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The front suspension just plain confused me. The caster was about 1deg? Which I refused to believe for about 12 measurements but does explain the vague feel....why it was 1deg I'm just not sure. The ball joint spacer I welded on was made the spindle 15% longer, so is should have lost roughly 15% of its caster but it lost 75% (spec is 4-5deg)???? The front is adjusted with shims on lower a-arm frame mounts. The rear mount is like 80% camber and 20% caster and the front mount like 80% caster and 20% camber some quick math and I need to offset the 2 mounts about 15mm. Luckily I had 15mm spacers in there to set the camber so leave the spacer in the rear, remove the front...but then it looses a little camber, so add 4mm to both mounts, but I also wanted to add another deg of camber, so 4mm more to both mounts and 8mm front, 23mm rear. I extended the mount bolts by 15mm I think it was, but with 23mm or spacers the washer had to come off to get the nyloc nut showing 1 full thread. So caster at 4deg, camber at 2.5deg (best I can tell) and that is all the camber I can have without an even longer bolt. I'm also into a place where adding camber reduces ride height so front ride height is 3.5" (frame to ground) unless I extend the shock or relocate a mount. Its looks really good that low, if I can drive it.

Front toe is +1mm as a starting point. Another 4+ hours of my life wasted.

Getting the printer running for the flow meters was a whole other thing. Out low on resin, but they have a newer version and who knows how old the stuff in the machine is plus the light says change the print film. I did all that but that is wouldn't read my USB drive, but its my son's printer and he made the file and wasn't home...so wait until 10pm to start whats about a 12 hour print....so this morning I'm doing forum updates instead of working while I wait.

Oh, bleed the brakes, almost no air came out. But part of the whole thing was a noise up front so good change I was distracted by that and not getting the pedal feel right in my head. I looked over the suspension pretty carefully and found nothing but then did find the the wheel weights were knocked off and there's a scrape almost all the way around the wheel....but it doesn't come close to touching anything anywhere at ant suspension compression and turn angle that I could see and I was going straight so.....I'm wondering if I left a wrench hanging on a bolt or something like that...just more front suspension confusing me.

The anti-dive + lowering the ball joint killed the caster! Actions have consequences.

The venturi meter thing looks pretty cool


...but I decided I had very little trust in it so I just used the MAPs then silicone the bejesus out of the linkages.


If it moves again its getting jbweld. Waiting for that to dry I started looking for the screws for the wheel wells and exhaust cover...didn't fin them but did play a couple rounds or "why the heck is this junk in my shop?".

I feel like such an idiot. I spent almost 2 hours looking through boxes for the muffler cover bolts last night and this morning I realized I'd left them at lowes



Also last night I glued the bumper up last night, it was a little delaminated from the fire. Bumper is stretch maybe....this is a "euro" bumper reproduction that is just a light weight fiberglass copy of a bumper and saves about 30-40 lbs. I think I may have left the bolts for this at lowes

After the exhaust cover was on I thought I was ready for the bumper but it looks like the grommets are gone so those are ordered.


and I think the bumper bumper shocks are broken....I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be aluminum


I decided the stuff I have is also too heavy so I ordered some 1/16" wall and since I could only fine 1 of the 14mm bolts I bought new 8mm bolts which seem more appropriate to secure a decoration. Its kind of nice to be checking non-engine stuff off the list.

Here are what the plugs looked like this morning.


Given this I trimmed the fuel up in 11 and down in 3,5,9,12. I warmed it up and drove around the block 3 times today making main VE table adjustments after each drive and it was pretty good on drive 3. Its still hot but here are the rear plugs


I did nothing to the cylinder trims on 1&6 and I'm pretty sure the TB screws didn't turn.....but I'll correct the fuel on them tomorrow along with whatever I find on the front bank. Weather is sketchy this week but there is a chance that for the 1st time in 20 years Wednesday will be bring your Ferrari to work day, if not the following Monday or Tuesday maybe. There is also a push for the 1st ever bring your father's ferrari to HS day.

