My 512 lost it's alternator belt. The nearest place to get it replaced is about 45 miles away. With a fully charged battery is this within range?? Also planning to bring additional charged as back-up.
Difficult to answer. It happened to me once on a Range Rover that the alternator died driving back on a highway. Drove for over 50kms (abt. 30miles) and the Rover did not die on me. Just give it a try and take your spare battery with you, just in case.
Seems like a lot of effort....why not just join AAA Plus, you get 100 miles of free towing....and they have flatbeds available. I recently had the alternator fail on my 2001 BMW 540....turned all accessories off and attempted to drive to the dealership about 17 miles away (all freeway driving at 60-70mph). Battery died one mile from dealership....battery was fully charged when it happened (I use a battery tender each night) and the green "eye" on the battery was good when the alternator light came on (I made a quick check on the side of the freeway before continuing). Granted electrical use/drain is much higher on this car (daytime running lights, computers, etc).
YES YOU ARE WITH IN RANGE SPECIALY IF ITS FULLY CHARGE AND WITH A BACK UP FULLY CHARGE BATTERY, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. A FULLY CHARGE BATTERY USUALLY LAST AROUND 2 1/2 TO 3 HOURS OF CONTINOUS DRIVING. BEEN THERE DONE THAT. MIKE
find a walmart or parts store and buy a jump box. it will get you there with your charged batteries for sure.
Now he's a thinker We have the same thing here in Austraila, It's called RACQ, I wouldn't be without them, would you?
The battery will probably work, but just to be sure, stop at the nearest Walmart & pick up a pair of the largest & cheapest nylons you can find. Wrap the leg of the nylon where the belt would go, stretch tight, & tie the ends together. Cut off the excess & voila - you're probably good for 50 miles or so before the nylon with rub through This got myself & 3 friends back from the outskirts of Albequerque to Socorro NM (approx 75 miles) in the late '80s. Of course we weren't hitting 7500 rpm in the clap trap chevette my friend owned!
Sounds like you attended New Mexico Tech! My son is a Junior there studying Atomic and Nuclear Physics. Drop me a PM and say hello. rick
Much of your answer comes from two directions. Available energy, and average load. I dont know about the 512, but many of these Ferrari seem to have medium sized to small batteries. But lets say you have about a 50 AH battery. You could use 50 amps for one hour, or fractions of that over longer periods, such as 25 amps for two hours for example. As cars have become more modern, electroninc fuel and ignition systems have come to our cars, and they have put much more demand on the electrical system. Fuel injected cars have large fuel pumps that draw about 8 amps or so. Double that figure if it also has electronic injection. And with electronic ignition, it probably draws tripple what a point system would draw, figure 10 amps. How many times will you start it? 100 amps. Are the cooling fans going to run? figure 10 amps or more. Will you roll windows up or down? 10 amps. Heater fan? Maybe 15 amps. Turn signals? 8 amps? Use the brake lights much? 8 amps? If it rains you may need wipers. 15 amps? How long will 45 miles take? Do you drive with your headlights on? 10 amps? I recall cars I grew up with that would run two days on the battery without using lights or the radio, but modern cars are lucky to run past an hour. Even less if anything draws to much or the battery is less than 100%. Think about Apollo 13, every fraction of an amp was critical to saving that flight. I would have a friend follow you, so in a pinch you could tow it at least off the road, or have it flat bedded. Why cant you put the belt on yourself though?
With 2 fuel pumps and 2 engine management systems all running digital electronics, it will draw about 25 amps just sitting there idling. Now add the cooling fans to it, 40-50 amps. If the battery goes down to about 9.5 volts it will all stop. It will not flicker, it will not cough and run bad, it will stop. Do you really want to put all the other cars, drivers and passengers, not to mention your 512 and yourself in the possible jeopardy of just having the car quit at any moment or would it be more responsible to get a tow? Do you feel lucky?
Just to back up what Brian was saying on the 9.5 volts(have a volt meter in my car) all things good and wonderful in a Ferrari stop at that voltage. The first thing to shut down are the engine ECUs and it doesn't take long for that drop from 12 volts in a battery in a modern car. You would get 10 miles and be walkin', trust me. Regards, Vern
They do not put 125-150 amp alternators in modern 2 seat sports cars because they got a good deal on them. It is also the reason they have been trying to go to 42 volt systems.
First advise toall my customers- join the AAA, worth it for the free tow, around here we have some good flatbed operators that have pulled cars into my shop. They know where they're going too when you call! Brian
