About six weeks ago I was driving my 328 and as I neared my residence it simply stopped, the engine just tuned off, no knock or noises. I managed to restart it, but running was really funny and no power or acceleartion. Seemed half of the engine worked too. I checked points and distributer caps and found one to be cracked so I changed it. Still car worked extremely bad. My mechanic came and found that no fuel was coming to the heads. Checked fuel pump and was found not to be working. Ordered a new one from Eurospares. Part number was different, but they assured me it's a replacement one ordered from Ferrari. Yesterday installed new pump, car started but still no power out of the V8. Symptoms: Revs but no power and slow to accelerate. Sounds as if working without an airfilter. Feeling exhaust, left side exhaust, right side exhaust but warmer temp. Valves seem to be a little noiser. When starter is turning, fuse box ticks a lot. When engine is running all indications seem normal. Any ideas.?
Do you see the SLOW DOWN light on and/or smell rotten eggs with the engine warm? If so, you could have a loss of spark on a bank (try Maurice's idea and switch the coils) and be cooking the cat. This will need fixing prior to any more driving. Also, it might be a good idea to check for good spark in of itself (BTW, I haven't researched/inspected any of my coils and distributers (I'll do that soon enough), so here's an ignorant question: could some of the wires/rotors be out of phase?). Please also review the fuel system dynamics (Bosch CIS with Lambda (O2) sensor...free pubs are online). There are so many symptoms that overlap with a variety of constrained performance (not necessarily failures either, just poor adjustments, etc).
Today I should be getting an electrician to check my coils. I never smelt any rotten eggs odour. Thanks for info. Stephen
Definitely sounds like you lost a bank. Check spark on both banks. Chances are you lost a crank sensor for one bank.
328s don't have separate crank sensors (like a QV) for each bank... Typically, when a bank is lost on a 328, the problem lays with: -Coils (extremely low failure rate part) -Ignition modules -Coil wires David
I had a similar problem and it was the frequency valve relay, Replaced it and that fixed the problem. My symptoms were rough idling and poor power.
Yesterday replaced plugs and checked all hightension cables for spark. Car still did not start, but found out that new pump is not working when starting car. I powered fuel pump directly and it worked. Then checked Bosch relays and they are good too. Hopefully mechanic will show up today. Any ideas.?
Stephen, I use to get that smell before and what I found was the my voltage regulator was bad and my battery was being overcharge. The battery acid was boiling until it all evaporated and that's the gas I was smelling. I installed new VG and everything is fine until now.
My mechanic came and did some tests. Found out that new pump is getting intermitent power supply, so tomorrow will get an auto elect guy.
In addition to a more obvious fuse or relay problem, Kevin identified the connector in the passenger footwell shown in this thread: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164315 as one that can cause your symptom on a 328 (if "burned").
I had a very similar problem this year after taking the car out of winter hybernation... only running on 4 cyls... smooth acceleration but no power? Because running on 4 you could also flood a bank and this makes it difficult to start? I swapped the coils and played around. it turned out to be a faulty connection in the coil transister! only discovered due to moving the parts around! A good chance that it is in that area.... Hope you resolve your issue as I know how you feel!
Yesterday bridged the fuel pump relay and pump worked, but still engine won't start. All plugs have spark, but rear plugs are soothed black, and foward ones are clean but wet with fuel. Incredebile but true.
