Every day tips for living with a 599
Discussion
I found out today that the HGTE gearbox programming allows you to slip the clutch. With the original GTB gearbox ECU, the clutch was pretty much in or out.
Today came up to a give way on a slight hill and was able to hold the car with the throttle on the hill. Probably not a good idea to do this too much.
I also noticed at the ring that I needed to adjust my timing on up shift, giving a lift off the throttle just before pulling the up shift paddle. Down shifts I also have to wait until the revs have dropped a good bit for the programming to blip the throttle enough to smooth out the down shift.
On a more worrying note, on initial start up she won't give me first gear straight away. I now have to wait till all the post engine start up checks are complete. Maybe it's normal and I just haven't noticed it before?
Today came up to a give way on a slight hill and was able to hold the car with the throttle on the hill. Probably not a good idea to do this too much.
I also noticed at the ring that I needed to adjust my timing on up shift, giving a lift off the throttle just before pulling the up shift paddle. Down shifts I also have to wait until the revs have dropped a good bit for the programming to blip the throttle enough to smooth out the down shift.
On a more worrying note, on initial start up she won't give me first gear straight away. I now have to wait till all the post engine start up checks are complete. Maybe it's normal and I just haven't noticed it before?
G-wiz said:
cake eater said:
A comment from a guy passing by in an EQC of "not surprised to see one of those broken down" really got me on the defensive so I quickly replied "she's not broken down, she's got a screw loose!"
Is he a 599 owner too?
DeejRC said:
I think screw loose is a great answer Brother Cake 
Even Autocar agrees. Reliable 
.Servicing is expensive to keep it reliable.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/autocars-top-p...
A little more on the HGTE suspension and gearbox ECUs.
I have found that wet mode gives a much more relaxed drive, the car not vibrating or skipping like it does in sport mode. Note, still to be tested on the M25
HGTE wet mode feels like a halfway between the old wet and sport so the car has more body control but is also softer.
Apparently defaulting to wet mode makes me a pussy
I have found that wet mode gives a much more relaxed drive, the car not vibrating or skipping like it does in sport mode. Note, still to be tested on the M25
HGTE wet mode feels like a halfway between the old wet and sport so the car has more body control but is also softer.
Apparently defaulting to wet mode makes me a pussy
Boleros said:
My F430 has the F1 gearbox, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like with a V12!
Not too bad It needs a little help, if you keep the throttle buried during up changes, it's very aggressive! Really thumps home but a good lift just before you pull the paddle really helps.
At part throttle you can anticipate the change and just a slight lift smooths it out.
Boleros said:
cake eater said:
Boleros said:
My F430 has the F1 gearbox, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like with a V12!
Not too bad It needs a little help, if you keep the throttle buried during up changes, it's very aggressive! Really thumps home but a good lift just before you pull the paddle really helps.
At part throttle you can anticipate the change and just a slight lift smooths it out.
Back to MDL Supercars for Lee and Ryan to change the pads and check the rear undertray bolts. Got to be a quick 30 min job this one.
Unfortunately we spot an oil leak on the rear undertray. Wasn't there at ring toys just a few days ago.
Tray off
Looks like a gearbox leak from the inspection hatch
A wipe off and run the car and initially it looks like the bottom of the inspection hatch but the bore scope shows it's actually leaking from the top
Access to this hatch requires removal of a section of the subframe bracing and exhaust
Exhaust looks like it's been in a accident but it is actually made this way
Old sealant and what looks like some damage
But once cleaned up it's all good
Drain plug shows some residue but no copper
New sealant
All buttoned back up and run. All looks dry. Will check again tomorrow
Unfortunately we spot an oil leak on the rear undertray. Wasn't there at ring toys just a few days ago.
Tray off
Looks like a gearbox leak from the inspection hatch
A wipe off and run the car and initially it looks like the bottom of the inspection hatch but the bore scope shows it's actually leaking from the top
Access to this hatch requires removal of a section of the subframe bracing and exhaust
Exhaust looks like it's been in a accident but it is actually made this way
Old sealant and what looks like some damage
But once cleaned up it's all good
Drain plug shows some residue but no copper
New sealant
All buttoned back up and run. All looks dry. Will check again tomorrow
Wheels off and brake check
Front discs have a lip near the hub
And the rear has minor scoring
Brake dust blown out of the discs
I'm should have worn a dust mask because now I am sure I have half an RSC1 pad in my lungs
Talking of pads, fronts:
You can just about see the line where the lip is being made in the pad but in general the wear is a lot better probably due to the additional time spent cooling down
Rears:
The scoring seen in the disc is also visible in the pad. Rear has plenty material left but changed anyway just incase something is embedded into the pad causing the scoring
The hub face on the rear wheels and discs also showed some strange wear pattern. Like the rim had been moving but the wheel bolts were all tight when taking off the rim.
Cleaned up the face
Put everything back together and bled the brakes
Front discs have a lip near the hub
And the rear has minor scoring
Brake dust blown out of the discs
I'm should have worn a dust mask because now I am sure I have half an RSC1 pad in my lungs
Talking of pads, fronts:
You can just about see the line where the lip is being made in the pad but in general the wear is a lot better probably due to the additional time spent cooling down
Rears:
The scoring seen in the disc is also visible in the pad. Rear has plenty material left but changed anyway just incase something is embedded into the pad causing the scoring
The hub face on the rear wheels and discs also showed some strange wear pattern. Like the rim had been moving but the wheel bolts were all tight when taking off the rim.
Cleaned up the face
Put everything back together and bled the brakes
Tyres are actually not as nicely worn as they looked at ring toys. The outside edge, particularly on the rear is worn significantly with most of the tyre looking new. It looks as though I'm going over the edge of the tyre too just a little.
