hard gear changes on a 88 testarossa

Vitor -- I forgot to ask you (and I realize that you might not have anything to compare it to, but) -- when the engine is "off" and the clutch pedal is depressed, can you select the different gears much more easily, or are they equally as "difficult" as when the engine is running?

 

If so this would point to a clutch release problem. Possibly air in system. Sometimes, if you sit in the car whilst running, push in the clutch and select first gear while watching some 'point' outside of the car. Sometimes you will detect a slight movement of the car relative to the outside road/wall for example, indicating a poor clutch release point. (or wrongly installed/shimmed clutch pack)

 

Just a thought, but I had James Patterson at Norwoods replace the nose bushing where the shift mechanism goes into the box.

This was an enormous improvement; mine had gotten so bad that 2nd was not available at all and 3rd barely there.

It fixed an oil leak, too.

 

I think your on the right track. I would bleed system first (it is the easiest to do), then check your linkage and bushings, then look into the clutch. Two things in the clutch that will cause this symptom. I bad throw bearing or your pressure plate (broken teeth or just spent). Are you sure that during aggressive acceleration the clutch is not slipping. My car was doing the same thing but the 1 and 2nd engagement was very tough. Turned out that my clutch and thro bearing were fried.. big time.. Has the car been sitting, how old is your clutch, bearing, etc..

Robbie

 

He was able to do it with the engine and gearbox in the car. I think a couple of hours or so.

 

When was the last time the transmission oil was changed and what brand of oil was used?

-F

 

Also, if you notice leakage from the seal where the shifter enters the trany, check the condition of the bushing in the knuckle. There is a rubber isolated bushing where the 6mm bolt connects the linkage. Probably not the cause of the hard shifting but it can effect the "quality" of the shifting. FWIW.

Jeff Pintler
89 348tb, 86tr

 

When mine went, it just deteriorated to the point of crumbling apart. 2nd gear would spit the gearshift lever right back out in your hand when you engaged the clutch. Third was hard to shift into unless with a lot of force and slowly, and there was a lot of whining noise from the linkage.

I got it over to Norwoods on the back streets before trying 4th and 5th.

 

I use Royal Purple Max Gear 75/90. I have had great results.

R

 

Has it ever been OK?

A very large percentage of them never had the internal linkage adjusted well at the time of assembly because the factory procedure and their tooling for doing so was poorly thought out. I took the side plate off of many when they were new cars to correctly adjust it. When that is done, the external adjustment is done and a good gear oil is used it should shift quite slick.

I have used most of the oils out there and when adjusted properly I think the Redline works the best.

Do NOT use the Shell Ferrari uses or the Agip they used to use. It will shift well and kill the trans.

 

Brian, can you tell just by driving the car? - or do you have to pull the plate and look at or measure the internal linkage?

I think Patterson both replaced the bushing and also adjusted everything - it is now just about the best shifting Ferrari I have ever driven.

One more question, BTW - is there any way an owner can realistically check the trans oil level on one of these? Mine still leaks a little from the left side axle seal.

 

You can tell by driving.

You can make them shift like a Japanese car if you hand lap the syncros when you assemble them.

The fill plug is not that hard to get to if the back is slightly raised.

 

Its not something I am going to be able to teach you over the internet except to say the internal mechanisim (selector forks) needs to exactly replicate the shape, alignment and spacing of the gate and the external adjustment needs to precisely align the shift lever with the shift selector inside the transmission.

 

Would anyone have pictures like the ones i have for the 308/328? That would help a lot!
Portogts, let me know if you need any help. I'm glad to give you a hand

 

TR and 308 internal adjustments are really quite a bit different in practice.

 

Can you explain this a little further? I assumed good shifting was a sign that you weren't killing the tans.

-F

 

Had a similar problem with my tr. Did 2 things, added a gearbox additive cannot remember its name but I did post it on this site on a similar thread years ago. Second I serviced the slave cylinder seals can not remember if these are near the clutch pedal or in the gear box but once these two things were done it made a world of difference. The thing was the clutch needed replacing some 8 months later, nothing to do with the repairs just its end of life so it may be a combination of all 3.The tr in all that I have driven and all I have spoken to has always had a stiffer action than others when cold and 1st to second was always a bit ch.

 

That's the reason why I asked for any info, like pictures
I have the WSM for the 308/328 but not for the TR. Anyone has a source or care to share one?