Idling Speed Adjustment - 3200GTA

[Mike C]

Advice please
My 2000 registered 3200 GTA is idling at around 1250rpm as opposed to the 900-950 ish as recommended, how do I reduce idling speed or this a dealer jobby needing specialist knowledge or equipment?
I've recently had a recondition throttle body fitted, according to it's service history the potentiometer was replaced just over 20k miles ago and I have tried the min/max reset procedure without success.
I live in the South West of France and my nearest dealer (in Bordeaux) is .....well shall we say, not "enthusiastic" about anything other than attempting to sell me a new diesel powered model, so I'll have to return her to the UK if a dealers needed. Not urgent as not daily wheels but would like to sort so would appreciate any input. Many thanks

 

[Contigo]

There is an adjustment on the pedal itself. Do the revs die down once warm? Who did the TB recon?

 

[alfatwo]

I'm not sure what you're all talking about...My old 3200GT gets ragged to death on every opportunity....

Dave

 

[Mike C]

Thanks, the idle speed stays about constant cold or normal running temp. The TB recon was done by The Ferrari Centre at Maidstone where I would have taken the car back to (and will in due course for general servicing) for this issue but for the distance, hence asking if its something I can adjust.
Mike

 

[Contigo]

On the accelerator pedal there are two bolts, one for the rest/idle position and the other for the WOT full throttle. You could try to see if the rest position bolt can be changed to see if the pedal is slightly down.

Also try the pedal reset procedure.

Turn ignition to MAR and leave it like that for two minutes. This resets the idle position value.

To reset the ful throttle/wot value, turn to MAR, press pedal fully down for 10 seconds and release. Turn ignition off then on and start the car.

 

[Ian3200]

Advice please
My 2000 registered 3200 GTA is idling at around 1250rpm as opposed to the 900-950 ish as recommended, how do I reduce idling speed or this a dealer jobby needing specialist knowledge or equipment?
I've recently had a recondition throttle body fitted, according to it's service history the potentiometer was replaced just over 20k miles ago and I have tried the min/max reset procedure without success.
I live in the South West of France and my nearest dealer (in Bordeaux) is .....well shall we say, not "enthusiastic" about anything other than attempting to sell me a new diesel powered model, so I'll have to return her to the UK if a dealers needed. Not urgent as not daily wheels but would like to sort so would appreciate any input. Many thanks

Can't help unfortunately, but would comment that Mike Roberts told me that 1100 is the correct idle speed for a 3200GT?

 

[wink]

I have exactly the same symptoms since having the contactless throttle body upgrade done by Mike Roberts, and he advised me that this idle speed is typical. I'd like it to be a bit lower though because it makes the car a pain to drive in town - basically you need to use the brake pedal to keep it below 30mph! I've done the pedal pot reset procedure but no change. Any other 3200 automatic owners care to share their idle speeds?

 

[Contigo]

Not an auto owner but mine on cold start is about where yours is at 1100 and dies down to below 1k rpm once warm. They do all hunt alot though.

 

[StuartW]

Not an auto owner but mine on cold start is about where yours is at 1100 and dies down to below 1k rpm once warm. They do all hunt alot though.

I can vouch for that with my manual too, exactly the same, but the more frequently I use mine, the more steady the tick over tends to be

 

[Trev Latter]

Mine is similar to Phil's...1100 idle when cold, dropping to 1000 when warm. No hunting at all though (long may it continue). Manual gearbox here too.

 

[Ian3200]

Mine is 1100 as Mike suggests, and he said mine behaves exactly as it should, i.e. it hunts when cold and settles when warm... a bit of a clunk when putting into Drive sometimes when cold...

 

[Contigo]

The hunting tends to stop once warm or certainly dies down to a very settled level.

Sometimes they do sound a tad ropey on cold start.

[video=youtube;S9tTcuPEUWs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9tTcuPEUWs&list=UU9mY3GJvuKMvD3I-1W0CpIg[/video]

 

[wink]

About 'hunting' - if I leave the gearshift in D, mine will idle steadily at about 1000 - 1100 rpm. But when I put it into N, which is sometimes easier than keeping a heavy foot on the brake pedal, the revs rise to around 1200 and oscillate up and down by about 100 rpm, over a few seconds cycle. Same hot or cold. Is this the 'hunting' that people refer to?

 

[Ian3200]

About 'hunting' - if I leave the gearshift in D, mine will idle steadily at about 1000 - 1100 rpm. But when I put it into N, which is sometimes easier than keeping a heavy foot on the brake pedal, the revs rise to around 1200 and oscillate up and down by about 100 rpm, over a few seconds cycle. Same hot or cold. Is this the 'hunting' that people refer to?

Yes, but mine doesn't do it when warm... you need to not sit on the brake by the way, that's how to get warped discs, keeping pressure on hot discs and pads overheats the disc locally... knock it into neutral or prk when waiting at the lights or in heavy traffic... I sit a bit further back from the car in front and let it creep often

 

[Ian3200]

The hunting tends to stop once warm or certainly dies down to a very settled level.

Sometimes they do sound a tad ropey on cold start.

[video=youtube;S9tTcuPEUWs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9tTcuPEUWs&list=UU9mY3GJvuKMvD3I-1W0CpIg[/video]

It might be my speakers, but that sounds like a sewing machine Phil?

 

[Contigo]

You have had your TB rebuilt so doubt it is that which leaves the PedalPot in the DBW circuit, normally a worn one would result in no throttle at all so I think we can rule that out. Also you generally get Check Engine and Limp Mode with DBW related issues. So the only other thing I think it can be is an air leak of some description. A common one is where the plate on the back of the plenum chamber can come loose and allow air to leak in and out. You can sometimes hear a slight hissing noise under the bonnet at idle. I wonder if yours drops a little when it's in D because of the load on the engine from the torque convertor.

 

[Contigo]

Yes Ian, as I said Ropey as ****!

Once warm it's back to the right V8 soundtrack

 

[Rex B]

My manual idles at 1100 rpm cold and 950 hot, auto's could be different but i thought they would be the same when in neutral.

Rex B

 

[Mike C]

Thank you all

Please excuse my ignorance as I'm not familiar with Mike Roberts expertise (I've Googled him and found he could be a Baseball or Rugby star, a software developer and/or possibly a **** star, HOWEVER, not a mention of his expertise in Maserati engineering), so when Maserati's Service Manual suggests an idling speed of 900 rpm ish, I'm believing thats what the designers intended.

Thanks for all the responses, I've difficulty believing that Maserati's process for a simple maintenance adjustment such as slow running could involve squeezing into the drivers footwell and whilst there balancing on ones head, setting about lengthening or shortening an operating rod with the assistance of a couple of 13mm spanners!

However it is reassuring to find that I'm not alone in finding a 1250rpm (or there about's) idle is a real pain in traffic (at least with an auto) and having to cover the brake pedal to keep her under 30 is ridiculous! So, I'll keep looking for a solution and in the meantime keep to the open roads and avoid traffic..................much more fun thats for sure!

Again many thanks for all response's
Mike C

 

[davy83]

i would make sure you do the throttle pedal calibration first, this is most likely to be the problem. i would definitely not mess about with the end stops as the calibration removes this problem as long as the sensor output is within the spec limits. it must be between 0.35 volts and 0.6 at idle. it is much happier if it
is set to close to the lower limit 0.35v, just don't get too close and not below the limit or it will kick up CEL's all the time. the book says 2 minutes at idle add 10 seconds or so to that time, same goes for full throttle calibration it says 5 seconds i think but leave it for 10 and a bit.