F355 Coolant? What to use?

[lambo_xx]

I think my 355 needs some coolant as it's been getting very hot sitting in traffic, what type of coolant should I use? Also where will I get it? My closest Ferrari dealer is about 120 miles away.

Thanks

[ferrari spider]

Did you do the fuse checks i suggested last month? The fuse does not have to be blown only burnt/degraded to affect the cooling fans efficiency.

[lambo_xx]

ferrari spider said:

Did you do the fuse checks i suggested last month? The fuse does not have to be blown only burnt/degraded to affect the cooling fans efficiency.

Ah sorry no, are the fuses behind the seats? Sorry I literally have no mechanical knowledge what so ever

[ferrari spider]

Oh well, here goes again.
In the passenger footwell under the carpet the fuse box is located. This holds both the fuses for the left and right fans.
The fan you may be having trouble with is the right hand fan. This fan is situated right behind you as you are driving. Check that the fuse has not been burnt or degraded in any way. If it has then this will not allow the fan to preform to it maximum.
Also while the car is cold, check that the water tank is only 1/4 full and not more than that. Then sit in the car and leave the door open and start the car. When the water temp reaches 90deg (which is indicated as straight up) the drivers side fan should click on and you will clearly hear it. Even if the fuse is burnt the fan will still come on but at only half efficiency. If your fan does not come on at 90 then make a note of when it switches on and let me know.
Even on a very hot day your temp should not pass 90deg.

Edited by ferrari spider on Tuesday 27th April 13:17

[Cactussed]

As above, check the fuses.
Also, when the car is hot, open the door and stick year head near the intake, you shoudl be able to hear the fan running.

Lastly, get a torch and have a look at the radiator. All the fins in mine were shot to bits so I had to get it re-cored.

[Cactussed]

Oh, and pretty much any coolant will do. I use plain old Halfords with antifreeze and corrosion inhibitor.

[ferrari spider]

Cactussed said:

Also, when the car is hot, open the door and stick year head near the intake, you shoudl be able to hear the fan running.

ferrari spider said:

Then sit in the car and leave the door open and start the car. When the water temp reaches 90deg (which is indicated as straight up) the drivers side fan should click on and you will clearly hear it.

.
Huh?? Have i not just wrote that?????? Oh i get it, your a Club Scud poster arnt ya

Edited by ferrari spider on Tuesday 27th April 15:07

[Cactussed]

ferrari spider said:

Cactussed said:

Also, when the car is hot, open the door and stick year head near the intake, you shoudl be able to hear the fan running.

ferrari spider said:

Then sit in the car and leave the door open and start the car. When the water temp reaches 90deg (which is indicated as straight up) the drivers side fan should click on and you will clearly hear it.

.
Huh?? Have i not just wrote that?????? Oh i get it, your a Club Scud poster arnt ya

Edited by ferrari spider on Tuesday 27th April 15:07

Oops

[lambo_xx]

Right, I'm having one of those hectic day days and just to add to that the 355 has a totally flat battery

So I am away to finish off some work and I'll try it in an hour or so. thanks for the help so far though guys much appreciated!

[ferrari spider]

lambo_xx said:

Right, I'm having one of those hectic day days and just to add to that the 355 has a totally flat battery

So I am away to finish off some work and I'll try it in an hour or so. thanks for the help so far though guys much appreciated!

Ok, i have tried to resist the obvious question of, how the hell does your battery run flat so fast? Especially after it has been over heating after a run that i am assuming was recently It takes about two-three weeks for a battery to naturally run flat if not tended. So come on, what did you do

[lambo_xx]

ferrari spider said:

lambo_xx said:

Right, I'm having one of those hectic day days and just to add to that the 355 has a totally flat battery

So I am away to finish off some work and I'll try it in an hour or so. thanks for the help so far though guys much appreciated!

Ok, i have tried to resist the obvious question of, how the hell does your battery run flat so fast? Especially after it has been over heating after a run that i am assuming was recently It takes about two-three weeks for a battery to naturally run flat if not tended. So come on, what did you do

Well I hate to admit this because I know I should be using it but because it's been overheating I haven't driven it in a while . So I went to start it last night just to keep it ticking over and I was planning to call the garage today, but when I went to start it the battery was flat. I can jump it to get it going but as soon as your turn it off it's dead again. I must admit I'm a bit baffled as to why it's gone dead so quickly because it was probably last started about 2 weeks ago and When I had it serviced (beginning of the year) they replaced the battery so I'm not convinced it wasn't a fault battery or something.

Again thanks for your help. I'll try everything you suggested tonight but if not it'll be first thing tomorrow morning.

[lambo_xx]

Right, just got the car out the garage and let it run, it got up to the middle point (190) and then I literally turned my back for 2 minutes and it was up at just before the red bit. I listened for the drivers side fan and I'm pretty sure it's on, however it doesn't sound that powerful (although to be honest I don't think it ever has). The Gallardo's fans for example are really loud you can hear them kick in very easily. Should the 355 fans be quite loud?

