550 Trunk Latch Suddenly won’t close | FerrariChat
Buy

550 Trunk Latch Suddenly won’t close

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by SteelWool, Nov 21, 2023.

Tags:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #1 SteelWool, Nov 21, 2023
    Need help here, just purchased a 1999 550 Maranello last week and suddenly the trunk latch will not latch closed when I close the trunk. Latch seems to be functioning correctly when I do it manually with my fingers. Is there some kind of adjustment I need to make. It was working fine before, but I did notice a little paint wear on the underside of the trunk lid so maybe it needs adjusting. Any help is appreciated
     
  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #2 Qavion, Nov 21, 2023
    Image Unavailable, Please Login


    The top half of the latch with the actuator on it doesn't look adjustable. Is it possible that the bottom part of the latch has shifted sideways (item 12).

    Is part 49 some kind of protective cover?

    The bolts securing this part on the rear lid of my F355 are always coming loose.
     
    SteelWool and Ferrari55whoa like this.
  3. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,547
    socal
    #3 fatbillybob, Nov 21, 2023
    adjust from bottom #12 area after removing fascia plate. I can't remember all details but make sure to have access when adjusting because if you screw up you can't open trunk. Make sure to be able to unlatch manually closed latch with fingers via the pull cable.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  4. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #4 SteelWool, Nov 22, 2023
    Yes, at the moment the pull latch is working fine, but if I am able to get it to lock, obviously I won’t know if it will work then without it being closed. Also, I am in the South Bay, MB actually, I think you are in PV FatBillybob
     
  5. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,547
    socal
    #5 fatbillybob, Nov 22, 2023
    Yes I am if you get in a jam. Welcome to 550Land.
     
    SteelWool and Qavion like this.
  6. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #6 SteelWool, Nov 22, 2023
    Strange thing happened. I had been trying for two days to get the trunk to close with no luck. My wife needed me to pull the car out of the garage to get down some Fall decorations. So I started the car, backed it out on to the driveway and shut it off. I tried the trunk again, suddenly it is working fine again. There must be some kind of reset that takes place when you power up the car.
     
  7. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #7 Qavion, Nov 22, 2023
    Or driving the car flexed the bodywork. Now everything lines up again.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  8. Doug.

    Doug. F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 16, 2004
    3,265
    Las Vegas, NV
    #8 Doug., Nov 22, 2023
    Italian is as italian does.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  9. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #9 SteelWool, Nov 22, 2023
    Got a few more problems too. After driving 30 minutes to an hour, the fuse blows on the a/c compressor and radio. In addition, I am getting a strong fuel smell while driving with windows down and after parking in garage. Lastly, and more easy to diagnose, I’ve got too much travel in the brake pedal before engagement and then the engagement is quick and hard. Probably some air in the lines but I’ve also heard of old lines ballooning. Also getting a lot of heat from the center console. After driving the car for several hours with no A/C, the heat was pretty strong and the plate around the gear shift was almost too hot to touch. Anybody have suggestions?
     
  10. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #10 Qavion, Nov 22, 2023
    Well, focus on the fuel smell issue first for obvious reasons. Look for leaks in the fuel lines, cracked/loose evap system hoses, etc. There are a number of configurations, based on year of manufacture and market (USA/CAN and elsewhere). The online catalogues will give you some idea of what goes where.

    https://www.eurospares.co.uk/Ferrari/550/550_Maranello/PartDiagrams

    (Diagrams 9 to 16)

    Figure out what is fitted to your car. How many charcoal canisters do you have (1 or 2)?

    There may be a fuel cooling system on your car. This uses the freon from the aircon system. I don't know if this is related to your aircon system fault.

    https://www.eurospares.co.uk/Ferrari/550/550_Maranello/PartDiagrams/010/Fuel_Cooling_System_-Valid_for_USA_M.Y._99,_USA_M.Y._2000,_CDN_M.Y._99_and_CDN_M.Y._2000

    Are you saying it routinely blows after 30 minutes or is this the first time? Disconnect AC compressor connector or pull the AC relay "M" and repeat to see if the radio is causing it. I doubt it's the radio, though, unless someone has used the radio live battery power to run something it shouldn't be powering.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  11. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,547
    socal
    #11 fatbillybob, Nov 23, 2023
    These cars get hot. I have no idea how the fuel cooling works. I do not think it does much. The compressor is the engine of phase change. Compressor only on when I call for cool. Some Freon flows in the cooling condensers to cool the fuel returning to tank when a fuel temp sensor reads hot fuel in the return , otherwise Freon is shunted to main cabin cooling. I think Ferrari intends ac to be on 24/7 because everything is hot in a 550.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  12. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #12 SteelWool, Nov 23, 2023
    It has done it a couple times and I’ve only had it about 12 days. Searched FerrariChat and found some things about the compressor clutch causing it. I know it was leaking last year and the previous owner had the front seal redone. Possibly the leak caused some corruption to the compressor core or a malfunctioning clutch. As for the fuel smell I read something about the possibility the tank rollover valves may be bad and leaking. Not finding anything wet in the trunk and hard to tell where the smell is coming from but it’s not the front engine area. Smell comes in when driving with windows down and lingers in the garage. Car is a 99 U.S. model
     
  13. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #13 Qavion, Nov 23, 2023
    Most likely. That's why I asked you to confirm it by pulling the relay for the clutch... but not before you sort out your fuel issue. I wouldn't be driving the car until you have found the source of the smell.

    The rollover valve is shown in this engine diagram.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login


    According to FChat, the rollover valve is located above the rear RH wheel well and can be accessed by removing a panel above the wheel.

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/142962770/

    There are also a lot of connections on top of the tank which might be leaking.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  14. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #14 SteelWool, Nov 23, 2023
    Yes, I’ll be definitely taking it in. Hopefully Monday. Of course now wondering what this will set me back. One of the reasons I bought the car was that all the niggles were supposed to have been sorted out. Sigh
     
    Qavion likes this.
  15. SteelWool

    SteelWool Rookie

    Apr 19, 2020
    36
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #15 SteelWool, Nov 23, 2023
    Who do you take your car to in the South Bay?
     
  16. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #16 Qavion, Nov 23, 2023
    Welcome to the "club" :D I had an expensive pre-purchase inspection carried out, but found an additional 30 faults... which I'm still sorting out.

    Sometimes it's not the cost, but the availability of parts.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  17. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,547
    socal
    #17 fatbillybob, Nov 23, 2023
    I'm 100% diy. Never taken ferrari to any shop. Been wrenching ferrari since late 70's. I'm a car Racer/fabricator for my own stuff.

    Flat rater cannot help you. Try a smaller shop more specialized. People like fast cars down the hill. It's never cheap.
     
    SteelWool likes this.
  18. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,007
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #18 tazandjan, Nov 23, 2023
    Your fuel smell could easily be coming from a cracked fuel pump cover, a problem with all the 65-degree V12s through the early 612s.
     
    SteelWool likes this.

Share This Page