F430 New owner diary inc. maintenance & upgrades

There have been many areas on this project where I could have taken the easy option and run cables by the shortest route, but I don't like doing that; if everything is as per factory diagrams it is straight forward to work on in the future if the need arises. The final stage of ABS installation was to run the 'CT off' wire to the clock spring connector on the steering column and it was one of areas where it would have been very convenient to take the easy option! I didn't though and removed the column to open the loom behind and run the wire as per factory spec.

I disconnected the loom from the drivers door, suspension & locking modules, and dashboard switches so that I could work more easily. Most of my time on the wiring has been spent getting access to things. The wire was installed which completed the ABS and drive systems installation.

Scuderia electronics research – Part 6
The wiring is not yet over: the Scuderia centre console differs to the F430 not only in looks and construction but also its complement of buttons; it does away with the parking light switch, adds the 'bumpy road' button, and also a door lock button which is required because the carbon fibre door cards do not have a 'lock' button as per the F430.

Scuderia models don't have a heated rear window like the F430 Berlinetta/coupe does so the parking light button is relocated to that position in the drivers switch panel. Conversely the F430 Spider doesn't have a heated rear window either, but it does have the position filled by a heated external mirror switch and this struck me as strange: the heated mirrors on the coupe are controlled automatically by the Air conditioning and heating system node (HVAC module in short!) and the Spider shares the same module i.e. it too could have the mirror heating managed by the HVAC module. The control logic being something like turn on for 30 minutes if external temp is below four degrees C.

My guess is the marketing department didn't want people to think they were getting less when paying more for the Spider hence the manual control button was added. Photo to show the drivers switch panel from my car with the heated mirror switch second from left.

Today I worked on moving the parking light button from the centre console to the drivers switch panel. The power feed is from fuse 15 in the rear LH fuse panel and I fully expected I'd need to run a new power supply and switched side to the front of the car, but more significantly it looked like I would need to have the A/C discharged and drain the coolant to withdraw the heater box to gain access the wires behind! I was quite pleased to find that the door marker lights share fuse 15 and a wire of the correct colour (light blue) runs to the each side of the dashboard i.e. right next to the drivers switch panel.

Photo to show the factory splice between the F430 centre console parking light button power feed and the rest of the wire which runs forward to the dashboard. I removed the section running to the centre console as it is no longer required.

At the front of the car again I could repurpose the heated mirror switch for parking lights, which is possible because all of the switches are electronically identical and the connectors aren't keyed. The only thing that differentiates them is the icon on the front! I think they are from an old Fiat.

I finished the parking light wiring so now the only things remaining are: 1) wire the heated mirrors to the HVAC module, and 2) wire up the door lock button.

Scuderia pedals
Given the pedal box is nice and accessible it seemed opportune to swap the driver's side pedals to Scuderia items. The castings themselves are the same - from what I can tell - but the faces are machined and the recesses are countersunk and drilled through. It's a cosmetic difference than meaningful weight saving. As per the other parts they have covered 1,200 miles.

Misc
8mm stainless steel P clips to replace the remainder in each wheel arch, and replacement bolts for the underbody reinforcement panel. Lighter and more aerodynamic.

Interesting new part
Thanks to my new Ferrari friend in Italy I have discovered a very interesting part: a full dry carbon Scuderia front bumper manufactured by CBS. Thanks Carlo! Those familiar with the red parts label on the rear of F430 parts will already know that CBS manufacture the carbon for Scuderia models.

The bumper is one of several pieces that will help me approach the next weight loss target: 150kg.
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Heated mirrors completed
This turned out to be an interesting one. I found that the passenger/LH mirror is wired up to the Air conditioning and heating system node (NCL). I ran a continuity check on the white/blue wire through to the mirror and confirmed. The drivers/RH was not.

It soon became obvious that the Spider 'heated mirror' switch was simply a repurposed heated rear window switch and circuit from the coupe. A bit of investigation proved it to be the case. My Spider had the 30amp fuse and relay at the rear RH fuse board with an output running through into the engine bay loom to where the rear window connection would be on a coupe, and the drivers heated mirror feed is actually spliced from the load side of the window relay.

