New 550 Owner | Page 4 | FerrariChat

New 550 Owner

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by rhern213, Feb 19, 2021.

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  1. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Yeah those cars were beat to hell and so easy to tamper with, but I guess any car from the 90's or earlier would be. You could buy an entire instrument cluster for $100 with lower mileage, swap them out in about 6 mins and nobody would ever know.

    I remember the first one I sold, some teenager bought it and I could tell right away he had no idea what he was getting into. All he kept asking was what mods it had and how to make it faster. About a month later I saw him post on the bmw forum where he could take the car to get it fixed, he had wrapped it around a telephone poll, but he was okay.
     
  2. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    #77 rhern213, Mar 9, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2021
    This was my first when I picked it up at the sellers house, I bought it in 2003 iirc.
    1995, 73k miles, White on Gray with Vader seats, completely stock and very well maintained. I paid $17k for it at the time, was my first real personal car purchase. I remember the anticipation and anxiousness to get it, I think the only other cars I felt that with was my RX-7 and now the 550.

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  3. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    #78 rhern213, Mar 9, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2021
    This was my 2nd that I used as a daily driver after the white one was only doing track events.
    It was a much more rare spec, 1999, Fern Green exterior with Tan Vader seats interior. That one I should've kept.

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  4. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Ah yes! I also had the Turner package and Schrick cams, never got around to doing the diff though. On the 99' I had I also retrofitted in the OBD-1 manifolds and intake system from the 95's for better airflow. I remember in the later 96+ 3.2L OBD-2 cars they made the manifolds with smaller intake ports to reduce airflow and restrict power to keep it at the same 240hp range as the 3.0L car. I don't remember why BMW did that.
     
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  5. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2005
    4,316
    Philadelphia
    Full Name:
    Joe
    What a coincidence. Was thrilled that my '95 was OBD1!
     
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  6. Iceblue

    Iceblue Formula Junior

    Nov 5, 2012
    424
    Virginia Beach
    Full Name:
    Olivier Perault
    Congrats man. Looks amazingng
     
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  7. niftyfivefifty

    niftyfivefifty Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2007
    366
    PacNW
    Beautiful M3s!

    I had no idea the gauge clusters were that easy to change, it makes much more sense now. That's too bad he totaled the car! I had a similar experience selling an Eagle Talon TSi AWD. The kid really wanted to modify it and asked me what to do next, 2 weeks later it was wrapped around a telephone pole, totaled, but he was also okay. Makes you wonder where those guys are now...
     
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  8. ///Mink

    ///Mink Formula Junior

    Sep 5, 2006
    808
    Fair Oaks, CA
    Full Name:
    Tom Mink
    That must be a trend. A month after I sold my E36 M3 to a very young buyer he sent me these pics. He lost control in the rain. (The hideous headlight eyebrows were his doing, not mine!)

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  9. Laserguru

    Laserguru Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2016
    1,255
    New Hampshire
    Full Name:
    Eric
    As this thread has taken a turn to the E36 M3 worship as a truly worthy car, mine has a mere 235,000 miles on it.....I love that car. Likely the best car I have ever owned (to include Ferrari, Alfas, Lancia, Volvo, etc. etc.....)
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  10. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    That's interesting, funny enough one of my best friends use to have an Eagle Talon TSI as well, I'll need to have a talk with him!
     
  11. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Ouch, that looks much worse though, I believe mine was just wrapped around the C-pillar.
     
  12. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    235k miles is impressive, I think I got to 140k on mine. But even more impressive is if you can tell me that your door panels are still properly intact! :D

    Hope to get back to regularly scheduled programming soon, I'm taking the seats out of the 550 next for a deep carpet and leather cleaning. Then it's time to put everything back together and finally get it out on the road!
     
  13. Laserguru

    Laserguru Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2016
    1,255
    New Hampshire
    Full Name:
    Eric
    They are. I bought the car in 2000, certified pre-owned with 30k miles on it. Best car purchase I have ever made.
     
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  14. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    That is a unicorn my friend! :D
     
  15. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    I turned the car on today just to get it some idle time and the check engine light came on with the "Slow Down" sign on the dash.
    So I scoured around the engine bay and found the hose attached to the pressure regulator joint got a hole torn into it.
    Seems like it should be a quick easy fix, but the hose runs down underneath the center intake manifold. I'm hoping the hose was cut long enough where I can just snip the torn end and still have it reach the joint. Taking off the entire manifold just for a $2 hose would be very annoying. If I do have to replace it I'd appreciate if anyone has tips on how I can try to snake the hose through without needing to remove the manifold.

