TR erratic running - electrical?

I think you're recalling "Stabilant 22" (a contact coating material that goes conductive only in the presence of an electric field).

Do a search here and at the old site on "contact enhancer" to get several threads (which is how it's described by NAPA sources IIRC).

Does the problem occur during cold-running or warm-running or both?

 

WD 40 will do the same at half the price.

 

WD 40 is not the same.

 

I use aerosol contact cleaner first, dry and then apply a small amount of the enhancer with whatever means make sense for the connection you are working with. Often Q tips are used.
On the TR problem connectors are on the right side of the engine compartment just aft of the injection ECU's. There are 2 round connectors going to a box above the wheel. Those 2 conectors have plastic lock rings that are easily damaged and don't hold the connections securely. You will need to find a way to secure them if that is the case. Also there are 2 connectors under the coolant tank on the left side that should be cleaned as well. Not knowing the exact symptoms of your problem you might as well go after a few others just to cover the bases. On the right cyl head where the intake manifold bolts down there are 2 black wires that if corroded will cause O2 sensor malfunction. The main elec plugs at the inj ECUs are easy to get to and occasionally the throttle sw on the right throttle housing gets dirty and becomes problematic. Clean and reinstall all of those and see where you are.

 

In addition to Brian's good list, I'd check/reseat/treat the 4 white horizontal connectors at the bottom of the fusepanel too just on GPs.

If you really mean rough, irregular warm-running (and not 1 bank dead) then I'd 1st check that the injection systems' ground network is truly staying at ground. This is related to the the problem that Brian mentioned about those two black ground wires on the intake manifold studs getting corroded -- that can certainly be one cause, but there are a whole bunch of inaccessible ground "connections" inside the wiring harness that can go bad -- BTDTGTTS. If the injection system ground floats up a bit then (when warm) the injection system will run rich trying to force the average O2 sensor output to be +0.5V above the (now slightly-raised) "ground". Ideally, you'd like to measure the injection system ground network directly at pin 2 (IIRC) of the injection ECUs (when in operation), but this can be difficult without the dedicated Bosch interconnection test box like HenryK recently acquired. Parts of the injection system ground network are also accessible for measurement (relative to the true battery/chassis ground) inside the triangular black box on some of the relay terminals (relay A and D). If you do a search on "black triangular box TR" at the old site, you'll get some past threads like this:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/256120/227910.html

with more description (see Step 4. in my 12 April 2003 post) -- but check/freshen/reseat the connectors before even considering resorting to this.

 

I had a very similar problem with my 512TR, turned out to be relay contacts,I removed all relays,sprayed electrical contact cleaner everywhere!!, car now works fine............

 

IIRC those round (C12 and C13) connectors are AMP brand CPC connectors (that you can get thru tycoelectronics). I believe you could buy a new connector and then transfer just the locking ring to your existing connector (if that's the broken part). I think I've got the AMP part numbers somewhere so will post them later (although if someone's got them available now please post them).

 

Your post #9 reminded me of something. The 2 temp sensors (temp sens and thermotime sw) located on top/ front of motor have wires that bend at bad angles and I have found the one to the temp sw to partially break and cause the symptom you describe. With motor running bend, shake, and move them around to see if you can replicate the problem.

The O2's work so slow on that car I would be surprised if they could cause the problem you describe.

If you find that AMP # I could put it to good use.

 

I think it is a case of disassembly being rather difficult (without breaking the flimsy locking ring), but initial assembly I believe is no problem -- just a snap fit.

http://catalog.tycoelectronics.com/TE/bin/TE.Connect?C=1&PN=206837&M=CONTAINS&LG=1&I=13&button.x=43&button.y=16
(Click on the part number 206837-3, click on "View Customer Drawing(s)", then click the little binocular icon for the format you want -- should get you the drawing shown below in better resolution.)

(large) C12 connector (harness side) = AMP 206837-3

The -3 version (fine straight knurl ring) in the drawing is the stock TR part, but Scott Grossman -- who original dug up this stuff -- confirmed that the ring from the -1 version he bought worked OK (if you can only find the -1 version).

(small) C13 connector (harness side) = AMP 182645-1

The drawings for both C12 and C13 indicate that the AMP PN is shown on the main body part itself (in little teeny characters) so do check/confirm that too. Good hunting!

 

Thanks