It is with regret that I report that my ownership of a Ferrari F355 maybe at an end. The ‘low power’ issue continues to plague that car and the ownership experience is no longer enjoyable.
After the recent major engine out service, where the charcoal cannister was also replaced, problems started again to surface a few weeks afterwards. The car became harder to start and when it did the revs would start low and them increase. Later on the revs wouldn’t increase and the car would remain in ‘low power’ mode. There are no warning lights on the dash, just a car which struggles to get up any incline.
This all came to head over the last weekend when I headed to Bathurst for the 12 hour race. I knew there was a risk that things would fail, but given the intermittent nature of the problem I felt I needed to force the issue to see the result. Unfortunately, just after I got the car over the mountain range and into Lithgow it struggled to actually start and again had no power.
I let it cool, removed the fuel cap, reset the battery and did everything I could think of, but again now power. I therefore decided to abandon the trip to Bathurst and try and limp the car home. This meant I had to limp the car up a 1 in 8 gradient back up the mountain via Victoria pass! Painful to say the least.
Of course, half way home, the car resumed normal mode and ran like a dream. To top things off, the button on the centre console have dropped through as the screws holding them have also come loose and now the buttons hang loose inside the console near the gear stick.
In short, this ‘low power’ issue has continued now for over two years and there is no solution in sight. I am hesitant to keep throwing money at something that has no path to a reliable solution. It seems to come to randomly changing parts.
I appreciate that intermittent issues can be hard to find and resolve, especially if you can replicate issue on demand. I get it, but I don’t think I can keep going through the discomfort of taking the car out and wondering whether it will fall back into ‘low power’ mode and I’ll have to stress and get it back.
Maybe this the end of my relationship the F355?
Love the F355 
I am wondering if your fuel pump(s) insulation has dissolved in the tank and the pickup is getting clogged sporadically? Ethanol fuel exacerbates the issue. There is a black/gray insulation over the wiring and a large rubber ‘tube’ over the pump that crumbles over time and is a known issue for these cars…
…thankfully, the fuel pump(s) come out the bottom of the tank! So this is pretty easy to check.
You need an fchat account to see the pictures, but this is what I am referring to:
355 fuel pump gasket replacement is due | FerrariChat
I hope my random comments are somewhat helpful.
-Matt
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