348 gearbox issues

Is there a link to improving the gearboxes? Is there an alternative swap for these things? So far the 348 main problems that I have read are the water pump/tensioners and the self-destructing gearbox. Correct?

 

Earlier cars have reported touchy gearboxes. It is important to remember that you cannot force them into gear, they need to warm up a bit before aggressive driving and they should be feed synthetic trans fluid. Unless you are No Doubt, these aren't drag or drift cars.

 

This is exactly why I bought a 355, 348s have too many problems ..............

 

Kai

 

And you couldn't afford No Doubt's fees for chauffeuring.

 

lol .......

lol x2 ...............

 

There's no link, but your options are basically:

Making sure the clutch hydraulic system is up to par and top shelf gear oil is being used will help mitigate issues in your current gearbox.

Later 348 boxes aren't as bad.

Or you can fit the 355's 6spd gearbox if you really wanted to.

 

I don't beleive that. earlier cars have more miles and it is the mileage without modification that result in issues. Later there as the spyder, the ss, and some factory challenge streetcars and people don't drive those so low miles. It is my opinion that there is nothing wrong with the 348 gearbox. The problem is with stake ring assembly and that every car at some point should deal with the stake rings. While only 1 data point I raced exclusively my gearbox which is the 1st reported diy'er without ferrari tools gearbox rebuild. I have done many since then and now everyone is doing them. Once properly built they are indestructible. Steve's box in Vegas was pretty rough. It will be a real testament to how good the 348 box is depending on how long his box lives. It has been what a year and counting?

What is more problamatic to me dispite my level of advanced diy'er is the issue with 355 valve guides. First you never know when they are going to bite you and second if you ever fix them it is very difficult to get the car to always run properly so it will not happen again.

 

7 months and about 1200 miles, it was done just this past May... but so far, so good!
By spring, it'll be time for a new clutch, I can't wait for that wallet-draining project... I think I may have to opt for relining mine.

 

I haven't seen anything wrong with the 348 gearbox but the shifting mechanism sure could use some improvement. The Walt Disney designed dual cable system is crap.

 

100% agreement. The cables suck....it's like rowing through oatmeal in January. I once asked Dave Helms if he thought a rod system could ever be retrofit. When he picked himself off the floor, in tears with laughter, he basically said "not economically".

It's a real shame, those cables. When I drive Mike's F355, the rod system is an absolute delight, and it reminds me how smart Ferrari was to ditch the 348 setup.

 

Dave's right, the 355 is just a bit too different to make the switch.

 

I'm not really sure what the problem is here? When the box is cold....yes its a pain, but once the gearbox has warmed up I find mine to be a delight to use....and on the track the dog-leg box is fabulous with that 2-3 change being perfectly paced in the vertical plane....for me a big advantage over a 6 speed box. I have also found that an upgrade on the gearbox oil helps enormously

 

All the earlier Ferrari's have gearbox issues when cold, no just the 348

 

I think it's worth noting that Ferrari added a trans cooler to the 355.

 

which we have seen is not too difficult to retrofit on a 348 race car, eh?

 

And unlike the 355 we never saw a need for one.


Never seen a 348 trans with heat related problems. The 355 and 360 are a different story.

 

And it was so good they brought it back for the 360.

 

The syncro design had as much to do with that as the cables did, probably more so. Also the 355 has smaller gears so the syncros have a much easier job to do.


The 360 uses a very similar cable system and shifts well. The size of the gears and the design of the syncros play a big part in that. The two items that coincidently cause all the trouble in those transmissions.

 

That is about 75% of the problem with both them and the TR/BB trans.

Lap the syncros, put the ring nuts on so they stay and use good oil then keep the brainless idiots from side stepping the clutch and they are a good operating trans.

 

Wow isn't this the truth?! I have a buddy who drives current BMW's (M3s and M coupes) and commented how cantankerous the 348 trans was because he couldn't do this side stepping well. Heh, give me a 4-year unlimited warranty and you can side step my clutch right up until it (inevitably) fails.

 

ANY car that hooks up well and many that don't will have drive train failures from doing that. The difference is buying driveshafts, differentials and transmissions for Mustangs and Cameros doesn't cost much.

 

Uh...I feel real naive here, fellas, but what is "side stepping" the clutch?

 

Hold down the clutch pedal, select a gear, rev to redline then heel pivot your left foot to the left and let the clutch pedal snap back up dumping the clutch. When done in a Ferrari the effect is lots of tire smoke and college tuition for Rifledriver's kids.

 

Before this post, I had no idea what side-stepping was. Now that I do know, I want to say (and this is just my opinion) that this is one of the stupidest things that one can do to any vehicle, let alone a Ferrari.