Working on a friends '89 Maserati 430. It currently has a starting issue. Will fire up for just a second and immediately dies. I can keep it running on starting fluid so it's a no fuel issue . Put a noid light on one of the injector plugs. I get a very strong signal while the engine is cranked but as soon as the key is released there is absolutely no signal. Same thing when keeping it running on starting fluid. There is good power going to the FI ecu with the switch in the on position.
Any ideas?
mdshaw
Reader
3/13/21 8:43 a.m.
Probabilmente c'è un fusibile e un relè del circuito di marcia perché per gli italiani è semplicemente meglio avere un circuito separato per manovella e corsa. Ho aiutato un amico molti anni fa con un problema simile a manovella / corsa e c'era effettivamente un relè sul firewall che non funzionava, quindi lo abbiamo scambiato con qualcos'altro e voilla, l'auto sportiva italiana era tornata sulla strada, pronta a muori un altro giorno.
I mean.... it's a maserati biturbo....
I'd be looking at the ignition switch!
mdshaw
Reader
3/13/21 9:17 a.m.
There is a reason that Top Gear destroyed 2 of them - 1 of which was Jeremy Clarkson's own car. He dropped a dumpster on it.
You would have to find the circuit/wire that provides power to the ecu for the run circuit. The start circuit is ok.
Could possibly be that position on the ignition switch. If it is just add a "run" switch to the dash with a fuse & relay.
But if other things are on (radio, lights etc) in the on/run position then the switch is ok.
Yeah don't think it's the ign switch.
My WAG is a FI sensor (crank angle, cam angle, coolant temp, mass air being the core ones) that isn't working, and the computer is programmed to cut fuel if the signal isn't correct.
Since spark doesn't work at all without cam and crank, I'd be looking at the mass air sensor. It is possible the maf is getting power on crank but not on run?
It probably fuels on a fixed table in cranking mode, so it may not be looking at the MAF, run mode will need to see all signals.
If it runs on supplemental fuel there is nothing wrong with triggering or ignition.
Thanks guys, hadn't looked at the mass air sensor until now. Doesn't seem to be functioning and to top it off, one of the three wires to the mass air sensor appeared to be disconnected. Waiting for a replacement.................
Top Gear doing anything is not a reason to think something.
A good BiTurbo-specific forum is probably something worth finding. These cars should be well debugged and understood by the enthusiast community by now. A scan tool of some sort would be useful but probably also impossible to find. Still might look into one if I owned one and didn't want to change the management.
The Ford 5.0 in my FFR will run with the MAF disconnected, presumably referencing a fixed table. Isn't that typical of FI of that generation?
mfennell said:
The Ford 5.0 in my FFR will run with the MAF disconnected, presumably referencing a fixed table. Isn't that typical of FI of that generation?
I think it is typical, but I also think it was typical to require MAF for fueling to work, whether it was the fuel pump signal or injector signals. I could be remembering wrong but I feel like Toyota and BMWs I've worked on needed MAF signal for fueling.
You may need better friends.
I love the 430 (and BiTroubles in general)
There is a facebook group for BiTurbos. You could ask there.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2455747438
It's ALIVE !!!!
Turns out it was a combination of a disconnected wire to the manifold absolute pressure sensor as well as the sensor itself. Replaced the sensor and fixed the wire and it started right up!! Thanks for the suggestions.
dbgrubbs said:
It's ALIVE !!!!
Turns out it was a combination of a disconnected wire to the manifold absolute pressure sensor as well as the sensor itself. Replaced the sensor and fixed the wire and it started right up!! Thanks for the suggestions.
We need pictures and video of it running and driving... lol
noddaz said:
dbgrubbs said:
It's ALIVE !!!!
Turns out it was a combination of a disconnected wire to the manifold absolute pressure sensor as well as the sensor itself. Replaced the sensor and fixed the wire and it started right up!! Thanks for the suggestions.
We need pictures and video of it running and driving... lol
I was about to say that this may be the only evidence some of see of an actual running and driving one.
Be glad to send a video of the running engine if someone can post it.
In reply to dbgrubbs :
If you want email it to my username @ my username .com.
noddaz said:
dbgrubbs said:
It's ALIVE !!!!
Turns out it was a combination of a disconnected wire to the manifold absolute pressure sensor as well as the sensor itself. Replaced the sensor and fixed the wire and it started right up!! Thanks for the suggestions.
We need pictures and video of it running and driving... lol
But do it quickly before it stops running again. 
I am said friend who owns the Maserati, the statement above by noddaz is correct, got it running Wednesday evening, spent all day Thursday starting and warming up the car to flush out the cooling system, Friday after lunch the starter quit ( we had it rebuilt at the start of this journey), pulled it out, had a shop re-soldered the main wire between the solenoid and starter, had it back in and running by 5:00pm, Saturday after several more flushes, got another no-start issue, had spark, no signal to injectors, I guess I did not have the injection ecu to harness snapped down tight, might have bumped it and caused the no start. Fixed that and she is running again.
79rex
Reader
4/20/21 9:04 a.m.
In reply to dbgrubbs :
It's ALIVE !!!!
Turns out it was a combination of a disconnected wire to the manifold absolute pressure sensor as well as the sensor itself. Replaced the sensor and fixed the wire and it started right up!! Thanks for the suggestions.
feel free to update us here when it dosent run again. Purely for my curiousity
Back story on the car, I committed the ultimate automotive sin, not only did I purchase a Biturbo, I bought a non-running Biturbo, and to make it worse, it came with a spare wiring harness in the trunk...
This car was headed for the parts car world, it not only had the issue above with the MAP sensor and wiring, but the timing belt was off, the right cam gear was a tooth or two off, the left cam gear was about 40 degrees off, the tensioner bearing was on its way out and whoever installed the plug wires had half going to the wrong cylinders.
The car is at my friends house, which is about a 5 hour drive from my house, so about once a month I head down for 5 days of work on the car, I retired last year, so this is my current long term project. He does deserve better friends, it sat in his drive way for 2.5 years and has now been in his garage for about 6 months, I am hoping the next visit we can get it on the road for a test drive. He will have to send the video of it running, he has the video, just need to send it to be posted.
