308GTB shifter problems.. | Page 2 | FerrariChat

308GTB shifter problems..

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by BigTex, Jul 28, 2008.

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  1. Artvonne

    Artvonne F1 Veteran

    Oct 29, 2004
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    Paul
    No doubt. I really never seen any first hand evidence but those guys sure didnt like the stuff. But then, all those guys were 70 plus years old and they had decades of experience seeing wierd stuff take place. They all sure liked MEK, LPS and Zink Chromate though.
     
  2. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    Bubba
    I use zinc chromate on everything, here on the coast! LOL!
     
  3. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 22, 2007
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    Gregg
    Take me, take me PLEASE!!!!! Sorry I tend to digress but I'm working on it, only 12 more session's!!
     
  4. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 8, 2007
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    Mark W.R.

    God, oh God, I wish I could afford that .................................... "... back up car ..."

    Hmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe I'll sell the wife ........................???? Nah..........she is WAY TOO GOOD TO ME :D
     
  5. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Keep the wife, I have lost one over the cars!!!!

    Then there's "the back up car to the back up car!" LOLOLOLOL!
    All three are shown in my thread in the Owner's Section here, and at the Factory website....

    All are a pain in the azz.......you can do it, if you live in a tent...:D
     
  6. luckydynes

    luckydynes F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
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    pit bull
    Can you get the whole assembly out like that without removing the console?

    Thanks for the tips.

    Sean
     
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Looks like the whole console would have to be removed to get those four base bolts, but it looks like you could lube it an reinstall with out disrupting linkage adjustment?

    Mine actully worked fine after the oil change, so I guess it's not my motor mounts...maybe just TIME for GREASE!!
     
  8. luckydynes

    luckydynes F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
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    aaaah .. bummer . .. from memory seems like I could get my console up in the air a few inches but don't know if that's enough room to get to the bolts . . . plus might be no chance of the shifter assembly coming out thru the console period.
     
  9. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 22, 2007
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    Gregg
    My shift's were simply butter, I plead the 5th!!!
     
  10. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Sep 30, 2003
    18,165
    Savannah
    wd-40 is WATER DISPLACING "oil" and not much of a lube, or a rust inhibitor. it is FORBIDDEN where i work, we use AEROKROIL exclusively, with full FAA approval. i detest wd-40, not to mention it will ruin electrical components and contacts.
     
  11. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    18,165
    Savannah
    Tex , my dino 308gt4 had a hell of an engine and trans in it, from the builder in Florida. it would bind up sometimes when driven hard, and we found it was the passenger side mounts that were bad and binding the linkage as the whole thing torqued to one side.

    just my .02
     
  12. chrismorse

    chrismorse Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    2,150
    way north california
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    chris morse
    Thanks Guys,

    I've not driven another 308, so have no basis for comparison, but my shifter requires considerable force to make gear changes. Not slow grinding synchros, just heavy effort. I know it is not a toyota, so am not complaining and I find your comments really helpfull.

    On my first track day, i noticed less precision and heavier effort changing gears, is this likely soft motor mounts allowing the engine/trans to misalign enough under high lateral loads to bind the linkage???

    It sounds like a good cleaning and lube job would be a good first step, eh??

    stupified,
    chris
     
  13. luckydynes

    luckydynes F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
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    track days complicate things . .. even with the urethane motor mounts I modded to work for our cars during certain scenarios I can't get 'er into gear . . once the chassis unloads everything's okay again . . . I could probably get more anal about aligning everything (over compensate in the direction I have problems which seems to be really only during trail braking but don't know if it's more during rights or lefts right now).

    under power in a straight line I can shift just as good as any meat head in a Chevy :) (went for a drive with some chatters over the weekend . .incase any of you read this I'm on the same clutch since '96 :)) . .. . hard rights going from 3-4 near red line are a little weird and back but it's not very often I'm on public roads at speed to sort this . . . . . stock motor mounts suck for the track . . .my 911 has rigid mounts for this very reason.


    cheers.
     
  14. Artvonne

    Artvonne F1 Veteran

    Oct 29, 2004
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    Paul

    Its supposed to be heavy. Ferrari won more races from just being able to finish than they ever did through sheep power or performance. That heaviness is just telling you it wont break very easy.
     
  15. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    We all know it was the vodka in the lemonade.
     