So, in summary I have a temperature triggered automatic LH heated mirror and a manually switched RH mirror. Weird! If it's the case that the Air conditioning and heating system node (NCL) cannot source sufficient amps to drive both mirrors I'd have thought instead it would have been better to trigger a relay, which did supply both mirrors.

I have stripped out all of the manually switched heated window/mirror loom and it's power feed. I have wired my car to Scuderia spec which is to have one mirror heated by the NCL. During the work I also noticed that my body loom was wired for provision of a manual gearbox.

Loom modifications complete
The final tally: two relays, three maxi fuses, two mini blade fuses, and a fair bit of wiring = 0.813kg. I have one final job which is to change a connector on the centre console wiring on my body loom to accommodate the 16M sub loom. After a bit of digging I found the connection system used on the car is the Delphi GT 150 series: Delphi 150, 280 & 630 Series GT Connection Systems

I also found an amazing UK stockholder who sells basically everything in small quantities: http://www.mouser.co.uk/Mobile/Delphi-Connection-Systems/Connectors/Automotive-Connectors/GT-150-Series/_/N-1ehb5?P=1yzmtniZ1z0zlez

Testing | Parking lights switch | Pass
I don't have the dash installed yet so I just bridged the pins, but we have parking lights. Stef's new ILUAL43-HDRLV3 really is very bright! The auto dim feature is a nice touch.

Testing | Door lock button | Pass
Not much to say for this - it works.

Testing | Heated mirrors | Pass
As above.

Testing | Instrument cluster (NQS)| Pass
'Check OK' on ignition in position 2 so the cluster is talking with the Bosch engine ECUs and reporting an emissions readiness check. That's good news.

Testing | Drive mode systems (ABS, E-Diff, suspension) | Cannot run test
I need diagnostic equipment to progress further by:

- Clearing historic brake node errors from cluster memory. These were logged when I tested the cluster with F430 electronics (and learnt the ABS incompatibility). E-Diff will not operate until these are cleared.
- Calibrating the steering angle sensor i.e. set straight ahead
- Bleeding the ABS module
- Running my test then checking for codes in all modules.

I'm now trying to ascertain if anyone offers a mobile service. All I need is codes read and cleared so I can work from the results.
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Glovebox delete
I don't use the glovebox and my mobile phone has a really good LED torch, so I'm not losing anything by converting to it to Scuderia spec. The glove box assembly is in several parts including the actual compartment itself which is bolted in to the rear of the dashboard.

I've removed the electronics for the release and interior light and of course any superfluous fastenings, and as part of this change I had to relocate the emergency bonnet release and a couple of electrical items.

Photos to show various component weights. Total saved = 2.397kg.

I will cover the exterior/lid changes in a later update.

Chassis tidy up
This one's a winter job I had planned; the side skirts are off to attend to some galvanic corrosion around the steel Rivnuts in the chassis. It's only minor but I'd rather keep on top if it rather than have an issue years down the line. Dad has kindly taken care of this today whilst I was working on the glove box.

Affected areas were taken back to bare metal ready for etch primer. Whilst around the chassis I also sprayed wax sprayed on the external earth points.

Weight saving
Cracked the 100kg mark.

Sprung weight saved: 75.91 kg
Unsprung weight saved: 25.02 kg
Total weight saved: 100.93 kg
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Dashboard stitching
Another winter job. Like my last car the stitching on the dashboard of the new one had begun to fade near the bottom of the windscreen, so given the dashboard is already out it was the ideal time to rectify it.

My OH kindly helped (quite readily - it must have been the bottle of fizz!) and we used red Sharpies to re-dye the faded stitchiung. We had it finished within an hour. It was hard to photograph the result but the pink stitching is now back to factory red.

I also ordered some UV protectant that I'll apply to all stitching using a small modelling brush.

