Noooooo........ 348 won't start, can anyone help pls?

After 2 weeks sitting in the garage thanks to the lousy weather, I thought I'd take both cars out for a spin in today's lovely sunny weather. Lotus was fun, as usual

Then the Ferrari 348 Spider .....and she wouldn't start

Bear in mind I have zero mechanical knowledge.

Ok, the battery is 100% ok as it's on a conditioner.

When I try to start her, the starter (I think) turns fine, but the engine does not move. At least that's what I think is happening.

Something is turning, but not the engine.

It makes a machine gun noise..... a loud and rapid CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK ......

Anyone got any ideas, as she's just stuck in the garage otherwise

 

Thanks LOTS guys I'll connect my Lotus' conditioner to the Ferrari right now and try it again tomorrow

Sounds like good news

 

Excellent...... Thanks everyone! I left the car on the battery conditioner overnight, then tried to start her Sunday, and the engine fired up straight away

So, it was a lack of voltage all along.

What had happened was that when I'd put the indoor cover on the car, as I pulled it down, it must have pulled on the battery conditioner cable slightly, pulling the plug slightly out of the lighter socket. So it had sat for 2 weeks without any charging to the battery.


My drive was however rather too eventful!

I left home, cold engine, so went slowly down a route, doing my usual reconaisance run to check for mobile cameras or police. By the end of the route, the engine is hot enough for a reasonably spirited drive. That went well, so I did my usual recce run on my second route - a shorter, much more exciting twisty road with lots of stone walls at the sides aiding the soundtrack. All clear again, and the engine is nice and hot now.

So I returned back down this road, almost bouncing off the rev limiter with each change. Lots of noise and fury.....you know the score. Hood down of course, 348 Spider Tubi decat, it just doesn't get any better! Making good progress, but never breaking the speed limit of course And just before the end of the road, I spot two marked bandits at 9 o'clock coming onto my road from a small side road. I rapidly slowed down in time, but there's no hiding the noise I had been making. One of then immediately gets behind me and follows me

So, I then made a great play of going nice and slow, but using low gears, blipping the throttle on each down change. Just to show that the car is very noise when going nice and easy. They followed me almost all the way home.....but did nothing else.

Close call that!

 

Yes, and it's all because my car has a serious underlying problem The sound she makes when driven hard is so awesome that I can never resist high revs and full throttle. The sound stirs the soul.

Anyone with a decat Tubi 348 knows exactly what I mean.

Living in Kent, with lots of twisty narrow roads, often lined by stone walls and houses just eggs me on even more! And being a Spider means the sound is always "in yer face"