Bill's Trip To The Car Wash | FerrariChat

Bill's Trip To The Car Wash

Discussion in '365 GT4 2+2/400/412' started by billg, Sep 30, 2006.

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  1. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
    Full Name:
    Bill Grady
    #1 billg, Sep 30, 2006
    Tempting fate and acting on impulse once again, I take the 400A through the Shell station car wash. The paint is original and just okay, so I'm not worrying about that, but this car which is inhabited by a usually benign spirit shys like a horse at the car wash pay station. It did not like the car wash and the car wash did not like it. Me, I'm a bystander behind the wheel as the car wash steals one of my dollars before inviting us, through the disembodied voice of woman, to drive in. I put the Ferrari in drive and it chooses to lurch forward, spilling the bottle of Dasani water I've wedged between the parking brake handle and the little tray or whatever that is between the seats. Half the bottle spills on the carpet in the back seat. Due to extended cursing I miss the 'anti-corrosion' mist being ejected from the floor of the car wash. I unwisely continue ahead and stop, as instructed by the woman, in front of the red light. The wash progresses. The Ferrari is thinking payback. When the water and the soap and the fake wax finally stop, the dryer comes on, causing the white vent on the hood to fly open. I hustle out of there, turn the motor off, check the stupid vent and the wet carpet, notice my handkerchief is wrecked, and then I turn the engine back on.
    And, you guessed it, folks, it's a different car. Runs like it's underwater. No power in second gear, sounds I swear of gurgling out the tailpipe. This is wrecking my day, just as the car knew it would. I want to hustle it straight up on the Interstate and try to blow the water out (like I know what's wrong with it) but I got to go buy a damn bench at an auction house filled with repressed old preppies that make me wonder if I look like they do. These people care way too much about coin silver.
    I creep into Uptown New Orleans on the worst roads this side of Chad. The car is having a wonderful time malfunctioning. I finally get into the auction house and they are maybe 100 lots from the bench, so I run back outside and drive the car over the Mississippi River bridge. It barely makes it up the entrance ramp. It's like it's talking to me: you-a stupido, you-a putta me inna da Shell I show-a you how I canna act! FIVE-A THOUSAND DOLLARS I GONNA COST-A YOU!!!
    Over the bridge at 90 mph and back, down the ramp, back to the auction house with this enfant terrible still pouting. I park on Constantinople Street (made famous by Ignatius Rielly in Confederacy of Dunces) and go back into the auction house. I buy-a the bench. I stay long enough to see some idiot pay 1200 dollars for a rare book I sell in my own catalog for 600, then I leave.
    By now, I don't care anymore. It can stick the 5000 up it's Ansa tailpipe. The Ferrari, of course, senses I no longer care. I turn on the ignition, and she's back to normal.
    We all have our moods.
     
  2. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Sep 30, 2003
    17,583
    Savannah
    #2 thecarreaper, Sep 30, 2006
    hee hee . nice read :) .
     
  3. Owens84QV

    Owens84QV F1 Rookie

    Oct 2, 2001
    4,485
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    Greg
    #3 Owens84QV, Sep 30, 2006
    Not a trip to the carwash, however, when I haven't driven my lady in a while (couple of weeks), she surely lets me know she is upset / disappointed. After I apologize profusely for 4-5 minutes, promising never to let it go 2 weeks again, rubbing the dash, she slowly starts to return to normal.

    They do have a personality!
     
  4. Toronto308

    Toronto308 Formula 3

    Sep 8, 2006
    1,008
    Toronto, ON
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    Esteban
    #4 Toronto308, Oct 1, 2006
    I haven't laughed that hard in some time! Write a book. I'll buy it!
     
  5. aleventhal

    aleventhal Formula Junior

    Jan 11, 2005
    654
    Millbrook, NY
    Full Name:
    Alexander Leventhal
    #5 aleventhal, Oct 2, 2006
    Just in case anyone did not realize - this problem is caused by water in the plug holes. Solution is to put a towel over the top of the motor before washing.

    A
     
  6. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
    Full Name:
    Bill Grady
    #6 billg, Oct 2, 2006
    Alex, trust me when I tell you, I didn't know what caused the problem. Where are the plug holes? What are they for? And for the Alex Trebek $5,000 Jeopardy question, here is the answer: 'What a Ferrari 400A does after water enters its plug holes to keep its owner from an expensive repair.'
    Thanks
     
  7. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Sep 5, 2002
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    #7 Ashman, Oct 2, 2006
    Probably another good reason to avoid car washes. One way to really get to know the condition of your car's body is to wash it yourself. I don't shy away from spraying water on the hood but I do make sure that I don't flood the hood vents either. Never have had a problem.

    John
     
  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 BigTex, Oct 2, 2006
    A CAR WASH??????? ARE YOU NUTS??