Interior retrim
I've removed some miscellaneous interior pieces ready to be re-trimmed to my spec:

Bulkhead and rear carpet panels: black Alcanatara with red stitching;
Front drivers’ and passenger foot well panels: black Alcanatara with red stitching;
Instrument cluster binnacle: a shade of red Nappa leather that more closely matches Rosso Corsa;
Drivers airbag: red leather;
Handbrake - perforated red leather.

Photos to show the steering wheel design and look I am going for on the panelling. The person I'm using is a trimmer for Bentley who takes on the occasional job in his spare time. As to be expected his work is superb.

Weight saving and performance
I've been having a think about performance, weight saving, and what I want from the car, so I decided to gather some data on other Ferrari models in order to help me understand what degree of performance I'm liekly to be happy with. I can make this call after studying how the other models perform on road and track. I should explain that these type of statistics alone are not important to me but in this case they are a useful tool to help with future scope of the project - not a means for me to validate my car choice or ownership experience!

It goes without saying that torque and gear ratios also affect statistics but PwR is always a pretty reasonable gauge of performance

F430 Spider = 324.41 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1519.988 kg (brochure)
Flywheel power: 493.1 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

F430 Coupe = 340.14 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1449.681 kg (brochure)
Flywheel power: 493.1 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

458 Spider = 341.84 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1614.8952 kg (brochure)
Flywheel power: 552.04 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

458 Italia = 346.11 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1595 kg (weighed/verified)
Flywheel power: 552.04 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

16M = 346.17bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1439.988 kg (F430 brochure minus 80kg)
Flywheel power: 498.48 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

Scuderia = 362.79 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1374 kg (F430 brochure minus 80kg)
Flywheel power: 498.48 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

* My car (now) = 381.61 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1419.058 kg (F430 brochure minus 100.93kg)
Flywheel power: 541.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 10bhp for my airboxes and porting)

* My car (target weight) = 395.54 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1369.058 kg (F430 brochure minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 541.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 10bhp for my airboxes and porting)

458 Speciale = 400.07 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1490.958 kg (weighed/verified)
Flywheel power: 596.483 bhp (brochure)

* My car (target weight and Scuderia cams) = 402.57 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1369.988 kg (F430 brochure minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 551.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 20bhp for my airboxes, porting, and cams)

* My car (target weight and engine build) = 437.96 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1369.988 kg (F430 brochure minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 600 bhp (target 600bhp @ 9000rpm)

The figures tell me I should probably evaluate plans for an engine build once the next 50kg is removed because in its current spec the car is already 57.2 bhp/tonne up on standard! The standard car is no slouch, but to put the increase into perspective the Superfast 2 gearbox & 38.38 delta looks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a922y4R1ok
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An update on performance data; I've been in dialogue with Jean-Claude from Le portail automobile suisse: Asphalte.ch which is a Swiss performance car site that weighs all of the cars it tests. I now have real world data to replace the factory brochure data for the 430, Scuderia, and 458, and: Wow! the factory data is not even representative! I am informed this is the norm by a wide range of manufacturers. McLaren stand out as being accurate.

The effect on the list is quite significant because the Spider models weigh a lot more than their brouchures suggest. In due course I will have my car corner weighted to verify my changes.

F430 Spider F1 CCM = 307.04 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1606 kg (validated)
Flywheel power: 493.1 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

16M = 326.66 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1526 kg (unvalidated: F430 Spider F1 minus Ferrari claimed 80kg)
Flywheel power: 498.48 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

F430 Coupe F1 CCM, carbon seats = 334.53 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1474 kg (validated)
Flywheel power: 493.1 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

458 Spider = 334.91 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1648.34 kg (unvalidated: 458 Italia plus Ferrari claimed 50.34 kg)
Flywheel power: 552.04 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

458 Italia = 345.46 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1598 kg (validated)
Flywheel power: 552.04 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

Scuderia = 350.8 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1421 kg (validated)
Flywheel power: 498.48 bhp (Capristo dyno - avg. of multiple runs)

* My car (now) = 359.8 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1505.07 kg (F430 Spider F1 minus 100.93kg)
Flywheel power: 541.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 10bhp for my airboxes and porting)

* My car (target weight) = 371.92 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1456 kg (F430 Spider F1 minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 541.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 10bhp for my airboxes and porting)