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  16. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,985
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    That looks like it was gnawed by a rat. You might want to get some traps out or borrow a cat.
     
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  17. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Possibly while the car was in transport.
     
  18. ferraridriver

    ferraridriver F1 Rookie

    Aug 8, 2002
    4,134
    Bay Area Calif.
    Full Name:
    Dave
    Actually it's not that big a deal with the right tools. 1/4 drive wobble extension, magnet in a 10mm flex socket and a bit of mechanical aptitude plus a friend to help lift the manifold off.

    Be sure to count the 10mm nuts as you take them off, there should be 24, don't lift that manifold off until you have all 24 accounted for.

    This is a good time to do some "while you're there" things

    1 Replace all hoses under the plenum. If using Scuderia Rampante hoses do not use their supplied clamp, use an overlapping type
    2 Replace the plastic rod ends on the throttle linkage at the rear with metal rod ends like the throttle cable ends Part#111530. Google is your friend
    3 Replace all gaskets especially the inlet manifold gaskets part#154562 and 162904
    4 Did you notice that the 10mm nuts spun off easily? that's because due to engine heat the nylocs have lost their holding capability.
    Replace with #NTL6YLW from www.BelMetric.com, a conical lock flange nut.
    5 replace all three water temperature senders part# 125769 and #148677
     
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  19. niftyfivefifty

    niftyfivefifty Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2007
    366
    PacNW
    Mine had some stuff gnawed in it before I bought it too. It tends to happen to a lot of cars that sit, and rodents are the ultimate experts at breaking and entering. And for some strange reason they love rubber and wire. I keep traps in my garage and so far so good.
     
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  20. Ferrari55whoa

    Ferrari55whoa F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 21, 2005
    2,592
    Los Gatos, CA
    Full Name:
    Eric
    My vintage Meyers Manx a currently living in this Car capsule to keep those pesky rats off it.
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  21. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Thanks Dave, that's very helpful to know those extra bits!

    I can confirm it was indeed mice, I found a couple of droppings.
     
  22. TomTom74

    TomTom74 Rookie

    Dec 25, 2020
    26
    Congratulations Rich, i’m in vero beach when in the USA. I live in London otherwise. I have a sebring over cuoio 550. Its a 1997 car. Get her recommissioned and you will love it.
    Speak soon


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  23. AVIMAX

    AVIMAX Formula Junior

    Aug 5, 2014
    686
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Ryan
    That hose runs to the fuel pressure regulator on the other side, but it’s attached to a clamp under the intake so you can simply pull it out. You could temporarily run a new hose over the manifold or try to fish a new hose under the manifold and leave the damaged one in place until the next time you need to remove the manifold.
     
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  24. AVIMAX

    AVIMAX Formula Junior

    Aug 5, 2014
    686
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Ryan
    Correction, I meant to say you can’t simply pull the old hose out, because it is attached underneath.
     
  25. niftyfivefifty

    niftyfivefifty Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 5, 2007
    366
    PacNW
    One place they like to hang out in these cars in storage is in the rear deck where the seatbelts recoil behind the seats. I took out a small amount of droppings from underneath each side, and it was a bit soiled in that general area. I'm not sure how hard it is to take apart the interior panels on a normal car; mine came with this big amp rack and it is the gas tank firewall steel below that, so pieces had been removed for me. But it may be as easy as pulling the b-pillar trim (it is on 2 clips), unscrew 2 screws holding the seat belt opening to the (1) b-pillar and (2) parcel shelf, and there may be one rear screw on each side for the seatbelt housing trim. Then the housing can be bent inward, and the rear cavity is now accessible. Those are two prime mouse holes, and I got back there with nitrile gloves, Lysol wipes, and a breathing filter and cleaned every last millimeter. In the trunk behind the carpet panels may be another spot to check. It's a good idea to look because the urine is corrosive to just about anything, and it can be mitigated if caught early enough. The metals in these cars appear pretty well treated so they exhibit some resistance, but they only buy limited time before the corrosion begins. Even if a car sits for a week, it is a good idea to check the crevices. I am still amazed at what a mouse can fit through. They are nature's little ninjas.
     
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