355 - New member of the gated F355 GTS owners club ! | FerrariChat

355 New member of the gated F355 GTS owners club !

Discussion in '348/355' started by radback, Jul 16, 2022.

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  1. radback

    radback Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    Hi, you may have seen my other thread about a neglected car with a rebuild engine?
    Well... I bought it!
    I guess it is better to open a new subject.

    So yesterday after the result of the compression test [all cylinders at 14 bars (203psi) except 6,7,8 at 14.5 (210)] I decided to buy this car. I went to pick it up but the "suspension" light went ON.
    Seller told me it was a result of the test , car being up, and that should be nothing and disapear.
    He drove a hundred miles and the light finally went off.

    So today I bought the car, and have a test run with my son, wife and friends.
    That was really an enjoyable moment, except when the suspension light came ON again.
    It is now OFF but still, I'm little worried.

    Otherwise, I love the car, but below 4000 rpm the engine is so hollow, I nearly couldn't climb my parking ramp.
    Scary!
    After 5000rpm that 's another story, but below that, it is dead (my previous car was a 79 Trans Am with a modified 7.2l Pontiac engine with a lot of torque).

    I'll have to fix the sticky interior parts, change the cambelts, and few things on the bodywork, but I 'm thinking of an airlift system as my place is full of speedbumps and I already heavily scratched the front underside bumper even the car is seated on the hi side.

    Here it is by the way:

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    Oz-ATL, ryalex, Ferrarium and 3 others like this.
  2. EFerrari34

    EFerrari34 Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 19, 2021
    535
    Dallas, Tx
    Full Name:
    Timothy

    Is this the normal guy car supercar GTS?


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  3. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    I'm sure it should disappear well before 100 miles. It sounds like an intermittent problem.

    I would inspect all 4 suspension "shock" actuators on top of the suspension struts for damage. You'll have to remove the carpet in the front luggage compartment to get to the front struts. If that sounds too difficult, I would take your car to a Ferrari technician with an SD1 diagnostic tool to identify the broken component.

    Here is an American company which specialises in fixing the shock actuators relatively cheaply (CaptainZ CNC):

    https://www.captainzcnc.com/

    If you click on the diagnostic pages, it will show you the most likely faults. I thought the company had gone out of business, but it looks like their website is up again. I used their services even though I am in Australia.

    Note that new actuators are expensive (Ferrari part number 158732)

    Definitely something wrong here. Do your "CHECK ENGINE" and "SLOW DOWN" lights come on when you turn on the ignition (Or is this a Euro car which doesn't have these lights?). I see your profile says "France".
     
  4. Mike Morrissey

    Mike Morrissey Formula 3
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    Nov 2, 2018
    1,127
    Denver, Colorado
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    Mike Morrissey
    The Normal Guy Dan GTS had a tan interior. :rolleyes:
     
  5. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie
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    Mar 17, 2006
    4,801
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Brian White
    You can see by the pic that it's a European spec car. Although, I'm puzzled why he said "miles" haha. Kilometers all the way with that car.
     
    Qavion likes this.
  6. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    No lights came ON except the suspension one.
    I have a neigbourgh who had a 355 before and use to park his car in the same parking.
    The acces ramp is very steep and in spiral and he told me you have to get in pretty fast.
    I might do a dyno run to see how is the engine, but with such compression results I'm pretty confident about it.
    Still, I was told about the lack of power under 4000rpm but I wasn't excpected it was at this level.

    I know I'm writing on an american board here. That's why :)
     
  7. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    Sorry, I didn't express mylself clearly: the guy drove the car about 100 miles and during that time the light went off and didn't came back.

    I drove myself about the same distance, and the light came back once before getting OFF again.
    Définitively have to check the actuators.
     
  8. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
    13,806
    Sydney
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    Ian Riddell
    I mean that on USA cars, these two lights illuminate when the ignition is turned on (prior to start) to show that the lights are working. On Euro cars they don't. Euro cars also don't tell you if anything on the engine is broken. You need to get an OBD2 reader to make sure that there are no faults with the engine.
     
  9. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,839
    North Wiltshire, UK
    below 4,000rpm you should have no trouble getting up any ramp. suggest you do some diagnostics.

    before you ruin the handling with air ride; suggest you check the suspension and ride heights are all to factory spec. lots of people lower them! also the ride height has some tolerance in it.£

    also check if somebody has put antiskip plates under the front. stupidest idea ever; if they are there get rid of them; they just have the effect of lowering your tide height; might protect a bit of road rash but dont stop impacts!
     
  10. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

    Jan 13, 2013
    1,430
    Montreal
    Full Name:
    Tony
    congrats on the car.

    if it’s started and turned off 2-3 times without moving it, the suspension light will come on.

    once the light is on, as you stated requires to be driven for a while and then it will go off.
     
