3/1/2006

OIL
---
Do you know what oil was used for Servicing? Absolutely MUST be 10/60 fully synt
hetic and preferably Selenia Racing (in fact highly preferable as this is Masera
ti's only recommendation - I do not use anything else). No other grade is suitab
le so check this first and change it immediately if wrong grade was used and ret
est.
If probs persist even with Selenia, you need to get the actual oil pressure chec
ked in the workshop by using a reliable test guage. This will immediately show i
f the problem is actually low pressure or simply an unreliable indication of sam
e.
"Indicated" problems in your case (with oil warning light as well as guage) are
likely to be either sensor related or wiring defects.
"Actual" low oil pressure needs further and immediate investigation of course bu
t I am having serious difficulty in understanding how crankshaft end-float, as s
uggested by another poster, can cause any pressure drop at all as worn bearings
(crankpins and/or mains) are the usual culprit. For the record, I am unaware tha
t 3200s have any problem with crank end-float but will check this out.
If "Actual" low oil pressure is the case, the car would surely have registered l
ow oil pressure BEFORE servicing with the old and thinned oil. However, again we
come back to the grade of oil used so do check this first.

T - 3200GT Oil consumption

--------------------------
I know earlier cars suffered from a problem with the crank caused by the "pull m
echanism"
on the clutch and this first manifests itself as a problem with the oil pressure
- but it generally
happens more dramatically than what I'm experiencing with my car and mostly affe
cted cars earlier than mine.
OIL LIGHT
---------
I'm not the only person to get it when stopping for fuel
ASSETTO CORSA
-------------
1. 15 spoke titanium alloy wheels
2. Pagid race pads
3. Different brake hoses
4. Assetto Corsa kick plates
5. A choice of only 3 colours - red, black or silver
6. Black leather interior with red piping
7. Lowered ride height (and hence centre of gravity) to improve handling
8. "Sport" damping as standard
9. Nice commemorative plate on front of glovebox
10. Carbonfibre surround on dash, as standard
ERRATIC IDLING
--------------
Resetting throttle and/or cleaning throttle body may hopefully be all that's req
uired.
Can be earth wire also, another extra one may be required.
The car runs perfectly o.k until suddenly the engine management light comes on a
nd the throttle stops responding, the idle speed starts to vary fron 1000-2500 r
pm and depressing the accelerator to the floor only results in an increase of 50
0 rpm or so. Sometimes the fault dissappears of its own accord but other times i
t stays ...
N> you either have a dirty lambda sensor or earthing resistance problems (batter
y - body - engine - management/ignition units - cooper coils retaining
bracket etc). In the former case, its a simple replacement whilst the latter nee
ds a good and careful check over with an accurate multi-meter to ensure any resi
stance is very close to zero (ie single digit ohms).
DA> Sounds vaguely similar to something I had a while back. Took it into to egha
m, they couldn't find a fault but cleaned the throttle potentiomtors connections
put it back and its been all good ever since.
OVERSENSITIVE THROTTLE ADJUSTMENT
---------------------------------
1) Reset the mechanical zero position
- Put gear lever in neutral
- Switch on ignition (to MAR position) but do NOT start the engine
- Do not touch the throttle pedal for 2 minutes
- Switch off ignition
2) Reset the mechanical Full Throttle position
- Put gear lever in neutral
- Switch on ignition (to MAR position) but do NOT start the engine
- Fully depress throttle pedal and hold for 5 seconds
- Release throttle pedal completely
- Switch off ignition
The full text does not specify waiting until the various warning lights have ext
inguished themselves after switching on ignition, but I do not depress throttle
(item 2) or start timing until they have.
Number 1 sets the minimum throttle (tickover) number 2 sets the maximum. The no
throttle setting (tickover or lower value) is 350/650mv whilst full throttle (up
per value) is typically 3,100/3,300mv.
Apparently, the management system strategy gradually reduces the full throttle v
alue by 5mv (for the next switch-on) every time the ignition is turned on (wheth
er engine started or not) UNLESS full throttle is applied for 5 seconds at least
once in that cycle (eg climbing a steep hill with full throttle etc). Therefore
, under certain circumstances, the full throttle setting will gradually reduce l
eading to over sensitivity at the pedal. The manual reset procedure restores the
upper and lower values to their default design settings.
FLAT SPOTS
----------
If I understand correctly, you are describing a full throttle flat spot @ 5000 r
pm after a cam belt change that did not exist prior. Worst case is incorrect val
ve timing introduced with the belt change. More likely is engine / chassis / eng
ine management unit earthing probs and therefore suggest resistances are checked
first.
ECU
---
Has throttle software been updated?
Sport mode reduces ASR traction control as well as stiffening suspension via the
adjustment of motorised valves.
CLUTCH
------
2200 or thereabouts for new clutch
'Pull' clutch rather than standard 'Push':- ultra-heavy duty
Clutch centre plate normally goes wrong
Hydraulic with servo assist. The servo (called a servo pump in the parts manual)
is a mini gas strut attached to the clutch pedal.
If you have probs disengaging clutch, the clutch itself may be nearing the end o
f its life; the master and/or slave cyls could need replacement; the hydraulic s
ystem may need bleeding; the slave cyl actuating rod may need adjustment; someth
ing may have come adrift.

