F40 adjustable suspension - on the road

I'm lucky enough to have driven 6 or 7 different F40's, but this week I drove my first adjustable suspension car.

It came in for some varying faults, one of which was the failing to raise after long lay up; which I've fixed by fitting an override switch under the dash, as per Ferrari info received. Although the correct dealer fix is to install a new ECU, extended reservoir pipe and bottle etc.... but no-body has any parts.

So anyway, I drove the car around the block, to "settle" it all down and to lower the suspension in readiness for a 4 wheel alignment (it's just had all the wishbone pick up points replaced under recall).

I have to say it drives awful compared to the std suspended cars. Granted the tyres, although "new" are 7 years old, but it's bumpy and non compliant, and just plain freaky.

The warning lamp flashes each time you stop and it raises itself a little (not kerb climbing height, just higher than travelling). I don't like it.

Is it normal... are other F40 adjust cars like this too?

I noticed that when the car is jacked up with the wheels off the ground, that the front springs are slack on their perches. They're very soft too, so all the real ride quality is determined by the hydraulics....

I don't like it... Did I say that already?!

 

Thanks for the confirmation

I need to refine my wish list from F40, to F40 NON adjust thanks!! Or better yet, just a 288.

 

Hi Allan.

pop in again and i'll copy/show you what I've done to the car that's in right now.

be quick though, cos it'll be gone by friday.

 

No idea what the noise is in the engine bay. The pump is electric and in the front.

The override switch just grounds both the low pressure switches, and is operated during start up so that the car primes itself.

The dealer fix is to use a modified ECU (exchange your own with a long wait involved), and also to use an expansion reservoir system for greater oil capacity.

The overall height of the car is simply set by the levers/potentiometers on the anti roll bars, and you can play with it to suit your needs.... maybe it's loose or damaged on your car?

Most likely though is that you have a bad/broken wiring connection somewhere, if you have an intermittant fault on an otherwise healthy car.

 

Good point allan.

On the car I just did, I remote operated both return solenoids to lower the car completely, then filled the level to just below the filler hole. Then, when the car is raised to "slow" mode as per normal stationary position, the level drops, but DONT top it up in this position, as it will over flow when lowered.

Check for leaks around the hose fittings and also the accumulators in front and back too.

 

I don't think you could run it disabled without having the warning lamp flashing annoyingly.....

But the whole system is controlled by the 2 feed and 2 return solenoids under the front panel, and each can be powered and operated at will (quite fun!), any good auto electrician could rig up some switches for this, but I advise against it.

I'm afraid my advice here is to change the suspension/car for non adjustable!!

With regard to the positive camber problem... The car I just did seemed to behave fairly well between heights, with manageable camber changes. It did have too little camber initially, but I set it to factory specs and all is well.

Maybe on your car the wishbones have been attached incorrectly to the chassis.... there are two positions, and as std the arms should be attached into the upper holes, both top and bottom.

 

Theoretically, if you interrupted the speed signal once the car is fully lowered, it wouldn't raise when slowing. But you would need to do this ECU side of the speedo sensor to keep your speedo and miles reading displayed correctly.

Then it would need to be re-established to allow you to re-lower it after you'd raised it to climb the kerb.

But this is not really practical.

The entrance to my shop has a fairly steep slope, and even on "normal" height, a std car just gets in. Maybe your default heights are too low? Adjusting the potentiometers will fix this.

A 288 can climb most kerbs anyway.........!

 

I'm not aware of the "3 cycles of switch" thing... please elaborate.

Your tester can only tell you electrical and hydraulic functions. The actual height of the car needs to measured mechanically, to ensure the correct heights match the potentiometer position. To do this the EXACT referance point must be established.... and I'm still trying to clarify this, as I don't have a manual for an adjustable car.

yes, I think the fault code would pop up if ANY electrical changes were made......

A NON adjust F40 or a 288 has none of these irksome gremlins!!

I agree, the adjust is handy on occasion, but it has too many disadvantages on the road for me.... although I'd love to have a fang on a track and feel the difference.

 

Yes, have swatted up a bit more now. Interrupt ignition supply to ECU once car is moving and lowered seems reasonable solution, but for me it just doesn't "feel" like a good thing to be doing.

I've found some info on ride heights too. The system is supposed to raise the car 20mm from Normal and lower it 20mm from normal.

But the handbook and manual have different referances and also the tyre type/size is supposed to influence settings too.

No time right now, but I'll write it up soon hopefully.