I've posted about this previously but have finally narrowed it down a bit. When I'm in 4th gear, I hear a lot of "noise/whining/singing" from the shifter area. It's more annoying than anything else and it doesn't happen in other gears. Has anyone else experienced this and if so how did you fix it? Also.. and I haven't pinned this down yet, but around 2500 RPM or so, I hear a "rattling/chattering" coming from behind me mid-rear window... sounds like the deck lid but everything is tight there. It's also only started recently... major was just completed as well and the sound is still there. I also checked the connections at the firewall.. there is some play in a pipe that gets hot after the car is run.. sorry.. didn't inspect enough to trace where it goes/comes from -- will do that in the am. That doesn't seem to be it.. but maybe... I'm a bit OCD/ADHD so I focus on the sound(s) and it's driving me nuts. Ideas?
I have the 4th gear buzz too. First time I became aware of it I thought it was crickets (was driving at dusk). Does that sound ~ like your sound? Try grabbing the base of the shifter near the gate with your finger and thumb and ever so slightly ease the shifter from the gate and see if it stops. It did for me....as it was just the shifter vibrating against the shift gate. I think getting the rubber shift boot from Ricambi may get rid of this. Can't fit it on his site though at the monent.
^ The rubber shift boot is here: Ferrari Parts : 145498 : 145498 BOOT I'm not sure it'll do much to isolate or insulate a sound coming through the gearbox tower, unless the sound is really quite faint. .
If it is the gear shift rattling against the gate, and the rubber shift bellow doesn't cure it (yours should have one in there now) I know that some Euro cars came with foam under there as opposed to the rubber bellows. May work better than the bellows, not sure but could be worth a go. I've got both (foam in the car under the gate, rubber bellows in a box ready to install if I ever get round to it). Let me know if you'd like a photo etc of the foam. Car's in the shop but I get her back next week. Not overly sure where you could get hold of it (Daniel, guessing Ricambi doesn't stock it as to my knowledge it was never on US cars?) but you may be able to make one up yourself.
I used to have the foam on my 1990 348, and it was a mess. As it aged, it crumbed and pieces fell into the gear lever assembly. I vacuumed it out and switched to the rubber style (not for noise prevention -- but to keep little stuff like coins from falling into the mechanism)
Maybe a little louder than crickets. I'll take her out again today as I'm still trying to pin down the deck lid area chatter and better describe it.. but I think we have the same sound. I had the foam in there until last year. Ricambi was out of stock at the time of the boot but I found one in the UK. Installed it and it took care of the noise in 3rd gear and maybe diminished it a little. Daniel is right the foam is a PITA. I'm guessing there is nothing to be done about it...
Guys, didn't know the foam was in some of the US cars as well, learnt something new. I agree re the foam disintegrating over time, hence I have a rubber bellows in a box ready to install. Thought a new one made out of modern foam rather than the tat Ferrari used in the early 90s might be ok though. Also, when you say you hear a rattling/chattering behind you at 2500rpm ish, really don't want to scare you, please, please check with someone who knows about these things far more than me, maybe give RD or someone a shout, but it couldn't be the front of the engine, could it? Just sounds a little like what one guy said his sounded like and it was a snag with the belt. Can't remember what it was but thought it was something to do with a tensioner or belt guide or something. Didn't want to type anything for fear of scaring the life out of you but then couldn't live with myself if I didn't. I'll bet any money I'm wrong but would get it checked out. If you dare you could always check simply by popping the engine cover and running the engine with your head under there. Slowly raise the revs, see if it chatters and if that's from above your head or below it at the front of the engine. If it's below I'd kill the engine sharpish.
For the deck lid chatter, there are four rubber buffers -- 2x on the trailing edge that are cylinder shaped and pretty stout, and 2x on the front/side near the buttresses that look like a 1/2" x 1/4" rectangle. The ones on the leading edge seem to get lost or damaged quite a bit. Cram something safe and non-flammable into that area and drive around the block to see if it lessens the chatter. (You don't want it to fall onto the manifold) If so, I'd bet its that location.
Thanks Daniel. That was my plan today. Terrible I'll have to drive her around. The deck lid chatter was there before the major and remains after the major just completed Thursday. I appreciate the concern and fear though - but its definitely in the deck area. Mobilized reply by David
Here's what I have for rubber things... Just 2 on the sides nothing near the firewall. Mobilized reply by David Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
David, We did check the shield behind the fuel tank and that was tight. the noise may be the a/c system tubes that pass by and behind the fuel tank. They may pass close enough to the tank or the bodywork to be causing the noise. try isolating the a/c lines with foam where they pass by the fuel tank and see if the noise changes. You can see the tubes on the firewall behind the passenger side. they are part number 3 and 4 in the diagram. the vibration from the engine can travel up these tubes and if too close to the body can make noise. You can use tube foam like used to isolate home pipes. you can get at any hardware store. let me know if it helps. Best regards, Jim Image Unavailable, Please Login
Jim, Thanks. They were my next try. I wedged a piece of foam in the deck lid even though it was pretty tight and the noise was still there. Those pipes seem to have some play in them as if the rubber mounts holding them in place aren't quite doing it. Hopefully that will cure the noise behind me. David
giving this a little bump for the noise behind my head. It looks like everything is tight at the firewall - tried a bit of foam in various places and no luck. How about something loose in the seatbelt area? Fuel tank area? I'm 1/2 tempted to take off the deck and drive it about and see if I still hear the noise as well. Thoughts? aside from me being a lunatic. David
You just mentioned option one but going onto option 2 ...... Is it in any way rpm related? Do you hear it on tick over then a little faster with a bit more gas, little faster with a touch more, until it seems to stop at slightly higher revs, all while stationary?
Same rattle starts around 3k rpm ... it has sound of a body panel or similar ... like something is loose mid-rear wall. No ticking. Mobilized reply by David
Sorry we call idle tick over. Anyway, so it's not there on idle at all? Is it there at 3000 rpm moving and 3000rpm when stationary?
not there at idle. Moving for sure. I'll have to try it stationary. The thing creaks and groans with the top on anyhow .. I know it's not that but it's easier to hear with the top on when moving. Let me try sitting still and get back.
That noise sure sounds like a "reasonable" method to convince your wife you need to move up to something like maybe a 430? I know, it doesn't work for me either. All I get is "your fleet is complete".
eh.. I love the 348 too much to think about changing. maybe adding one day. so I was too lazy to put the top on yesterday.. revv'd her up and couldn't hear the noise. I'll pull the roof out this weekend and take her for a little drive with the roof on and get some more details.
