Ferrari Mailing List: engine dies suddenly, fuel pump ?

[Michel Savard (mysavard]

Problems again. First towing in 4 years. 1981 308 GTSi is running perfectly well. Going back home, red light becomes green, 1st gear, turn left and then woof! Engine dies. I rolled quietly to the next red light. We do have A LOT of red lights in Montreal. The light turns green, I turn the key, engine starts and dies right away, but I'm going downhill, so I put it in 2nd and clutch in clutch out, it starts for one second again and dies, keep rolling downhill take a right turn in neutral, try again to start it, it starts and then HUGE backfire and dies again.

 

I decided to play (switch relays) with the relay because there is a noise coming from the fuel pump relay. Try different relays that were there. Nothing. But at one point I clearly heard a "whistling" noise (as if air was coming out from somewhere) coming from the area of the fuel pump in the engine bay. Very strange and scary. That noise came when I put a relay, don't remember which one, in place of the fuel pump relay. I still tried to start it even if that whistling noise was scaring me. Nothing. I put the original relay back in and the whistling noise stopped. Absolutely no smell of gas at all. Fuel tank is 2/3 empty.

 

Called the towing and parked it.

 

Fuel pump was changed in november 2006 along with a used accumulator. The relay was changed in may 2011. It's saturday, can't talk to my mechanic until monday. And what's worse is I'm back at school (I'm a teacher) on monday. No more vacation, ne more free days to get the Ferrari to my mechanic whenever I want to.

 

What do you think ?

If it's the fuel pump, any idea of the price ? (I paid $146.00 back in 2006.

 

Thank you!

Michael Savard