Dear Ferraristi, Well, my day started off just dandy. I was backing out the TR (91 Testarossa US ) out of the garage to go to work. I went to push the clutch pedal in and .......it went to the floor. The car was still trying to reverse. I pulled up the pedal with my foot but couldn't get the car out of gear and now the engine was chugging. I turned off the engine, easily shifted into neutral. I restarted...engine sounds fine ( as usual) push the clutch in and no issue. I shift into gear and going forward...coming to a stop sign, same thing...ok, gotta a problem...put the car back into the garage....take the Lamborghini to work. When I pulled the car back into the garage, I noticed fluid dripping out the back of the bell housing. I went to check on the master cylinder and noticed it was almost empty on the clutch section.....ok, I know where the fluid went...out the bellhousing. So.....how do I tackle this. I understand from Ferrari that there's no real clutch slave cylinder like on my Lamborghini but a couple of seals on the throwout bearing....I think? Any advice and a plan of attack would be very helpful. I've never been in the bellhousing....so can I get in there? If I take the housing off, will I be losing critical measurements that only a F tech or rifledriver, steve Magnuson, fast radio or Carguy would be able to do? Needless to say....I'm bummed I was actually going to pull my steering rack this weekend to have it rebuilt....but I guess I'll be busy. Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
Greetings brother... Sorry to hear about your clutch issues. Sounds like you blew a seal in the clutch housing. The good news is which ever one it is - They are all pretty cheap. I recently did the clutch on my TR and purchased and changed all the seals. Did you check the hose going into the clutch housing. Also check the bleeder screw to see if its tight. Its for sure something back there and probably seal related. What you dont want is that fluid making its way to the clutch plates and fly wheel. It would be a serious mess in there and would cause some grief. I also dont think the culprit is the thro bearing. Hopefully it is outside the bell housing. Good luck in your findings. Let us know what you found. R ps/ I do have some photos of the bell housing off the car.. I will post if you want - or e-mail
this happened to me once on the track but it was due to overheated fluid I'm not sure how to cure your present ills, but to avoid having it fail from overheating I would suggest you install an insulated sleeve on the hose for the trans fluid behind the bell housing
Hey chairman, Yes....please post those pix ! I've never been in the bellhousing before. About the throwout bearing, Ferrari told me there are a couple of seals that attach or push the bearing....don't know....never seen how the internal system actuates the clutch. The fluid was definitely coming out the bottom of the bell housing in drips. I could see a trail on the drive way and a medium sized stain where I was stopped trying to get the car out of gear. Since my engine is super clean....no fluid on the outside of the engine / bell housing. I didn't drive enough for much to fling around....nothing dripping down the side of the observation slit. Do you have a procedure on doing this? If you have changed your own clutch...this should be nothing for you. ....waiting to learn Shamile Freeze....Maimi Vice !
C'mon Shamille. Pick that head up and be proud. You are still a TR caretaker and you will do just that, take care of her. I am sure you can get in there and take care of it yourself. We all have faith in you and will be following this next adventure. Remember, when you are done... .... Freeze, Miami Vice! CC
Um....which head? ....thanks for the kind words !! I do want to get in there....just never have. I want to get y'alls advice before I proceed. I just don't know the proceedure. Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
Mine is a two plates clutch, but I don't think it matters as far as the throw out thrust bearing is concerned. Hope these attachments help. The two gaskets 14 and 16 are probably what is leaking. Thanks for all your interseting comments. I don't think you ever told us what you used for leather tinting. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, Any pix guys? How about a list of proceedures? I don't want to just start unbolting things.....you know, when we were kids, we would take apart mom's clock.....boing ! ....where did that big spring come from? A little help please Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
Dear Ferraristi, I remembered one of Adam's old threads.....nice pix ! http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169905 Still no advice? .....hmmmm Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
I agree. I wish someone would give me some tips on taking it apart. I'm sure there are tips and tricks when taking something like this apart. So far, I assume, take off bottom panel, drop muffler, undo nuts holding bell housing, slide back and remove. OK, but what about the slave actuator? I'm sure I could muddle my way through, but people here have done this job many many times....so why not some friendly advice? Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
Be patient Shamile, someone will pop up in the next day or so, Rifledriver should be able to tell you the tricks and what to look out for. He is well versed in TR's. In the mean time, keep trying the search function and see how many other threads you can find.
