It's always Christmas in a BBi | FerrariChat

It's always Christmas in a BBi

Discussion in 'Boxers/TR/M' started by buzzm2005, Dec 17, 2006.

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  1. buzzm2005

    buzzm2005 Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    Buzz
    As many of you know I almost never drive in conditions where lights are needed.

    I just noticed today that when I turn on the lights and the white running lights are on, the front yellow turn signals are also illuminated. Is this normal? The turn signals do blink bright when activated....
     
  2. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
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    Tone Def
    Yes.
     
  3. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    Dec 26, 2001
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    When my lights are on only the headlamps and small clear bumper lamps are on. The ambers only come on with signals. This may be another DOT difference.
     
  4. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
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    Franklin E. Parker
    You must have a wiring problem or blown bulbs as on all BB512is I have ever seen, including mine, the amber lights come on when you turn on the running and/or the head lights...
     
  5. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426
    My turn signal/running lamps are on when the lights are switched on, I have no side markers.

    Intersting you can't have just the turn signal/running lamps on only as some sort of safety feature with these cars to prevent shutting the lights off at speed when switching high beams off
     
  6. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
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    Franklin E. Parker
    On my BB512i you can turn on just the 'running lights' which include the big amber lights on the front of the hood, the small white lights in the front bumper along with the tail lights. If you turn on the head lights all of those lights stay on too. So, your Boxer doesn't have the small round turn signal lights on the front fenders?
     
  7. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    I doubt its wiring but a bulb I can see. Ill check one of these days but for now its put away for the winter.
     
  8. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426

    I have the small lights called repeaters they just flash when the corresponding turn signal is on only not when the lights are on
     
  9. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
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    Franklin E. Parker
    You are correct...they do only come on as turn signals...
     
  10. willrace

    willrace Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 21, 2006
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    Mine is the same as Newman's - amber panels only come on for turn signals. Sort of dissappointing with that iconic R&T cover shot etched in my memory.

    Maybe the difference is in the DOT conversion companies. Mine was performed by G&K Automotive in 1998. Amerispec may have done it differently. I'm gonna have to look at the wiring and bulbs now.
     
  11. buzzm2005

    buzzm2005 Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    Steady amber may well be a DOT thing! It didn't make sense to have both yellow and white lights on. And with Ferrari electricals being what they are, it might make sense during my major service to undo this.

    Has anyone thought about using Birdman's fuse blocks? He built them for the 308 but claims they fit the BB/BBi as well. I was going to do this as well during the major.
     
  12. buzzm2005

    buzzm2005 Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    The light stalk has poor human engineering in that regard. High beam activation should be a distinct axis motion from lamp (running, then heads) activation. Personally, I prefer the turn signal stalk to have push-for-high-beam and momentary pull-back-for passing-flash and keeping the lights on a different control altogether.
     
  13. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    Dec 26, 2001
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    Take a look at your wiring diagram in the owners manual, that will settle the debate. Im too lazy right now but I might get up the drive to check if these amber lights do more than attract flying rocks.
     
  14. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426
    Could be something as simple as a single filament bulb used in place of a dual filament is why the lights don't work
     
  15. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    Thats a bit of a long shot that would most likely cause a back-feed of power through the system causing other odd lighting problems. Ill check my manual.
     
  16. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    According to my schematic the signal lamps and repeaters are on the same 2 wire circut telling me they both share the same PWR and GND source which is a seperate circut from the park lamps, the large amber lamp would require 3 wires or ground through the aluminum clamshell to serve 2 functions but the schematic doesnt show a body GND symbol. So, no amber lamps unless you signal or its a market thing or a DOT thing. My car is unmolested and from Zurich.
     
  17. J.P.Sarti

    J.P.Sarti Guest

    May 23, 2005
    2,426
    The only ground I see for the turn signal lights is in the round metal plug that is held in the fibreglass turn signal bases by a snap spring, the ground is a male plug coming off the turn signal plug and a black female wire with a negative plug nothing to the hood of course its aluminum so a bad ground anyway unless to the frame. There are 2 wires, a yellow and blue going to the light in the plug, I assume power one for running lights and other for the turn signal.

    The repeaters have 2 wires coming from the harness that goes to the turn lamps
     
  18. DonB

    DonB Formula Junior
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    Nov 11, 2003
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    Don Bartz
    When you turn on the "parking" or "running lights on an unmodified car (mine is a late '84, sn 51723) you should have the following:

    One filament (small I believe) illuminated in each amber light assembly bulb, tail lights, and the clear rectangular lights on the front valance.

    Turn signals work the other filament (large) in the amber light assemblies, along with the small round side lights on the front deck lid and the rear turn signals.

    If you will check the cars wiring diagram in the back of your owners manual, you'll see this is the way it is wired. Also, if you have the BBi parts manual, TAV. 115 shows the clear rectangular "parking" lights, that coincide with the amber assembly bulbs.

    Interesting though is the fact that the wiring diagram in the owners manual doesn't show the cleat rectangular lights as a seperate unit!

    Ah Italian wiring, ain't it great?
     
  19. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    In my manual the wiring shows the repeater and the amber signal lamp wired together, 2 wires each so the repeater and the amber lamp will do the same thing every time. My repeater only flashes therefore the other lamp on the same circut will only flash. The clear park lamp as the manual calls it also has only 2 wires and does not flash and is on a different circut. So, im happy and convinced that the wiring diagram is correct for my particular BBi and the lights work as the wiring suggests for the market from which it came.
     
  20. buzzm2005

    buzzm2005 Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    Hmmm. Boxers are Euro-only. I can't imagine the manual would change for a particular European country to which it was first sent. I can understand that car-to-car they might take liberties with wiring but not the manual.
     
  21. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    All you Nay sayers need a three stooges slap in the face, so line up. After going over the FERRARI schematic once again it is 100% clear to me that the front amber lamps are signals only and not park lamps on a BBi in euro form. If yours light up as park lamps then it has been modified to do so. A euro 308 or 400 has clear front park lamps, the north american spec cars have amber. My BBi in current euro form does not meet DOT standards without an amber park lamp on the front and thats fine by me. Its a jumper wire away to make them function as park lamps.
     
  22. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

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    Not entirely true...while there were no USA spec Boxers , there were various specs for different countries in Europe Asia the Middle East, ect...Some countries got white turn signals, some amber, some got three eared knock-offs, some got hex-knock-offs, ect...if you look at the Boxer parts manual at www.owners.ferrari.com you can see the various specs for different countries
     
  23. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    Im not concerned with the rest of the planet and didnt bother touching down on that because I dont give a crap. Bottom line is my amber lights are not park lamps which is the focus of the thread.
     
  24. buzzm2005

    buzzm2005 Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    Agreed -- but not the wiring harness! I have to believe this was a DOT issue.
     
  25. fastradio

    fastradio F1 Rookie
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    Apr 26, 2006
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    Ditto for my 365 BB...the amber lights are only for the turn signals and 4-way flashers. The "parking" light are small filament bulbs within the headlights.

    David
     

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