I've check the fuse box but I haven't a clue which one is meant to be the fans fuse? So I posted a picture.

Thanks again for all your help and please excuse my very limited mechanical knowledge.

[ferrari spider]

What fuses are were are listed on the rear of the cover you have taken of. I am not near a 355 at the moment, but just look under the cover.
It sounds like it is your RH fan, the 355s fan is quite loud and distinctive. So if you recon you can hear it but faintly then it is indeed a burnt fuse. Change it and you may be amazed
F355s fan fuses are an akiles heal and often can blow or burn/perrish.

Edited by ferrari spider on Wednesday 28th April 15:17

[tomtom]

I actually had a dream last night that my driver's side fan had packed in after reading this thread before I went to bed...

[lambo_xx]

ferrari spider said:

What fuses are were are listed on the rear of the cover you have taken of. I am not near a 355 at the moment, but just look under the cover.
It sounds like it is your RH fan, the 355s fan is quite loud and distinctive. So if you recon you can hear it but faintly then it is indeed a burnt fuse. Change it and you may be amazed
F355s fan fuses are an akiles heal and often can blow or burn/perrish.

Edited by ferrari spider on Wednesday 28th April 15:17

Ok just checked the fuse and it looks ok. It's has a few little black marks on it compared to another fuse I checked but it really doesn't look that bad or look blown. Where would I be able to get another fuse from? Do I have to go straight to Ferrari or would Halfords have one?

Also, I check the coolant level by dipping a twisted paper towel into it and it seems pretty low, should I top it up with some more coolant as well? Can I just use any coolant or does it have to be anything special?

Once again thank you so much. Your help is really appreciated.

[ferrari spider]

There are a couple of spare fuses in the fuse box, there the ones going horizontal. Also there are spares in the fuse box in the front boot under the cover. Make sure the fuse is rated at 30 or 40. Alot of 355s 30s have been replaced with 40s because the blow quite often. But the fuses are run of the mill ones you can get from any car accessory shops.
Only top the water up so its about 1/4 full. There always is the possibility that the system has not been bleed correctly. This could be caused by the two small hoses coming from your header tank being blocked. These need to be clear because they self bleed the system. These hoses are NOT checked during a run of the mill service. The next step in bleeding the system is the 10mm bolt sat on top of the thermostat, But this is way to involving for a person of very little experience on the spanners
But putting that aside, you say that your fans dont seem powerful/strong. They SHOULD BE, so your problem may well be in the RH fan. The fans should be very distinctive when they turn on. So change the fuse and then lets see, it could well be the fan on the way out.
You know its very very hard trying to diagnose a problem over a forum without actually seeing it. What ever your problem is would be a walk in the park to diagnose if only i or some one knowledgeable could just physically look at it.
But you are welcome to any help i can offer in this limited media.

[lambo_xx]

ferrari spider said:

There are a couple of spare fuses in the fuse box, there the ones going horizontal. Also there are spares in the fuse box in the front boot under the cover. Make sure the fuse is rated at 30 or 40. Alot of 355s 30s have been replaced with 40s because the blow quite often. But the fuses are run of the mill ones you can get from any car accessory shops.
Only top the water up so its about 1/4 full. There always is the possibility that the system has not been bleed correctly. This could be caused by the two small hoses coming from your header tank being blocked. These need to be clear because they self bleed the system. These hoses are NOT checked during a run of the mill service. The next step in bleeding the system is the 10mm bolt sat on top of the thermostat, But this is way to involving for a person of very little experience on the spanners
But putting that aside, you say that your fans dont seem powerful/strong. They SHOULD BE, so your problem may well be in the RH fan. The fans should be very distinctive when they turn on. So change the fuse and then lets see, it could well be the fan on the way out.
You know its very very hard trying to diagnose a problem over a forum without actually seeing it. What ever your problem is would be a walk in the park to diagnose if only i or some one knowledgeable could just physically look at it.
But you are welcome to any help i can offer in this limited media.

Thanks again for all your help it really is appreciated!

Well, I changed the fuse for the right hand side fan and filled her up with a bit more coolant, took it for a drive and it started getting very very hot so I'm going to give my local garage a call. I totally appreciate that as you said it's very difficult to diagnose a problem over the internet without seeing the car, but do you think then that sounds like either the coolant's leaking or the fan's on its way out?

Thanks again and sorry for the 12 million questions

[Cactussed]

If you're driving and its getting hot, then its not a fan issue as that is just when you are siting in traffic.

You could be looking at either an air lock in the system, shagged water pump, blockage or just buggered radiators.

I'll try and find my thread on the rads.

ETA: Here you go
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Suggest you shine a torch into the side intakes and have a visual check of the rads.

Edited by Cactussed on Thursday 29th April 11:15

[ferrari spider]

Cactussed said:

If you're driving and its getting hot, then its not a fan issue as that is just when you are siting in traffic.

lambo_xx said:

it's been getting very hot sitting in traffic

[ferrari spider]

Another 355s having the same problem over on fchat http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2825...