ERROR WARNING LIGHT

-------------------
red error light relates to electronic suspension, or fuse
ENGINE
------
Leaking cylinder head gasket
BREAKERS
--------
www.douglasvalley.co.uk
www.maseraticlub.co.uk/partforsale.htm
Eurospares.co.uk
EXTRA POWER
-----------
Leonardo conversion - 420bhp
verdi do a 420bhp one for about 1000
caracalla in bath used to do a 450bhp one for about 6 grand
450 bhp upgrade indeed available through Caracalla known as the leo narde upgrad
e,
Leo Narde is a German based tuner that does a lot of maserati stuff, gets the 42
00 up to 440bhp
There was a german LHD 3200 for sale recently in Top Marques with 470bhp also cl
aimed a Vmax of 190mph......
Anyway I think the Verdi price (1K?) to get up to 420bhp is probably the best be
t i think this involves only the 'chip'
being played with the extra 30 horses being offered by caracalla were through a
revised or upgraded induction system,
messing with the throttle software etc.. but at the cost of a extra 5k over the
Verdi route??
Anyway i have got a contact number for the guy from caracalla he jacked the busi
ness in but im sure yould still do some work if asked,
they did offer things like brake and suspension upgrades, 19 " wheels, de-cat,
sports zorst etc.
I think Verdi does offer the de-cat and zorst through Scuderia as for the rest i
don't know.
Im pretty sure any of these 'mods' would invalidate the warranty (officially any
way) given that a even a sports exhaust is forbidden.
420bhp chip from Verdi.
BATTERY READOUT
---------------
Normally sits about 1/3 before ignition and half when running.
STEERING
--------
TORQUE
------
360lb/ft, compared to 330lb/ft on 4200GT

ENGINE CUT_OUT
--------------
It was a dirty fuel filter, cheap to replace and car is back to normal.
I have been a tighta**e and running it low on fuel which is not recommended appa
rently.
THROTTLE POTENTIOMETER
----------------------
After limp mode, reset by doing the following:
Stop the car, turn the ignition on, but don't start the car.
Press the accelerator firmly to the floor for 30 seconds, lift off for 30 second
s,
to the floor for 30 seconds, lift off for 30 seconds. Restart car, and all is fi
ne again.
ICE
---
Full Alpine speaker system as original v bad
BOSE system
ECU RESET
---------
Well my nearest dealer is over 50 miles away, so I perform resets myself:
1) disconnect battery for 3 mins
2) reconnect, then start engine (waiting for checks to finish of course) and let
idle for 5 mins
3) turn off engine, then use vehicle as normal
The only side effect is that you need to reset the code on the Becker head unit.
Not a major problem.
CHECK ENGINE
------------
The only other things that come to mind are (a) a lambda sensor has sooted up du
e to the short run (b) engine earthing resistance probs (c) a partly charged bat
tery - low volts can upset the electronics.
GENERAL
-------
some Ferrari 550 parts on the 3200
http://www.pistonheads.com/members/fleet.asp?m=73&s=d&submit=++Show++

4200
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later software improved the original cambiocorsa