"Hello there Enrico!

I live in Bucharest, Romania, and I've just traded my BMW 850i in for a 1997 Maserati Ghibli Primatist. I'm a mechanic myself, also good with electronics and basically everything related to cars, exotic ones especially.

The car is in good condition, except the fact that many vacuum hoses from the wastegates, ECUs (Engine Control Units), BOVs (Blow-Off Valves) and some others were disconnected or in the wrong places after some mechanics changed the distribution belt and water pump for the previous owner. Thank God the car wasn't driven for long after that.

The guy also told me he chiptuned the engine, I have a doubt because I found nowhere over the internet of any tuners for the Ghibli ECUs. I've asked him for the original Eproms in order to compare the software, maps and whatever they changed from the original software, but it appears they were nowhere to be found.

The engine appears to be running very good, however I can't tell of any difference because this is the first Ghibli I have driven. I have been behind the wheel of many performance cars, but that's no means for comparison, every car behaves differently; for example my 850i had 300 bhp but 460Nm and weighed some 1800 kg. The acceleration was more linear than a turbo-engined car, but the extr weight was the downside.

Anyways, my questions to you are:

Can you help me somehow to obtain the original Eprom dump for the Ghibli? I have the tools to read/write and compare Eproms.

Other thing is with the needle on the turbo pressure gauge; at idle, is the needle supposed to point to the little red dot at around 11 o'clock or to the white one at about 10 o'clock?

I also have a question regarding the small hoses attached to that green probe with the three ports on the radiator main hose. I know you supposed to connect to upper ports but where? I would take some close-up pictures to-morrow for you.

I would appreciate your help and I'm sure I can help in the future when I will get more familliar with the car. I've become an expert on BMWs as the 8 series is far more complex, especially in the electronics department, than the Maserati but that's no use to me right now.

I'd also like to know if it's normal for Maserati that the parking lights only work with ignition on? I've found the relay for the lights in the lower right of the fuse box. It was a Bosch, black 5-pin switching relay, but the relay holder is white. Is there some other kind of relay? For now I have just jumped it to make use of the parking lights regardless of the ignition position.

The chassis number is ZAM336B00*00361856*.The engine is the 2-litre V6-4AC-24v. I've attached some pictures I took before reading your mail so I didn't catch the chassis plate. I also highlighted the questioned areas. The fuel pressure gauge I've just installed today.

Last week I replaced the membrane for the pressure regulator cause it was leaking. I carefully cut a thin section in the ring holding the 2 halves together, did some fabrication for the metal part attaching the membrane in the middle where the spring pushes so I can use an M6 nut now to attach the membrane to the part and close it up with a V section collar. So, in case it will give up in the future, I can always replace the 2 EURO membrane; the membrane comes actually from a mechanical fuel pump and I just trim the edges a bit cause it's larger.

So for so good, no leaks whatsoever, and today after I installed the pressure gauge it was actually running 4.2 bar, I dropped it to 2.8 at idle and it is going up to 3.5 at full throttle, is this okay for this engine? I don't like the idea running lean. After I will tidy up the engine bay a bit and I will also make some new stop lights with those round lights buried inwards a bit, Ferrari or Corvette style. I also have the original lights, and maybe in the future will make some new bumpers, more suited for tis ride. The speedometer needle is stuck in that little screw, so I'm going now to sort it out, I have some BMW needles for the IC, they are thinner and have a larger area underneath for the light to pass through, so I'll see if they fit, should be interesting. Sorry for any mistakes in the language, I couldn't find a proper translation for some tehnical terms, hence using the words 'this','that','part', etc.

Here are some update, the BOVs were changed by the previous owner and they come from an Audi TT. They open slighty earlier than the ones fitted as standard on the Maserati Ghibli.

The vacuum hose was connected to a metal pipe the size of those of the braking system coming from undearneth the chassis near steering column, but there was no vacuum in that pipe. I assume it has something to do with the tank vent or something, now I connected the BOVs to one of the black ports in the plenum which I found left open with a piece of rubber tube attached to it only.

The wastegates are now connected to the solenoid as follow: tubing from wastegate actuators come together through a "T" joint and then to the "W" port, hose from the right side compressor to the "C" port and the "R" port open to the atmosphere.

I can actually see the actuator of the left-side turbo working when open at full throttle, just before the engine cuts out.

The green probe from the radiator hose is to be solved as the part you've marked with the red arrow. Doesn't make any sense to me either. But for now ,I don't have any clue where to connect it and what it actually does.

I will try making a little video for you, but for now the turbos are in good working order, the wastegates and blow-off valves operate accordingly.

The needle goes to the middle of the red zone when in full throttle.

Thank you,

Edi."

"Hi Edi,

Thank you for your email and the photos.

Vacuum hoses: I need detailed photos to see what has been done to the system. The pop-off/dump valves appear to be non-standard. The part marked with a red arrow in the image Ghibli-01.jpg also appears to be non-standard.

ECUs: There were some Eproms available in Italy that claimed a 10% increase in performance. More if the fuel pressure and wastegates were adjusted. No longer any technical information on Ghiblis available from the factory. You will find that very few, if any, Maserati workshops, official or independent, are prepared to share any such information. Your best bet is to purchase the two original Ghibli ECUs from a used parts dealer.

Turbo Gauge Needle: Stationary with the engine switched off the needle should point to 10 o'clock. The needle goes to 7 o'clock in the WHITE zone when the engine is at idle. When under acceleration the needle should always be in the YELLOW zone and only occasionally in the RED zone. If the needle is in the RED zone very often under acceleration there is too much pressure in the system amnd you could blow a head gasket!

Parking Lights: There is a small switch on the left-hand side of the steering column. Switch it forward for the left-hand side parking lights and switch it backwards for the right-hand side lights. It should operate with the ignition switched OFF.

TIP: Always keep a few extra relays in the car - BOSCH 0 332 019 151.

Regards,

Enrico."

Hi Edi,

The reason I need a photo of the chassis/VIN plate is to indetify the Tipo Motore/Engine Type. Some Ghibli Primatists were fitted with the standard 2-litre engine, some others were fitted with the Ghibli Cup engine.

Attached are some technical details from the Engine Workshop Manual. It shows the normal fuel pressure at 3.5 bar.

I have attached a few images from the Ghibli Parts Manual that I think might help. "R" is definitely vented into the atmosphere, i.e. open ended.

Unfortunately, I am not very technically minded, so I will publish your emails on Page 151 of my Enthusiasts Pages, if that's okay with you.

I am sure some owner will come up with something.

Best regards from the UK.

Enrico.

P.S. The needle going into the red zone at full throttle is asking for trouble. Be careful. The repair bills that might occur, aren't worth that bit of extra performance. Engine parts are VERY EXPENSIVE."

Click on these images for a clearer view!