* My car (target weight and Scuderia cams) = 378.79 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1456 kg (F430 brochure minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 551.52 bhp (Capristo dyno + 20bhp for my airboxes, porting, and cams)

458 Speciale = 400.07 bhp/tonne
Kerb weight: 1490.958 kg (validated)
Flywheel power: 596.483 bhp (unvalidated: brochure)

* My car (target weight and engine build) = 412.09 bhp/tonne *
Kerb weight: 1456 kg (F430 Spider F1 minus 150kg)
Flywheel power: 600 bhp (target 600bhp @ 9000rpm)

 

Sorry Julian, I missed your post. I'm going to coat the area with wax once I repaint it.

 

ABS module
The RHD Scuderia ABS module bracket arrived from Eurospares. It is actually lighter than the LHD version. I'll refit the module tomorrow; I've made a graphic to aid with fitting the six new pipes.

Scuderia pedals
I bought the pedal set from the Glickenhaus car but totally forgot about the LHD/RHD differences! Thankfully for the accelerator pedal assembly the different parts are easily swapped to leave me with a Scuderia version. It seems LHD cars have a different pedal height to RHD.

I do need to order the RHD brake pedal. Doh.

Instrument cluster
Another winter job: convert the imperial auxiliary gauge faces to metric. I'm quite pleased with this because I did not have a '5' or '6' to work with from the original faces, so I scanned the rev counter and adjusted some of the numbers from it. I also did not have the Ferrari font to use for 'C' and 'bar' so I created my own. I've found a local company who can print on transparent ABS sheet for around £11/$13.70

Front bumper fitment
This is from my snag list: I was not entirely happy with the fitment of the front bumper. The radiator support brackets prevent it from being positioned to fit flush with the edge of the front wing/bonnet. I knew the radiator cage was different on the Scuderia but the radiator mounts were the same - or so I thought - so I couldn't fathom how the radiators could be moved, because I'd already maxed out their adjustment. It transpired that the Eurospares diagrams don't print the correct part number for the Scuderia brackets and they appear on an orphaned page: Search Results for 233906 - Eurospares | Order Online Eurospares

The cages are welded to the front of the car and support the arch liners, rads, headlamps, and bumper. The Ferrari parts diagram shows that the Scuderia cages have a detachable lower leg, and in contrast, the F430 cage is fitted as a single entity. After studying pics of the Scuderia cage I determined it is an F430 cage with the lower leg cut off, and a flange welded on the stump ready to accept the bolt on leg. The detachable leg works with the different radiator mounts to clear the Scuderia bumper.

Photo to show scuderia rad brackets and radiator cage legs that I ordered.

Misc
- Universal seat belt buckle covers from eBay.
- Stainless steel flange head bolts for the windscreen wiper arms.
- Replacement countersunk washers for when I refit the interior trim. I've gone for black finish stainless steel.
- http://www.mouser.co.uk/ order arrived - terminals and housings to adapt my loom to fit the OEM plugs on the Scuderia centre console loom.
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Steering wheel - paddles
There will be two parts to this conversion: physical and electronic, and this update will detail the physical changes. To start with I stripped the original F1 lever from my car to see how it worked and to see if I could integrate any of it in the Mercedes part.

I also stripped the Mercedes switches (part numbers A0999051200 and A0999051300) to understand how they worked and to aid mocking up on the Ferrari wheel. The switches are quite simple and operate by contacting a carbon disc embedded within the tactile element onto the PCB tracks. The whole part is designed very elegantly as the PCB, tactile element, and rocker all fit together to lock in place.

Photo to show the Ferrari wheel and one side of the multifunction computer control switch for the 599; they are simply a push fit into the steering wheel foam secured by barbed prongs.

Photo to show where I cut away the leather to expose the foam underneath and after a few trial fits of the paddles I decided where to position them, and where to trim both the paddles themselves and the steering wheel foam to achieve the best fit. The photo shows the areas on the steering wheel that I trimmed with a scalpel.

