Discussion
FezSpider said:
There indeed is a difference between hard and soft settings.
Two years ago i sent of a set of four Bilstein shocks from my 355 to there service work shop in Leicester, i last did this 8 years ago.
This time i rememberd that while they were of i would test there hard and soft settings on the work bench. With the top adjuster turned clockwise i pushed down on the shocker with ease. Then i turned the top adjuster anti clock wise and then pushed down, this time it took 2-3 times more effort to push the shocker down.
A simple way of testing your motors on top of the strut is this. Get your mrs to sit in the car, you go to the rear of the car and place your finger tips on top of the actuators. Then tell her to turn the ignition on, you will then feel and hear both the actuators vibrate. You have to feel the actuator move dont just listen. Then do the same one at the time at the front, there located under the carpet. If you dont feel one of them vibrate, then that one actuator is the problem. Because one may be not working the suspension ECU will put the system to a default. At that default there is no way they can adjust via the suspension switch until the actuator is replaced.
When the ignition is on and all four are working correctly, the actuators do a systems check by turning clockwise and then anti clock wise.
If one is not working, they are very easy to remove, if you get the nack of removing one then you will see for your self by looking into the actuator howw the gear moves both clockwise and anti clockwise during systems checks.
Thanks - that's very helpful.Two years ago i sent of a set of four Bilstein shocks from my 355 to there service work shop in Leicester, i last did this 8 years ago.
This time i rememberd that while they were of i would test there hard and soft settings on the work bench. With the top adjuster turned clockwise i pushed down on the shocker with ease. Then i turned the top adjuster anti clock wise and then pushed down, this time it took 2-3 times more effort to push the shocker down.
A simple way of testing your motors on top of the strut is this. Get your mrs to sit in the car, you go to the rear of the car and place your finger tips on top of the actuators. Then tell her to turn the ignition on, you will then feel and hear both the actuators vibrate. You have to feel the actuator move dont just listen. Then do the same one at the time at the front, there located under the carpet. If you dont feel one of them vibrate, then that one actuator is the problem. Because one may be not working the suspension ECU will put the system to a default. At that default there is no way they can adjust via the suspension switch until the actuator is replaced.
When the ignition is on and all four are working correctly, the actuators do a systems check by turning clockwise and then anti clock wise.
If one is not working, they are very easy to remove, if you get the nack of removing one then you will see for your self by looking into the actuator howw the gear moves both clockwise and anti clockwise during systems checks.
But I'm left wondering that if I can't feel any difference when I am driving the car, what advantage do they actually offer (or would I need to go on a track to find out - which I can't because it's too loud with the Capristo on it)?
FezSpider said:
Regarding if one can tell the difference between the hard and soft mode, its lierally a 50 50 thing. Some say they can, some say they cant. However being logical, the strutts do harden up when rotated anticlock wise, so there is a change.
Personaly i can tell the cars firmed up when its switched.
LOL yea that Cappy noise level thing. My car was one of the originals fitted with one, even back then i had problems.
Put it this way i attended two Vmaxs in the early days when it was starting out, by the 3rd event i was not allowed to run with the Cappy, along with the 360 CSs. At mallory park it was a no no back in 2006.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8qSK1i5NSFk
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EUVYZDSwX34
Sounds more like a Formula 1 car than a Formula 1 car does now!Personaly i can tell the cars firmed up when its switched.
LOL yea that Cappy noise level thing. My car was one of the originals fitted with one, even back then i had problems.
Put it this way i attended two Vmaxs in the early days when it was starting out, by the 3rd event i was not allowed to run with the Cappy, along with the 360 CSs. At mallory park it was a no no back in 2006.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8qSK1i5NSFk
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EUVYZDSwX34
Edited by FezSpider on Wednesday 1st June 11:01
My two pence worth....I have the standard exhaust but think the sound of a Capristo 2 on a 355 is probably the best of any car I've heard. Stage 3 is too loud at all revs, stage 1 just not enough at low revs imho.