  16. Artvonne

    Artvonne F1 Veteran

    Oct 29, 2004
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    LOL. Somhow I get the feeling a female was involved also.
     
  17. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
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    Of that i'm sure.
     
  18. chrismorse

    chrismorse Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    2,150
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    chris morse
    Hi Sean,

    Now that you mention it, the shifting problem was worse in R-L ?? turns at redline.

    Is there anything to look for that would indicate bad mounts, besides the obvious stuff like missing mounting bolts or rubber shards hanging out?? For sure all those oil leaks couldn't be good for the rubber. How much movement is "correct" and how much is toast??

    Is this correctable with new mounts or are they endemically prone to this kind of track behavior?

    Any special precautions or advice for lubing the shifter... to prevent having to learn all about the trans shifter adjustment proceedure??

    thanks,
    chris
     
  19. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
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    There are a few other things to consider regarding shifter 'feel' and alignment besides the forks - Shift-Shaft Seals, SilentBloc bushings, etc. I installed new seals along with new fluids in both sumps a few weeks ago, and the Shift Shaft seals definitely 'firmed-up' the entire shift mechanism in my car.
     
  20. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    No really, it came out of the Leasing Office refrigerator! LOL!

    I was all the way over to the Saint Arnold's Brewery for my public appearance there, and realized I had left my billfold.....
     
  21. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Sadly no, only the girls that work as Docents at the Beer Can House, and while they truly care for ol' Tex they have those Rainbow Stickers on the back of their cars.....one of them DID do a quality photoshoot of the car though.......they are just "artsy" that way......:D :D :D
     
  22. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #47 BigTex, Jul 30, 2008
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2008
    Okay gang!!

    SUCCESS!

    While perhaps not included in the original Service manual, and mindful of Mark's comment that debris falls into the unprotected shift gate, here's what I did....

    I was late for an event at the Rice University Media Center (this cute red headed girl in a slinky black dress sat next to me as the movie lights went down....wait another story..)..

    So using a spare quart of Royal Purple 20-50W I had from the oil change I dumped two whiskey shot glasses full into the slotted plate, it pooled on top of the ball mechanisim until I pushed it down then seeped into the sub box........working the shifter thru all postions of the pattern it freed up and started functioning properly!

    So....there ya go!

    I will be inspecting the motor mounts and tie rod bushing condition when the car goes in for other repairs.....

    Drive ON!
     
  23. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,027
    Groton, MA
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    Verell Boaen
    Sorry I'm coming in late, but for future reference:

    My shifter started getting harder to shift, & even worse, would squeak during some shifts. While not as thorough as a disassembly & re-lube, this seems to have taken care of the problem:

    I removed the shift gate & ashtray. Then, by pulling the shift lever back into 1st was able to lube the shaft that cam out of the shift housing's front. A few squirts of 30W electric motor oil & things started getting a lot smoother. By shifting into reverse, I exposed the rear shaft where it comes out of the housing & was able to get some oil onto it.
     
  24. M.James

    M.James F1 Rookie

    Jun 6, 2003
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    Michael.C.James
    Yer holdin' out on us, Big Man.....we want pics.
     
  25. luckydynes

    luckydynes F1 Rookie

    Jan 25, 2004
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    pit bull

    My motor seemed to move quite a bit of before I changed mounts just rocking by hand . . . nothing looked wrong with them visually . . . I could not find 4th period during a hard corner before I changed the mounts . .. I felt a fellow chatters 328 and his engine felt pretty solid with the stock mounts . .. one thing I noticed when I installed the urethane mounts was how you could "feel" the engine so much more . .. some people might not like that feeling . . . actually made the car feel more solid . .. I'm always willing to let others drive my car for comparison . .. come on down :). I started a thread that had the spec's for the urethane motor mounts I found . .. from memory I think they were like $250 for four and just needed a little mod.

    I never knew WD40 was so hated . . . just another company selling crap that's relying on marketing?. . . and they've been around for a while . . . I like hearing what the FAA inspectors look for and what is a no no . . . not meaning to hijack, but can someone comment on the correct way to fix a broken electrical connection as far as the FAA goes? Are the mil spec Canon/Amp connectors the only acceptable connection in that industry? I've thought about using them in several locations on my car but thought it'd be a bit overkill and they're not cheap . .. I use them on the machinery I build whenever some kind of plug/disconnect is neccesary.

    Cheers,

    Sean
     

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