Obviously, the Mercedes paddles were not remotely close in size to the original 599 switches and also they extended beyond the original holes, hence I had a few requirements:

1) Fill the gap between paddles and edge of 599 switch recess;
2) Create a moulded base that securely holds the paddles;
3) Fill the gap between the paddles and at the same time blend them into the steering wheel to look as OE as possible;
4) Use a filling compound with high adhesion that when set has a similar hardness to the OEM steering wheel foam.

After a bit of thinking I decided to try PU adhesive. I knew it had a similar hardness to the existing foam, fantastic adhesion, and sufficient viscosity to allow me to shape it yet still hold its form. I also decided to try cling film moulded to the base of the paddle casing to act as a crude release agent. I placed the paddle casing in place and moved the excess cling film on top of it, then used a screw driver to pack out the base of the casing with PU and begin to build up the area around it. When it was 'about there' I folded over the cling film and used my fingers to smooth everything off.

Photo to show the finished result after setting overnight. I am really pleased with how it turned out. I left the gap between the PU and Alcantara so the trimmer can tuck in the leather and create a nice radius. Another pic to show the Mercedes paddles reassembled for trial fit. I'm happy. These are the standard paddles but I have extended versions to go on when back from the paint shop after being refinished in Grigio Corsa.

Steering wheel - preparation for trimming
I flatted and lacquered the upper section of carbon so it matches the rest of the interior. I masked off the LED lens with tape and cut around it with a scalpel.

I also removed the fascia to lacquer its carbon. I am sure I read somewhere on the net that the steering wheel node (NVO) is removed by removing the Manettino and its sticker, then a 10mm nut behind. That is not the case at all: the whole fascia must be removed to do so.

Misc
- Scuderia ABS module mounted with specific bracket and pipes.
- I've removed the carpets so I can peel off the areas of protective film that's left over from the PDI, and then I will jet wash them. I've scrubbed carpets in the past on other resto projects but found a pre-soak with carpet cleaner followed by jet washing cleans the best and is very kind to the carpet.
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Carlo has donated a pair of new Scuderia door panels to the project. This is massively generous and will save me a lot of money on even used parts. The panels are missing the rear section but that's something I can easily create from 3k plain weave carbon and a simple mould.

I've uploaded a photo of a complete 16M door card for comparison. The net and handles are all available separately so I will order those. The actual panels are modified Scuderia door cards featuring two speaker holes: a 16.5cm midbass driver and a 10cm two way both housing JBL units made specifically for the 16M. The speakers are actually a 3-way component set and JBL have used a dual purpose speaker grille/tweeter mount on the 10cm, as can be seen in the photo.

I’m not considering the 16M speakers because of the weight and cost; I think they are around the 5k mark. A better component set can be purchased for less than £200, but in this car the hifi is way down my requirements list. I'm will at least cut the 16.5cm aperture to mount a better midbass unit than the terrible paper cone speakers fitted as standard to the F430, but beyond that I am undecided. I’ll finish the carbon first.

Thanks again to Carlo!
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Thanks Julian! I will be in touch when the cards are finished.

 

That sounds interesting!

 

I've painted the previously prepared RH sill area and once dry, applied Dinitrol wax to all of the Rivnuts. The scuttle trim and bonnet brackets are also painted. I went for durable two pack product that is supposedly a lot harder wearing than regular paint. I forget its name now. Of course I've also replaced the factory flanged bolts with stainless.

Braking system
New front calipers: LaFerrari/Speciale.

‘If we’d kept the Italia’s brake technology but wanted the performance we have on the Speciale, the system would have weighed 30% more,’ explains Fedeli. ‘But we have a new generation of discs with a higher silicon content, hybrid pads from Brembo, plus new calipers, which are smaller and lighter, but cool in a very?efficient way so we can take 30-40% more thermal energy into the system and still dissipate the heat. Ferrari.

Interestingly, the pads are 20% smaller than a 458’s to aid with heat management. Aside from pedal feel and cooling, the reason I'm interested in them is the reduced unsprung weight from the rear caliper design The integrated EPB saves weight over the seperate hand brake caliper on the F430.