  11. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie
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    Mar 17, 2006
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    Brian White
    heh, no need to. Metric is fine (and preferred).

    Good luck with the suspension light and congrats on a GTS manual.
     
  12. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    Apr 24, 2004
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    Paul
  13. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    I think I got the original skid plates included in the bumper:
    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    You don't know my parking ramp ;)
    It's a very long continuous sharp turn and steep too! Horror!
    So I can't go very fast and the max steering is just enough to pass.
    My neigbourg confirm me he had the same trouble with his 355.

    And to get out, it is a little easier but the car scratch the front bumper many times and even the chassis in the middle at some point.
    And when I'm outside, there is a street with out of spec speed bumps every 10 meters. Nightmare!
    That's why I 'm considering airlift (and I like the low look when it is not full down with crazy camber).

    As you can see my car is not very low (plenty thread left on coilovers):

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    Petrolhead#32 and ryalex like this.
  14. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    25,726
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Ryan Alexander
    Welcome to the club!
    The relays/sensors at each shock go bad and cause errors. Check those first. Mine would throw errors but the suspension still worked. Admittedly I rarely used it because mine felt too skittish when I turned it on.

    Also I scraped mine day 1 going into my driveway too. Then the nose scraped on construction zone kick plate, endless speed bumps, slight hills, side glances and loud sounds. Ended up repainting it twice in four years, after the seller painted had it for me before delivery.

    As for the power, as I recall mine woke up around 3500rpm. I would explain to people riding with me it was like a low torque sport bike engine that needs to be wrung out.
     
  15. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    I was told Ferrari was not the most reliable car builder but still...
    I was expecting a little more than 3 drives before having to call a bedtruck.

    I was driving the car at about 6k rpm when my 355 cuts its engine with "check engine " and "slow down" warning lights ON and I have no idea why.
    I cut the battery and switched it on back, and engine started again, so I was ready to run it for the mandatory 10mn but engine shuts off again after 2mn.
    So I called the bedtruck and the car is still on it right now until I'll find a garage tomorrow (if I can as everybody is closing for the holidays).
    Any idea of what could have gone wrong?
     
  16. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    Jul 28, 2018
    5,727
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Eric
    On 348 the "slow down" is related to cat temp or so the car thinks, it may be the same on 355. Many issues are not related to being unreliable but rather to age or lack of maintenance or most often both. You can pull the ecu codes and see exactly. Does it have after market cats or exhaust?
     
  17. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    Yes, Larini Sport cat and sport exaust. The car wasn't hot, it was driven lightely to raise the temperature. It was my first 6k reving of the drive.
    I found a garage that could take car of her tonight ot tomorrow.

    How can you get the error codes? Is there an affordable cable with software to do it from a PC?
     
  18. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    Jul 28, 2018
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    Eric
    I read the 355 is sensitive to the cats, simply changing them can cause sdl even if its not actually hot. Need 355 guy to answer the codes bit but I suspect not from a PC.
     
  19. radback

    radback Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    News from my service shop:

    top dead center sensor defective + bad wiring.
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    They also found out the belt tensioner was on its way out:
    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    So I guess I was lucky to have this small trouble.
    I imagine how wrong things could have been with this tensioner out…
    Now I hope previous owner will pay the bill as it happens just a few kms after buying the car. ( but I doubt it, not that kind of guy unfortunately)
     
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  20. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
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    Ian Riddell
    Hopefully repairable... otherwise you will be looking at a new engine wiring harness and "engine-out" (at least on a Motronic 5.2 car).
     
  21. radback

    radback Formula Junior
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    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    They changed the sensor and fixed the wiring.
    Everything is ok now but the fact that the tensioner was ready to go worries me.
    Big service was done 4 years ago ( I have the bill) and the car is supposed to be driven about less than 4000kms.
    It surprises me that kind of things could happen in these conditions…
     
  22. MAD828

    MAD828 F1 Rookie
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    Oct 8, 2011
    2,618
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Elliott Caras
    Plenty can happen in that time. It’s an old car now and until you personally over see that all the aged and serviceable items are replaced you can expect to have more issues. Enjoy the car and get comfortable with working through its little teething issues.
     
    308 GTB, Targatime and Senshi458 like this.
  23. radback

    radback Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 14, 2020
    700
    France
    I had many old cars before (I always had old collectors car as dailly driver until few years ago), but nothing like this one concerning reliability.

    So, today, after waiting few weeks I was really happy to get my car back from the garage.

    I came back home, have a drive with the neighbour kid, came back home and then suddenly the car refused to start anymore!
    The same day I got it back from the garage after an incident, the car refuses to start? Come on!

    Well, after a jump start, the car is OK and everything is all right for the moment.
    but still... not a trusty car that's for sure!
     

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