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Mike Charness (Mcharness)
Member
Username: Mcharness

Post Number: 729
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Friday, July 04, 2003 - 6:48 am:   

If it's brass, that qualifies as a "yellow metal" and would be subject to potential corrosion.

Paul's "aluminum bronze" is a yellow metal alloy, same problem.
Paul Hill (348paul)
Member
Username: 348paul

Post Number: 309
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 4:28 pm:   

We make selector forks for a well known racing gearbox manufacturer and they are made from Aluminium Bronze - this looks a little "duller" than brass, and of course is much more wear resistant.

If anyone has an old syncro they want to send me I can send it to my local test house and get a chemical analysis on it - that way we will know for sure what it is made from!!

Paul
Mark Foley (Sparky)
Junior Member
Username: Sparky

Post Number: 62
Registered: 3-2002
Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 2:40 pm:   

Analysis of the picture from Peter (below) seems to indicate there is a brass shifter fork.
Would this brass be corroded from use of the wrong oil?

Mark
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 1540
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 1:34 pm:   

Yeah, as I mentioned, the ones that I had in my hand were grey, and looked like sintered iron, as they had a bit of a pourous appearance. The mechanic thought they were made that way to absorb/retain a bit of oil.

Kind of ironic that we all got worked up into a tither about corrosive oil. (ironic = pun?)

Have a happy holiday.
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member
Username: Verell

Post Number: 908
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2003 - 8:48 am:   

TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT: 308 SYNCHROS ARE NOT YELLOW METAL!!!

I believe we've now heard from enough knowledgable sources to safely conclude that we don't have a yellow metal problem after all.

I received the following from Ric Rainbolt when I asked him about if the synchros the 308 tranny's he'd rebuilt were brass or other yellow metal:

-----------------------
From: Ric Rainbolt
Subject: Re: 308 Synchros -material question.
Date: Tue, 01 Jul 2003 22:48:26 -0500
To: Verell Boaen

None of the four 308 trannys I've had apart had bronze or brass type syncros. When new, the syncros are a dull grey color.

--------------------------------------
david handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member
Username: Davehanda

Post Number: 1128
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 11:23 pm:   

Hans,
I just got my 328 back from Carlo today. I had asked him about swapping out the Mobil 1 for Swepco, and he said there definately were not bronze/brass synchronizers in a 328 transaxle. He told me not to worry about it...of course I forgot to ask him about the 308. :-(
Newman (Newman)
Intermediate Member
Username: Newman

Post Number: 1203
Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 2:45 pm:   

Mine werent brass. They also discolor with use from the heat and oil Im assuming. The new ones I installed looked like steel of some sort and were ground on the faces. I replaced 2nd and 3rd syncros. 1st to 3rd are the same part but 4th and 5th are a completely different design. Also steel like and magnetic as well.Upload
Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member
Username: Pupz308

Post Number: 427
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 12:30 pm:   

I've posted the a response to my mechanic about this (who has a 308 gearbox open right now)... It's over in the Gear oil thread...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/112/267343.html?1057080544


Here it is for reference:

Here's a response I got back from my mechanic regarding the gearbox and the gear oil that we use.

Summary:
1. I currently use Chevron Supreme LS synthetic gear oil, not Mobil 1 as I had previously thought.

2. The syncro rings on at least one 308 gearbox respond to a magnet. It would follow that they're not 100% brass, but could contain brass.

Does anybody know anything about Chevron Supreme LS synthetic gear oil?

Here's the dialog I had with my mechanic...


MESSAGE TO MECHANIC:

Sean,

There's a question up on FerrariChat regarding 308 gearboxes. Specifically, what material are the syncromeshes made of? Some have said brass, some have said iron.

It's very important, since Mobil 1 confirms that their gear oil (the stuff that we use) is corrosive for yellow metals (e.g., Brass).

I know that you've got the other 308/288 engine out, and Mike showed me the gearbox.

Could you please check on this for me?


Thanks,

--Mike


RESPONSE FROM MECHANIC:

Mike,

I cannot determine exactly what material(s) the syncros are made of. However, I can move the syncro rings on this 308 gearbox with a magnet, which tells me they are NOT 100% brass.

But I have no way to confirm if these syncros have any brass in them at all (I am not a metallurgist, nor is anybody here an expert in alloys.)

This is not to say that YOUR 308 does NOT have brass syncros (we all know how the Italians can be in terms of production variances.)

One thing is certain: your 308 has Chevron Supreme LS synthetic gear oil, not Mobil 1. Whether or not the Chevron oil is corrosive to brass I have not yet been able to determine.

END




'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member
Username: Peter

Post Number: 2896
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 2:09 am:   

I don't remember seeing any "yellow" metal in my gearbox...

synchros.jpg
david handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member
Username: Davehanda

Post Number: 1121
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2003 - 12:18 am:   

Where's JRV? :-) We need the straight deal on this...
Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member
Username: Pupz308

Post Number: 423
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 7:56 pm:   

Also. Paul Newman just totally pulled his engine and gearbox and did some work on the gearbox, including replacing his 3rd gear synchromesh as I recall.

He'd know :-).
Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Member
Username: Pupz308

Post Number: 422
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 7:48 pm:   

This is an important point, Hans!

I think my mechanic's still got the engine out of a carb 308, including the gearbox... I'll shoot him an email and see what we find.

--Mike
Mark Eberhardt (Me_k)
Member
Username: Me_k

Post Number: 595
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 7:38 pm:   

No brass in my 84 QV
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 1539
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 5:54 pm:   

I just saw a torn apart 308 gearbox (don't know what year, other than it wasn't from a carb car), and the syncros didn't look like brass, but like a sintered iron.

Comments? If indeed there isn't any brass, then Mobil 1 gear oil would be safe.

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