I bought my calipers from partige_1 on eBay - they got rather hot on track so I'll rebuild them and have them repainted.

I decided to collate brake weight information so I was better informed on the weight saving aspect of the Extrema system. At this stage I've had to make a couple of assumptions (red text in attached photo of the table), but the figures are about right.

Here's a comparison of the new calipers with some Scuderia items. The Scuderia caliper is a Brembo unit based on a design that pre-dates ceramic brakes and was subsequently modified to offer increased rigidity in the 398mm application. It has a completely open back which is where the LaFerrari/Speciale has a distinct advantage with its reinforced bridge - it is a caliper designed from the outset for the large diameter discs in use on modern supercars.

The mount spacing is different: F430/Scuderia uses 130mm. The 458 and Speciale use - I think - 225mm. Interestingly the Speciale front calipers have un-machined bosses at 142mm centres which is another Brembo standard mounting. I will commission custom brackets for the calipers and bells for Speciale discs.

The master cylinder is different between F430/Scuderia CCM and 458/Speciale. I've bought a 458 one to examine and I'm still measuring and gathering data at this stage, but I've determined the 458 is 24mm bore and the F430 is 23mm bore. Stroke on both excluding spring compression is around 23mm. The caliper piston sizes are significantly different between the models:

Scuderia | 458
Front: 30/34/38 | 28/32/36
Rear: 38/42 | 34/38

The quite significant reduction in volume on the 458 will lead to a more responsive pedal at the expense of outright clamping force.

I also undertook a bit of research into pads and there is quite a bit of commonality. I've uploaded some pics of the various pad types.

Ferrari diagnostics
I wanted to perform the diagnostics on the car before I went back to Ed for a clutch setup, mainly because I enjoy it, but also I didn't want to have it transported when I still didn't know if the engine ECUs would work with the Scuderia TCU - as that's a round trip and a load of organisation for no real gain, so I decided to investigate what options are out there to suit an advanced hobbyist. My requirements were to be able to read, clear, and view data from all modules in the car. Advanced service functions such as actuator setup, self learn, and bleeding etc. would be a bonus.

I'll start by stating the obvious (or not): there is no real substitute for an SD3. I found there are some pretty decent professional grade alternatives out there such as Leonardo (Voicey uses this) but the cost is prohibitive for hobby work (£20k/$25k purchase, £5k/$6.2k subscription). I found a more reasonably priced alternative in the states - Auto Enginuity - but they force you to buy a whole European expansion pack even if you just want Ferrari so the total amounts to over £3k/$3.7k, which for these cars is still not really that bad given it performs all of the service functions in addition to diag. There is a Texa equivalent that does the same for a similar price.

I continued and looked at all of the mid-range hand-held readers on the market then stumbled across Autel. I noticed that their August 2016 software update included Ferrari and was available on their cheaper unit called the MaxiSys Mini. These can go for quite a bit under £1k/$1250 on eBay which makes them great value. The annual subscription is £500/$621 but if you buy a used version with Ferrari v2 it won't time out - I confirmed this with Autel.

It covers a lot of models but I'm really only interested in the F430.

It performs actuator calibration and bleeding operations but I am using it for diagnosis. Their more expensive MaxiSys Pro at £1800/$2200 has fully fledged service functions like self learn etc.

Scuderia electronics research – Part 7
Now I had some diagnostic capability I could get on with the most important outstanding task: finish the SuperFast 2 conversion!

Testing | ABS module (NFR) | Pass
First on to the ABS module and success! My wiring changes are all correct. The C1435 is to be expected and required whenever an ABS or yaw sensor are replaced, or both in my case.

Testing | Yaw sensor | Pass
I already knew the yaw sensor was OK as an error would be reported in the NFR if it wasn't, but I thought I'd double check by viewing the live data on the NFR. The first two rows show the NFR interpreting the output signals as the car going backwards and sideways (lateral 2 = horizontal) which demonstrates precisely why a calibration routine must be run.

