float upward and shutting off fuel flow. Check out the difference between carburetor orientation on a 246 and a 308, and you can see how they solved the problem. Unless you want to reinvent the wheel (modern fuel injection system), I think that you will have to live with it.

Brian

 

It's really not that big a deal. My mechanic adjusted the floats, I stay in the peddle, it stumbles a little, and away you go.

You get used to it. After all, they are 30+ year old cars.

 

I have some floats I got in Europe years ago that were supposed to minimize the fuel starvation problem. They are made of a different material (not brass) sort of like a hard foam with a skin on it. I haven't tried them yet so I don't know if they are effective. They are much lighter and I assume the centrifical forces on them are less as you make a sharp corner. Sounds like a good idea but on the other hand they could be pieces of junk. Won't know till I try them out!

 

RayWong -

1) - Two Dinos for combined 45 years - no hesitation on left or right hand turn. Suggest floats may be off, but would not dive into this unless you wish to rebuild carbs for another reason.

2) - Both clocks work fine. Keep excellent time. Both clocks stopped at one time or another, and with a little patience and steady hand they can be easily fixed. The main shaft of the timepiece jumps out of its bearing. It is easy to see how it works once you open it up. The challenge is carefully prying off the chrome retaining ring that holds the plastic lense housing. But it can be done by the kitchen table surgeon. One clock needed a solder joint where the coil connects. Nothing insurmountable.

3) - Heater is likely a cable adjustment. Simple to do. Possible, but unlikely that the heater valve is leaking. Simple to test by loosening cable and turning heater valve by hand. I would strongly suggest that you reconnect the heater hose at your convenience, and simply adjust the cable. With the hose disconnected you will have stagnant water in the heater core - a formula for rust. I periodically run the heater to circulate water and antifreeze through the heater core.

4) - Charging system and alternator are more than adequate. If battery is going dead between use than something is draining the battery. Check that ignition (MSD) is not on all the time - a few mechanics inadvertantly use a hot wire that stays hot when the ignition is off. The clock is electromechanical (coil) and will draw more current than modern clocks, but should not lead to a dead battery in your lifetime. Check that the trunk light and door lights are not staying on due to inoperative door or trunk switch. Has happened to me in my C4.

5) A little blue smoke out the rear - God's way of reminding you that you drive a Ferrari. Don't lose sleep over it.

Kind of like - If your wake in the morning and your over 55, and you have no pain, then your dead.

Enjoy the Dino - not the mechanic.

Jim S.

 

Start with the sender, check to make sure the connections are not rusted. If they look ok, the sender itself may be bad. Not an expensive part, or all that tough a fix, relatively speaking.


Also check the connections on the gauge itself. You get no reading at all, right?

Do you have a copy of the service manual? If not, let me know. I can make you a photocopy of mine and ship it to you. I've sent out several already. It has significant diagnostic charts and many of the questions you have about specific items and their repair is in the book.

Dave