Just broke down :(

Just broke down
Sudden loss of power, smelly white smoke from both banks.
Car starts normally then power dies, there is no throttle response and idle is only 400ish RPM.
My guess is electrics and timing.
I need to get back home, any quick ideas?

 

If this was the only symptom on a F113B TR -- I'd put the protection relay at the top of the suspect list, but this

Sounds more ominous (and doesn't really fit with the KE-Jet system just losing +12V from the protection relay).

 

Call a flat bed and don't risk restarting. Every turn of the ignition could cost you$$$

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess it's a water pump seal.

White smoke is usually coolant in the cylinder.

A head gasket would have been white smoke on one bank. Both banks?? I would pull the crankcase breather hose to the air cleaner and see if it's full of coolant or milky white oil.

Hey it's just a guess based on very little info. If I'm wrong, oh well.

 

really white or more grey? but both banks at the same time? strange, very strange
what shoes the water temperature gauge?

could not be or the timing belts both jumped over?

if the protection relay is not working right you have the same symptoms without the white smell. buit when you accelerate in neutral the engine will shut off. but now as I understand the engine always runs in very low idle ( 400 rpm ) ?


how long have you driven this car before you had this problem? 1 mile, 10 miles, or?
may be wrong petrol? or water in fuel tank?

if you start the engine runs with about 400 rpm. both banks are running or only 1 bank? I think only 1.
when you push the gaspeal nothing happens?

 

Just got her back into the garage after a tow.

I will start afresh tomorrow morning and find the culprit

Thanks for all the feed back I am beginning to suspect the fuel as I had only just gassed up from about 1/8th tank.

P

 

may be you put in diesel, not petrol.

then it also smokes nearly white. that is why I asked you if white or grey smoking

I will wait for your check tomorrow

 

Hope this turns out to be something simple,,, fingers crossed for you

 

I definitely 100% filled up with Shell V-Power.
Just checked Shell website and found there is now Shell V-Power DIESEL as well, and its AT THE SAME BLOODY PUMP

There is indeed a chance that I have fuelled up with diesel.

If that is the case I can tell you just how well our best Italian Stallions run on diesel.
No wonder Clarkson calls it the fuel of the devil

I'm off this morning to check.


P

 

In the U.S. the diesel fuel nozzles are much larger and it is virtually impossible to place them in the filler neck of a car that takes unleaded fuel. Is this not the case across the pond?

Jim

 

Yikes! Well it's not the worst thing that could happen. At least the TR doesn't run on diesel and you filled it with gas. That would be worse.

If you can drain it, there shouldn't be any damage.

In the US, diesel pumps are green and stand out from the petrol pumps. They also won't fit in the fuel filler tube because of the restrictor.

 

Any news brother ... ?

 

Ok here we go......

Filled up with V-Power only to learn that in the UK we now have V-Power Petrol (gas) and V-Power Diesel (new).
I selected V-Power at the pump and got Diesel...........

In 200 yards from leaving the station I got the Testa trying to live off DIESEL.... BOLLOCKS she spat out s..t!, nasty, smelly white smoke........


She does not like it but it does make LOTS of WHITE smoke.....school kids loved it

Drained the tank and filters and filled her up with the right V-Power fuel and we are back and ready to race.....

School boy error and I would love to blame it on Shell signage but hey, s..t happens and I am not that proud to hide a silly mistake, beware at Shell stations in Europe ......

US guys beware, the fuel of the devil is coming your way and its bad news...........



P

 

It does not matter the size of any fuel nozzle, they ALL fit into a Testarossa tank filler neck. Mine must be at least 3 inches wide......

Talk about deep throat ?????



P

 

My US model has a restrictor

 

LOL! now that everything is OK, I can say, THAT'S HILARIOUS and I'm glad it wasn't me. Thanks for sharing Phil.

Hey phil, consider this. Your engine is now well lubricated on the top end

 

Phil,
Glad you go it going again. Better than the other way around (if you had a diesel and used gasoline), as it would have fried the diesel pump.

Now coincidentally my TR starts and dies right away. Off to search the threads

 

Like others, I am glad that you were able to figure out what went wrong and more importantly, corrected it and have the car up and running.

 

I would change now both filters after draining all.

but good to know: nothing serious , only a little work now

so about 3 or 4 times a year one customer ( sure: not always the same ) come to me with the same poblem. filling in diesel, not petrol. that is why I asked you first exactly what color the smoke has

 

Romano, the first thing the RAC man asked me was, have you put diesel in the tank?

I remember the pump and the V-Power trigger being black and not considering that it could possibly be diesel. I went back to check

Fortunately I had new filters ready to put in when everything was fully drained and flushed through.

A point to note here though for everyone to consider for any petrol car.......

On draining the tank and emptying the filters I noticed that I had accumulated a little water.
In winter I often leave the car almost empty so that it is easier to remove engine for work / service. I think leaving the tanks empty allows condensation to collect and hence we see it as water in the bottom of the tank. from now on I am going to keep my tanks filled as much as possible.......
Just a thought after my schoolboy error



P

 

After the shock and worry of how many $$$$$$$ this was going to cost I can tell you last night I lubricated myself with Cornwalls best cider. I have a sore head this morning but I am wearing a big smile as well, we are back on the road again....


P

 

He buddy, time to be a pensionner !!

 

also a pensionner could fill up wrong fuel

 

Ferraristi,


Hey Phil, glad to hear things worked out ok. Next time stop looking at the prettay girlies walking by and concentrate

I was thinking head gasket. This happened to me a long time ago with a Maserati ugh.

Glad to see you on the road again. That's interesting info on the gas tank inlet. Our US models have a restrictor with a splash plate. You can't put a diesel filler nozzle in there.


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice!

 

For our next experiment, Phil will become intoxicated on diesel while attempting to run his TR on Cornwalls Cider