    A sponge bath only here, candlelight optional.....;)
    Maybe some mood music....

    Fine mist from the hose, only on the part away from the engine.....

    Speed Shine after that!
     
  9. Ashman

    Ashman Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 Ashman, Oct 2, 2006

    My favorite mood music is "Can't Drive 55!".

    John
     
  10. saleenfan

    saleenfan Formula Junior

    Mar 26, 2006
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    Daniel
    #10 saleenfan, Oct 2, 2006
    HAHAHA i was laughing so hard reading this great right up, you really have a knack for writing.

    O and by the way iwould assume the plug holes that aleventhal was refering are the spark plug holes.
     
  11. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Bubba
    #11 BigTex, Oct 2, 2006
    Exactly, the nature of the DOHC makes these wells that fill with water..

    The seals, once cracked and old, let it IN and then effectively keep it from leaving!

    Turns your V8 into a V5.5 in no time, backfiring the unburned fuel thru the exhaust .......real sexy!! LOL!

    If you're LUCKY they'll come back, more likely you'll end up putting fresh plugs in.....

    One of those full submersion robo spray washes? Not a great idea..
     
  12. aleventhal

    aleventhal Formula Junior

    Jan 11, 2005
    654
    Millbrook, NY
    Full Name:
    Alexander Leventhal
    #12 aleventhal, Oct 2, 2006
    The plug holes I am referring to are the spark plug holes. They are in between the exhaust and intake cam covers on each bank - you can see the spark plug wires going into them. Look down each one with a flash light - if you see water in it put some paper towel around a dowel and soak it up. If water gets in them it shorts out the lead to the spark plug and it does not fire - ie, that cylinder does not run. Very common on these cars - even when hand washing.

    Hope this helps,

    Alex
     
  13. Brennan

    Brennan Karting

    Apr 28, 2006
    118
    San Luis Obispo, CA
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    Brennan Johnson
    #13 Brennan, Oct 2, 2006
    Even when gingerly hand-washing my car, I put a heavy towel underneath the hood vents to soak up anything that may drip down there. And I also put a towel over the steering wheel to remind me of the potential belt-clogger before startup again!

    Brennan

     
  14. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
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    Bill Grady
    #14 billg, Oct 2, 2006
    The thing is running normally. Why, of course I don't know. But now I do know 'plug holes' are spark plug holes. This I figured out on my own, a great advancement in logic for the mechanically challenged and occurring, ironically, on the very day I advance to 'karting.' Thank you all for the help.
     
  15. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 BigTex, Oct 2, 2006
    A dirty engine is a happy one!


    My carbs look like oysters on a reef, lil' lumps covered in beach sand........if I cleaned them the cross shafts would pull air!

    So dirty it is! :D :D :D
     
  16. ricar116

    ricar116 Formula Junior

    Aug 2, 2005
    409
    Bolivar, Missouri
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    Rick Carr
    #16 ricar116, Oct 2, 2006
    What if it rains?...Let's here from a Daily Driver I think I drove my 365 GT4/2+2 in the rain more than in the dry befor I took it apart for resto it never missed. Maybe it did't rain hard enough or I didn't drive fast enough :\
     
  17. aleventhal

    aleventhal Formula Junior

    Jan 11, 2005
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    Millbrook, NY
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    Alexander Leventhal
    #17 aleventhal, Oct 2, 2006
    Never had this problem in even driving rain or heavy snow in my 400i daily driver - but it happens routinely when washing the car if the motor is not covered.

    Alex
     
  18. Brennan

    Brennan Karting

    Apr 28, 2006
    118
    San Luis Obispo, CA
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    Brennan Johnson
    #18 Brennan, Oct 2, 2006
    I may be mistaken, but I think that the hood louvers are designed to PULL air from the engine bay rather than push. So theoretically rain water shouldn't enter through the louvers while at forward speed.

     
  19. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
    Full Name:
    Bill Grady
    #19 billg, Oct 2, 2006
    I've never had the problem while driving in the rain, though I have had it once before my car wash debacle. That was during a period of prolonged, drenching rain, when the car was parked outside. It would seem to be question of the vehicle being stationary and taking a goodly amount of water. This would agree with Alex's scenario, I believe.
     
  20. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
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    THE Birdman
    #20 Birdman, Oct 3, 2006
    I learned a good trick from Verell which is to cover the engine with a big sheet of plastic when washing the cars. Keeps the water off all the electrical bits, etc. and you can feel safe giving the car a good wash.

    Birdman
     
  21. KraigG

    KraigG Formula 3

    May 25, 2006
    1,501
    Willow Springs
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    Kraig
    #21 KraigG, Oct 3, 2006
    Yikes!!! I take my 400i to the local hand wash, where it's lovingly caressed and towled off ever-so-gently. But I DO leave the engine running, and have never had a problem.
     

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