Ferrari Mailing List: Same troubles are back for 308

[Michel Savard (mysavard]

1981 308 GTSi: O.k. remember last week when the car suddenly died ? First towing in years.

The next day I cleaned the gas pump relay with sandpaper and the car started right away. I turned the engine off within 2 seconds because I was inside my garage. But this saturday and sunday I changed 5 relays (including the gas pump relay and the start injector), shot some "electrical contact & parts cleaner" inside all relays receiving ends and added a bit of "dielectric tune-up grease" on all relays. I also cleaned the 2 wires going in the 2 distributors.

Well, today was the big test. The car started on the second crank, drove onto the street, waited a few seconds maybe 20 and it died. Couldn't start it at all after that. The starter did its job and I could hear the engine almost start for a second, only to go dead again. 7-8 times like this. I pushed the car back inside again. Decided to sandpaper the legs of the brand new gas pump relay. The car starts right away. I quickly drove onto the street again, gave it lots of gas and 20 seconds later, it dies again. Just for good measure I tried again and same thing. I give it some gas, engine revps up fine and then nothing.

 

I remember someone suggesting checking the ground on the gas pump (this was changed in november 2006 along with a used accumulator). I haven't done that. I'll do this next weekend.

What else do you suggest I check ?

I really want to find the problem. I don't want to pay for another towing to my mechanic only to find out it was nothing serious.

 

Thanks!

Michael Savard