Just around the block I have no real sense of the new suspension sadly. Last year on the first drive 1st drive I had the shock at like 4 clicks, way too soft with these springs. Then I went full in, 18 clicks, and it was better for sure but seemed a bit harsh at speed. Now I'm at 12 clicks in...fine around the block but I need to get it out to see.

Also there is too much PS assist. with the caster up were it belongs there is a little self centering in the driveway but still nothing at 30mph. Don't in any way get me wrong, I like this WAY better than FIGHTING to turn but I want a lower assist setting....and I cleverly hid the controller behind the dash.

This morning I dropped the rear to about 3.75" to better match the front that is at 3.5" and made it in/out of the driveway without scrapping every time. I need to snap a profile pic....it looks REALLY good at this ride height.

As an aside, yesterday was summer tire on the supra day so I helped my son with that but walking between the garage where the supra is and shop where the ferrari is led to "that car is so much lower than my supra" followed by measuring and yeah, just over 8" lower

What have you done with the shims for the ball joints? Are they maxed for caster?

_________________
Wade Williams
Master Ferrari Tech
Restoration Tech
Engine Machinist
Fabricator
Racecar Driver

Yeah, so....it wasn't until the morning after I called it done that it occurred to me I could move those shims....the whole lack of experience thing Also I have spacers setting the upper a-arm position front/rear that could be changed. So yes, I could add more caster. I think its 4 deg now, using a not great measuring method. I could also add more caster I guess.

The ball joint shims are like 2mm pre side? so moving top/bottom is 4mm that is ...ok, this just broke my brain, the sin of the angle is 0.0123456790123456790......then I noticed the "8" is missing and I felt better, but its 0.7deg. I could get about the same with upper a-arm spacers. anyway, I could get 1-2 degree more I think with a day's labor. Step 1 is try the lower assist setting I guess. I think its set to 2 so I need to try 1 which will take about an hour to do and I'll move the control to make switching easier.

So.....

Pluged the other 6 plugs, looked at them as a set and decided where to add fuel, where to subtract. Loaded the tuning updates from stuff I saw in the last drive along with the new cylinder trims. It fired right up to a nice idle. Had my son jump in the passenger seat to saw him how I get it out the driveway then figured we could switch and he could drive a little while I tuned. I backed i tout to the turn -a round, dropped it in 1st, pulled forward....what the heck is that sound?

Shut it down. We look at each other and push it into the shop. I get a (big) drink while I ponder.....I pulled up the data log and oil pressure was good. Then I settled on pull the plugs...oh



and I'm pretty sure there used to be a head on this intake valve.


This is down for the season. But on the bright side I have time to figure out the caster and steering assist, maybe get the paint on the back fixed. the front tunnel cover doesn't seem like its sitting right and a whole long list of cheap to free projects while I save the $2-3k to fix this mess. I guess it also means the heads will be off so I can repair the port oil leaks properly, and no need to worry about the leaking cam cover.

Well that sucks. Now to determine the why. There is no modification to that end of the valve. Is it just one of the two intake valves? It was not at any speed really so contact may not be likely. A close examination of the stem left behind. Is it a straight snap or a curl break?

I really hate this for you. Let me know if I can help with anything. I know, I am miles away and you have everything you need but in times of loss we southern folk reach out with offers of help. If you were a neighbor I would make a casserole or bring some chicken for dinner.

_________________
Wade Williams
Master Ferrari Tech
Restoration Tech
Engine Machinist
Fabricator
Racecar Driver

Thanks Wade.

Just the 1 intake, I didn't look at the exhausts. My 1st thought was the spark plug fails and the ceramic held the valve open, piston knock it off....maybe? It had some mild detonation before I found and sorted whatever the timing issue was. This morning I'm remembering sending you the the intakes from this bank (I think) to regrind because I buggered the cam timing and bent them (iirc) meaning I shouldn't trust the other 11.

But for the moment the engine sits until my head is in a better place and the lack of budget will ensure that happens