Testing | Steering wheel (NVO) | Pass
The 599 GTO wheel node is operational and not reporting errors at this stage, and the start button is triggering the start relay. Out of interest I tested with my F430 steering wheel but it does not work with the Scuderia ABS module.

Testing | Suspension module (NCS) | Pass
Previous errors removed now Scuderia ABS installed.

Testing | E-Diff module | Pass
Previous errors removed now Scuderia ABS installed.

Testing | Instrument cluster (NQS) | Pass
Previous errors removed now Scuderia ABS installed but brake failure recorded. I expect this because there's no brake fluid and CST is disabled until the calibration routines are run. The previous E-Diff disabled message has gone.

Testing | SuperFast 2 TCU (NCR) | Pass
This is the big one. To recap the Scuderia TCU previously would not allow a DEIS (301 self lean) in my car because of CAN bus and yaw sensor errors, both of which I put down to the F430 ABS module and analogue yaw sensor. I can report that both errors are now gone and the TCU is talking to the ABS module. This is great progress.

From the conversion perspective my next steps are to have the car transported back to Christian Lewis for a DEIS and steering & yaw sensor calibration, then go for an engine start - which is the real test. Before I do that I'm going to finish the brakes, front radiator cages, and interior.
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Cheers. The AMG paddles were the ones I most liked. I would have used any manufacturer but went with them.

 

Thanks Julian Getting closer to the first start up now.

 

Angus, Just replied to your PM. For any other technical questions Autel can be reached at [email protected]

 

Steering wheel – paddles - electronics
This was an interesting puzzle. I had hoped that the paddles were regular SPST switches like most others out there, but no - they aren't; the F1 switch assembly is fed by four wires but not two for each switch. The info I had was:

Pin | Function | F1 loom colour | Body loom colour
1 | S | Yellow | Grey/green
2 | - | Black | Black/white
3 | Down/- | Blue | Brown/green
4 | Up/+ | White | Blue/white

The factory diagrams are just that and don’t cover electronics. I checked the pins in the car and confirmed pin 2 was earth and the others were each 4.97v i.e. 5v which is a standard for most logic circuits. I stripped the F1 switch assembly to figure out how it worked and found that it was essentially a potential divider network that had two microswitches for each paddle. The switch pairs are pressed at the same time by each paddle. I was a bit rusty on this stuff having not touched circuits since school!

Before the advent of CAN bus it was not unusual for manufacturers to use resistor networks to transfer control signals from steering wheel to control modules elsewhere in the car when constrained by the amount of contacts available in a clock spring, but the CFC301 and even 231 were CAN based so this was something different. I modelled the F1 switch panel circuit on my computer and it was not until I tracked down a circuit diagram for an earlier TCU (all I could find) that I could actually simulate it properly: the ‘S’ contact is in fact a standby input to the TCU to reconcile inputs in the event that one of the microswitches fail. Essentially there is a voltage combination for all possible switch positions. It’s a neat little circuit.

Obviously I had to create a new circuit but I also had some design constraints:

• The Mercedes paddles are too small to modify internally for two switches;
• Adding the Scuderia CT-Off wire added between the Racing Manettino (steering wheel) and ABS module leaves two free contacts in the clock spring.

My design uses the existing terminal 15 feed already in the steering wheel for the horn and wheel module to feed the paddles, and the paddle switched outputs go back to the steering column via the two free clock spring contacts. I will use solid state DC relays to replace the function of the Ferrari microswitches. The Mercedes paddles use a much more reliable switch design than the traditional microswitch in the F1 panel so loss of the logical standby function is not a consideration.

I would like to have a custom board printed so I will draw up a PCB design and get some quotes.

Scuderia radiator cages
I’ve removed the front bumper to investigate how to fit the lower cage bars. I was pleased to find my chassis already has the necessary two Rivnuts on each side fitted, so all I need to do is grind off the weld to remove the existing bars.

The Scuderia bars sit around 25mm higher and 25mm further forward than the F430 part.
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Something like that: the 12v already inside the wheel goes through a paddle, which switches the control side of two SS relays (or opto-isolators) which replace the original two microswitches. The 12v control and 5v load (original circuit) are isolated.