Thanks Spasso. Found another good thread. Gawd.....I had to...GAG....resort to....uh....the BOXER repair thread! http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=168509&highlight=Clutch+Replacement Not exactly the same especially the slave actuator ( what I need advice on ) but great pix on what to expect "in there" Shamile Freeze...Miami Vice !
Can't seem to find the photos when I had my clutch done. I did not do this myself but the pictures were really good. I have just been crazy busy. Why dont you drop a line to Dr. Ferrari fellow chat member. I am sure he can help you out with some info. Rifledriver as well. Hurry up... lets get her back on the road. Robbie
Had exactly the same problem on my TR. Remove lower rear valence. Drop Exhaust system, Remove B housing. Pull TO bearing replace little o ring seals. I think I had to drain part of the g box fluild-it was many years ago. Resealed with RTV blue. Bleeding they clutch hydraulics is a bit of a chore, get close pumping the pedal, then have a shop power bleed it. No specail measurements etc. required. PB
Another reason to have a boxer, took an hour and $60 to fix my clutch pedal when it went to the floor lol. You might as well upgrade your carrier when you're there before it breaks hehehe......
Careful, that clutch slave is contageous: Sorta had the same experience, but cost many times that - once all of the other "while we're in there..." projects presented themselves. That's O.K., now all of the hydraulics are new or reworked, as well as all of the suspension bushings, much of the hardware, the tires, the......... Feels like a new car almost. I'm still thinking about the carrier; most likely save that for the next major.
looks like you need to remove the bellhousing, rear bumper comes off, exhaust, probably other stuff in the way as well, drain the transfer case looks like a big job, my slave line failed on my BB takes 10 minutes to get the slave off. Hey Newman JRV was so right about Boxers being much less maintenance intensive than the "much improved" TR
Ill go out on a limb here and say a boxer is all things to everyone, its the perfect exotic! Anything else is just second best
Shamile: I had the same leak on the 512 this year. Pull the valence, remove exhaust, remove and plug clutch line, remove bellhousing nuts and slide bellhousing off. Place said bellhousing on bench and remove throwout (clutch release) bearing. 2 bolts, I think. There are different seals for different years and some different bearings within a model year. You may require the engine or chassis # to get the right one. You might consider changing the clutch/ pressure plate while everything is exposed and perhaps upgrading to a better (newer) clutch/pressure plate/throwout bearing if one is available (I upgraded to the 512M system). Unlike most Ferrari mechanical adventures, this procedure is fairly straight forward. Replacing the seals can be mucho tricky, and if they are not in perfectly, they too will leak like crazy. I had Luciano supervise my seal install over lunch at the "clubhouse". Bleeding after reassembly is a snap with the power bleeder. Of course, while the beast was apart I replaced the bellhousing studs and fixed many bits of minutia that would never be so accessible again. You can do this. No worries. ...Jim Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Ferraristi, Thank Guys !!! I really appreciate all the response. Bleeding the clutch is no biggie as I bleed the brakes and clutch once a year anyway. I won't bother with the clutch as it's strong and doesn't slip at all. Thanks for the photo Jimbo....so that's the actuator? That was the mystery piece I wanted to see. I think once I do this as a dry run, I can tackle the clutch later on. One step at a time....no need to do it all at once. I'll post pix as I go along. BTW, Yeah, yeah.... I knew I was going to get some razzing from the boxer guys. Really good thread set up. How come there isn't a sticky repair thread for the TR owners? Oh, I promise not to wear my white linen suit when tackling the job ....happy now Newman? Shamile Freeze.....Miami Vice !
Bawhahahahhaha The problem with going out on a limb.....sometimes you fall off and land on your head. I once had a 308.....so I'll stick to my exotic TR thank you. Shamile Freeze.....Miami Vice !
Haha good one! one point for the man with the broken TR. I think ill take my mechanically sound boxer out for a spin now, care to join me? Oh wait, I forgot......once you get it fixed.....
