Ack! My 348 is peepeeing (just a little)

Hey gang,

I discovered these few small leaks under the pumpkin today. The largest pool looks to be gear oil, though it really doesn't smell terrible. It has a sort of amber-ish hue, but I'm marginally colorblind so that may not help, either. The smaller pools looked a little more grey on the floor, but in the pic they all appear similar. Unfortunately, I really am unreliable when it comes to discerning shades...

Anyway, I'm sure there is no way to know for certain until I take the pumpkin off, but what do you guys think? Triple seals? Clutch fluid? Both?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My guesses are

1) Triple seals

and, or

2) Thrust/throw out bearing seals

 

Thanks, Ernie. Guess I'll take her apart this weekend!

 

Take plenty of pics while your at it, and post them up for the brothers.

 

If it's gear oil, you'd know it from that distinct awful odour.

In any case, have a look at this thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=296614

--

 

Yeah buddy!

That's what I'm talking about. Good looking out Mikey.

 

Yeah, it doesn't seem to smell at all. Thanks for the thread, looks like your leak was a little more substantial, but I'm sure this one has potential

Hopefully, I'll get to it this weekend and see what the diagnosis is. I'll get some pics!

 

Also an easy way to tell is that clutch/brake fluid is water soluble so test it out.

 

Ah! Will do, thanks!

K, I went and checked -- the fluid is definitely coming from the slatted inspection cover (unless it is running and collecting there from an exterior leak, but everything topside looks fine), and it has no odor whatsoever. I also put some on my finger and, aside from some grease that was hanging out under the pumpkin, it washed right off with just water. Seems much less viscous than gear oil. Ergo, looks like it is definitely clutch/brake fluid. So, I guess the most likely culprits are the T/O bearing gaskets?

 

Lucky it's an easy fix, looking forward to seeing pics.

 

Just paying my debt back to the Brotherhood

No smell, I am 99.9% certain that it is the brake/clutch fluid then.

If your clutch still feels perfectly normal, then I am guessing you have the same problem I had, which was simply one bad seal....but as you can see from my thread I replaced all the seals while I had the clutch apart.

Very easy fix, you can have that clutch apart in less than one hour....take your time, take pics as you go, organize all the nuts and bolts, make notes....if I can do it, anyone can

 

Trip:

Experience with 82589 to the rescue!

If I remember correctly, the old girl would drip some clutch fluid as the weather got colder. The rubber O Rings behind the throw out bearing shrink from the cold and leak. It is coming from the master cylinder.

Generally when the weather warms up, it stops. I can't remember the last time I replaced the rings, so it just may be time for a little TLC. It is a relatively easy job. The toughest part is realigning the clutch, when putting it back on. You will have to drop the Tubi, but it is easy and very light. Once the bolts are removed from the clutch housing, rock it from side to side as you pull and it will slide off.

It is all mainly time, I think the last time I did that job, the O rings were .25 cents.

Give me a call, if you need some help. Say hi to the old girl for me!

 

Ah, no substitue for intimate knowledge!

You know, in the back of my head I was wondering if the climate may have something to do with it. It has been VERY up and down around here, going from high 40's during the day to near 80 yesterday, back down some for this weekend. Messy temperatures

I think once I get around to taking it off, I'll just go ahead and replace everything. Discs and flywheel resurfaced (if at all needed), T/O bearing, seals...why not?

One thing - those of you who have fitted the Hill Engineering Thrust bearing - is that just the 355 bearing, but with an upgraded flange required? I didn't see a 348-specific unit.

Dino, she says hi back, and she wanted me to tell you she misses the desert weather! Rain today...

 

Give Daniel (Ricambi) a shout, he'll explain this to you and get you set up with the right parts

 

The upgrade to the Hill Engineering item requires:

1 x CRBF348/355 http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=262597
1 x CRB355MS http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261280
1 x 131651 http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=196648
1 x 104984 http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=189776


2 x 121813 are included with the flange

 

Here's another how-to-thread Vince posted on how to remove the throw out bearing.
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301895

Again, please take pics of what you do and post them up. The more how-to threads we have the better. It all helps out the next brother.

 

Thanks, Daniel! Pricey, but well worth it, I'm sure. I'll take a good, hard look at the T/O bearing and it's condition and decide if I want to drop that right now. Everything else -- if one is leaking, I figure I should just do 'em all!

 

I'm undergoing the same repair at present. Leak was from the "slave cylinder" O rings. Go on the Ricambi site to the 348 model page, than look at "table 24 Clutch and Controls" page. What I ordered were part #'s 137249 (the infamous triple seals), 121813, 131651, 143178, and 151872. Hopefully that will stop leakage. The parts guy was very helpful 'cause the description of part # 131651 is a "gasket" but it's actually a big rubber oilseal. The throwout bearing felt fine. If your bearing spins freely I would just replace the above listed seals. While you have the clutch off, open it up and check for clutch wear. Takes no time once you've you've got the assembly off the car. There are some great threads on here on the proceedure. Just make sure you make some scratch or paint marks so it goes back together the same as before. The torque on the final bolts on the clutch, if it's the twin plate, is 18 ft.lbs. The other pearl of wisdom I got from somebody's thread was to use the 2 long bolts that you removed from the pumpkin housing that go to the starter to pull the clutch initially back together against the spring pressure. Put one at 12 o'clock, one at 6 o'clock. Once you get them tightened a bit you'll be able to get the regular bolt close enough to catch their threads. Remove the starter bolts, replace with the regular bolts and you're there. I hosed all the clutch parts with brake cleaner and wiped it down on the off chance that some of that leaking fluid got onto the clutch plates.

 

That's exactly what I did

 

I'm sorry to say, we're getting a price update on Jan 1 from Hill Engineering and the flange goes up.

 

Crap... Well, I should know if I need one well before then, I guess.

Thanks for all the input, fellas! Good stuff from everyone!

 

Do this upgrade. You will never have to deal with this again.
(just my humble opinion)

 

I have a 99 355 with F-1, curious as to what could be causing this minor drip? Is it loose bolts or worn gasket/seals???
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Looks to me that what ever was used to seal up the bearing cover has seen better days. I used Hondabond HT to seal up the side covers on my gearbox. So far so good to date.

 

I've had my 355 out in the driveway the past few days. It has been getting cold and now I am noticing a small leak under the car. I had the gearbox done with all the hill engineering stuff this summer So from reading this i assume it is the cold affecting the seal. I love this site. It's like you guys are psychic. Either that or misery loves company!