As for suspension, mine is definitely firmer, but not much and I never use it.
As for suspension, mine is definitely firmer, but not much and I never use it.
One of the things to remember is that if you are "on it" even in normal mode the suspension will stiffen up, so if you flick the switch at that point you're not going to notice much because a lot of the changes will have already taken place.
Having said that, I struggle to tell the difference anyway. It's there, but is pretty subtle.
Having said that, I struggle to tell the difference anyway. It's there, but is pretty subtle.
further on to my last question, still haven't been able to get car out of storage..... but may be doing this week if it stays dry....
one thing that i am unsure about is taking the roof down, is there a set way to do it? i.e. take the top latch off and press the switch, do i need to wind the windows down? apologies for idiot questions
also am i right in thinking that there's some sort of reservoir that i need to check re the hydraulic fluid?
cheers
one thing that i am unsure about is taking the roof down, is there a set way to do it? i.e. take the top latch off and press the switch, do i need to wind the windows down? apologies for idiot questions
also am i right in thinking that there's some sort of reservoir that i need to check re the hydraulic fluid?
cheers
Jex said:
geopetrolhead said:
Picked up my 355 on Friday with Cappy level 2 fitted, and believe me, it sounds out of this world!
What is it like at idle or at about 30 mph in 4th? Mine is quite 'boomy'. If yours is different, perhaps I can get mine tweaked.FezSpider said:
Just on a charger and a tank of fuel mate. I potter and do things to it during winter so its never really left alone for months at a time.
By the way the procedure for the roof is.
Door shut and hand brake on.
Unclip the roof handle and push it backwards towards the rear of the car until there is a beep noise.
As you unclip the roof handle, if the windows are up they will drip by an inch or two to make room.
Pull the center roof switch backwards, doing so the seats will move forward, then the roof will go backwards and drop behind the seats. Then the seats will move back to original position.
NOTE. If hand brake is not on or door nor shut the roof procedure will not happen.
Roof fluid if under that box inbetween the seats on the back wall. Its held in via two screws each side of it. Move seats forward to gain access to the screws.
Then you will see the roof pump. Remove the two allen bolts that hold the block to the front of the pump. Behind the block is the 13mm fluid filler bolt.
Be sure to check the fluid level line viewed from the passenger side of the car befor you remove the allen bolts and refill first.
When you push roof back be sure to push the middle bracing bar up, if it's not in that position it can break stuff when you put it back with hydraulics, expensive mistake! That's what I was told anyway, never broke one myself.By the way the procedure for the roof is.
Door shut and hand brake on.
Unclip the roof handle and push it backwards towards the rear of the car until there is a beep noise.
As you unclip the roof handle, if the windows are up they will drip by an inch or two to make room.
Pull the center roof switch backwards, doing so the seats will move forward, then the roof will go backwards and drop behind the seats. Then the seats will move back to original position.
NOTE. If hand brake is not on or door nor shut the roof procedure will not happen.
Roof fluid if under that box inbetween the seats on the back wall. Its held in via two screws each side of it. Move seats forward to gain access to the screws.
Then you will see the roof pump. Remove the two allen bolts that hold the block to the front of the pump. Behind the block is the 13mm fluid filler bolt.
Be sure to check the fluid level line viewed from the passenger side of the car befor you remove the allen bolts and refill first.
red_slr said:
Bracing bar up?
I thought it was back?
I pull the handle, push the roof upwards and then push the bar back till I hear the beep then I pull the switch?
Is that not right?
Yes I think you are doing right you just miss understood, I thought it was back?
I pull the handle, push the roof upwards and then push the bar back till I hear the beep then I pull the switch?
Is that not right?
So you put hand brake on, un clip latch by sun visor
Then push up and back and the Windows will drop and you here a beep
Here is the important bit, before you touch the switch
Just push the middle support bar gently up, and watch that the roof does not catch on any thing on the way back.
Then warm that engine up and then hear the beautiful
Exhaust note and open top driving
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