Rear shoulder
Remaining 3/4 of the tyre, looks almost new
This despite almost 2° of camber. I wonder if I can get a set of custom camber shims made to go to 2.2° or even 2.5° as suggested by one of the ring instructors?
Front outside shoulder is not too bad.
Wheel arches liners are also getting damaged
Rear
Front
These will need replacing eventually.
The floor where the nut was secured (to hold the bolt for the undertray) have been completely ripped off. Same on both sides and for the front two securing points
You can also see where the floor dragged on the tarmac
Rear shoulder
Remaining 3/4 of the tyre, looks almost new
This despite almost 2° of camber. I wonder if I can get a set of custom camber shims made to go to 2.2° or even 2.5° as suggested by one of the ring instructors?
Front outside shoulder is not too bad.
Wheel arches liners are also getting damaged
Rear
Front
These will need replacing eventually.
The floor where the nut was secured (to hold the bolt for the undertray) have been completely ripped off. Same on both sides and for the front two securing points
You can also see where the floor dragged on the tarmac
Up at Mum's and one of her neighbours came to chat to me about the car while I was checking it over. I think it was just a pretext from him to ask me help him move stuff out of his house to his garage
Anyway, wheel bolts are all okay and no visible leaks
We'll need to check again when the car has been run hard.
Anyway, wheel bolts are all okay and no visible leaks
We'll need to check again when the car has been run hard.
seefarr said:
Was this the first time you'd gotten the new wheels properly hot since fitting them? There's a thread with someone who had a new wheel come undone at a track day and someone explained:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The F12 rims and Ti bolts have done a few trackdays but this is probably the hardest I've worked them. I'll remember this and check the Torque more regularly.Krikkit said:
The powdercoat goes a bit soft when the wheels get hot, eventually the friction from the underside of the nuts/bolts rubs it out from the hole seats in places, which lets the bolts loosen a fraction, rinse and repeat until they're properly loose.
Which was news to me!https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This section of his post reminds me of my thoughts almost every time I look at the car or get in and drive. I was actually just behind the pinderwagen when he crashed at foxhole (the left just after the compression)
Wh00sher said:
I was driving to go on track mid afternoon and was thinking to myself 'This is MY car' I still find myself thinking that. It's always been an aspirational car but I didn't think I'd ever own one, never mind take it on track and drive it as hard as I did.
Diving it and even looking at it makes me very happy indeed. Do I think this was the right choice ? Yes, absolutely.
928 GTS said:
Just about every car ever made with plastic undertrays have same problem. Too small washers under mounting bolts. Another problem for past 20+ years is self-destructing plastic parts. Ferraris are no exception.
The plastic really is horrible and getting brittle but it's also surprising how thin the metal is where the rivnuts are. Washers are suitably large and lots of bolts to keep the floor secure.
A guy I met through FOC and Club Scuderia is an aeronautical engineer for Ferrari and worked on the FXX. He said that the 599 suffered from a lack of high speed testing and was continually updated with customer feedback. But I think everyone does that now.
ANOpax said:
cake eater said:
Nearly 6 hours later the 30 min job is over.
Time to head to Scotland to see Mum.
Good Lord, those boys at MDL certainly earn their keep!Time to head to Scotland to see Mum.
A bit more on the brakes.
I have always had concerns over the performance and feel from the CCM brakes on the 599. Everyone just says that's how they are, rubbish compared to PCCB.
Tried pads and fluids and steel lines but not much improvement. The bottom half of the pedal was rubbish and I could push it to the floor. It never felt right.
New discs installed and three pad changes later and the brakes are getting better and better. I have I proper hard pedal, can't push the pedal to the floor. ABS activation on hard braking is more common and stopping power seems much improved. Though on track I have a big safety margin in braking.
I wonder why the brakes are getting better? Is it just the heat cycles from trackdays helping? Pad material transferred? The brakes have been bled a lot has there always been air trapped in the system?
Disc wear looks okay but obviously faster than I'd like.
I want to continue improving the stopping power and ultimately the aim is to go to carborake gen 3.
MDL have suggested the GTO master cylinder to help the feel from the pedal and prevent potential
failure of the servo (known problem on older cars)
I can't see a difference between GTO and GTB but Ferrari service say there is but won't say what. They / MDL did say the upgrade is a faff.
And the price is more like 1200!
I was also looking at the GTO caliper but they also look the same except for the cover (item 11) and can't find any information on what it does
Anyway, more research and longer term financial planning required
I have always had concerns over the performance and feel from the CCM brakes on the 599. Everyone just says that's how they are, rubbish compared to PCCB.
Tried pads and fluids and steel lines but not much improvement. The bottom half of the pedal was rubbish and I could push it to the floor. It never felt right.
New discs installed and three pad changes later and the brakes are getting better and better. I have I proper hard pedal, can't push the pedal to the floor. ABS activation on hard braking is more common and stopping power seems much improved. Though on track I have a big safety margin in braking.
I wonder why the brakes are getting better? Is it just the heat cycles from trackdays helping? Pad material transferred? The brakes have been bled a lot has there always been air trapped in the system?
Disc wear looks okay but obviously faster than I'd like.
I want to continue improving the stopping power and ultimately the aim is to go to carborake gen 3.
MDL have suggested the GTO master cylinder to help the feel from the pedal and prevent potential
failure of the servo (known problem on older cars)
I can't see a difference between GTO and GTB but Ferrari service say there is but won't say what. They / MDL did say the upgrade is a faff.
And the price is more like 1200!
I was also looking at the GTO caliper but they also look the same except for the cover (item 11) and can't find any information on what it does
Anyway, more research and longer term financial planning required
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