348 Shifting (how good can it get?)

Maybe unrelated but what kind of a clutch and flywheel did you use? The OEM brands the Spiders came with are no longer available.


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Have you driven any like it? It impossible to know whats wrong without knowing whats right.

Almost certainly an adjustment issue and it has sensitive adjustments internally and externally. It just requires someone who knows them to perform them.

 

My 348 is a bit notchy in 1st and 2nd when the gearbox is cold, I avoid 2nd when its cold, most Ferrari's are like this.
I'm using Redline gear oil which is definitely what works well in these gear boxes.
Once its warmed up, it shifts well, no issues, the only thing I do is double clutch into 1st, other than that I think it shifts really well for a cable system.

 

I had clunking and grinding, switching oils helped a lot. Amsoil severe gear made it almost unusable in my car. No clunk or grind now, still occasional first gear issue when stopped, I've had other cars this era that had the stopped first gear issue, my vw corrado for 1, third to first or what not works every time.

The adjustments are in the manual I believe but no way I'm touching it, as mentioned someone has to know and understand it, 1/4 - 1/2 turn on adjustment ends make a big difference but affecting 1 thing affects another.

Toyed with idea of taking it to Ferrari dealer and hoping for some older dude there not some 30 something who never did 348 service or finding Indy shop with a more "experienced tech". There are a few in my parts.

Good luck, but compared to my sti 6speed that shifted lightning fast and chirped all 4 wheels, the GB 348 gb is well... not that. I have driven others that felt basicly the same as mine. not sure mine to yours though and how they compare.

 

Thanks. Unclear on the clutch type but the flywheel was not replaced. Looks like it was resurfaced and repacked.


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At a stop: feather up on the clutch until it just barely reaches the friction zone, this will spin the input shaft, spin the input gear, and allow the dogs to engage. You will get used to this after a bit of practice. Alternately, when coming to a stop, rev match the engine and road speed (under 10 MPH) and feather out the clutch for smooth engagement--but here you have to keep the clutch in during the whole stop.

Use the trick above when the tranny is cold and start out in 2nd gear, just don't try to accelerate at anything faster than a leisurely pace.
Also note: the shift from 1->2 is a greater rev difference than 2->3 or 3-4 or 4->5, so your foot and hand controls need to be more sensitive.
{{Or you could sit in the driveway and warm it up for a minute or 2--in neutral clutch engaged.}}

 

Well then it had an issue. 355 shifting is geat. Hence the need to experience a known good example.

 

146407 is the part number for a single disc clutch. Ferrari did not use suffix letters on part numbers but many suppliers do to indicate internally it is either a rebuilt part or an alternate supplier. Who knows what is really in there.
The 34811035 part number given for the flywheel is not a Ferrari part number so who knows what is being referred to there either.

 

So, adjust your driving style to cope with a car not working properly? I always figured it was better to just fix the car.

 

Regardless of how well or tuned the 348 GB is it requires some level of mechanical sympathy, can slam speed shift thought gears chirping along the way.
If you read reviews of the car from back on the day (I have several magazines still) the GB was almost always raised. Its not as bad the the Esprit which was always commented on how awful that Renault GB was, but the 348 GB was often commented as a negative comparison to the 911 GB. One magazine called it a wooden spoon in a bowl of oatmeal.

 

Magazine writers have long loved to criticize Ferrari transmissions. Not always for no reason but almost always overstating reality. 348 at best was never the best nor was it ever going to shift like a Miata but it is important to know what a good one is like to manage expectations. They did come to understand the cable system was flawed and corrected that on 355 but 355 was also vastly different internally.

 

Indeed yes.

 

When possible, yes, when not, no.

 

So the car can't be fixed?

 

I've been having a think about all this after I was out and about in my 348 yesterday.

This must be when you are trying to put the car into gear whilst at a stand-still?
If so, when gearboxes are cold, its a good idea to push the clutch in, then release, then push in again to get it into gear, its not uncommon to have to do this especially when the oil is cold, and this is no matter what oil it is.
It is not uncommon for older style gearboxes such as the the 348's to behave this way.
In the case of my 348 gearbox, I have to do this sometimes when its cold, never when hot.

My 2nd gear never clunks when cold as such, but it is a notchy and you do have to be gentle IF you want to use 2nd gear when cold. Every Ferrari I have driven with manual gearboxes behaves this way. I have driven 308gt4, 308, 348, 355....When I have driven someone else's Ferrari, they almost always mention this.
I rarely and mostly avoid using 2nd gear when the gearbox is cold, I go from 1st to 3rd, and you only have to do this for a couple of miles, it just a Ferrari quirk which, and because I am an old fart, I find endearing.
I've been for a ride in 365 Boxer too, and the first thing the owner said when we took off was, "I never use 2nd gear until the gearbox has warmed up"....
However, I could if I wanted to use 2nd gear when cold, but as Eric says, you do need to drive these cars with some degree of mechanical sympathy, they are old cars, they are old school mechanical designs and the gearbox is no exception.
Once the gearbox has warmed up, 2,3,4,5, gears are sweet and smooth. 1st gear is not a gear you would typically use when pressing on, I know when I am pushing on the winding roads I like to drive, 1st gear is never used, its never needed.
The typical time 1st gear is needed is when driving "round town", stopping and starting at traffic lights, and when I'm driving round town, I don't chop down through all the gears like I'm on a race track, I will shift as far as 2nd, slip into neutral, then just use the brakes.
In Ferrari's or in fact most older road cars, I feel 1st gear is for just getting the car moving, its not really a "driving" gear.

If I have to use 2nd when the gearbox is cold, I double clutch when downshifting, but you must match the revs also, the 348 pedal box is designed for easy heel toe, practice, get good at it, your whole world will change.
However, if I have to use 1st gear for a "driving" gear, I always double clutch into it. Even when the gearbox is at temp.

These are old cars, its never going to shift like a modern Japanese car or modern Euro, it just never will, but if that's what you want, you will never get on with the 348 gearbox.
If you want to enjoy your Ferrari, you need to embrace the quirks, when you do, you'll love it even more.

It doesn't sound to me like you have an issue at all, what you describe sounds like a typical 30+ year old Ferrari gearbox....

 

Was factory trained on them and have been working on them since the day they came out. I have more experience with their transmissions than anyone on here by a very large margin.
But you are correct. I really know nothing. I'm just talking trash.

 

He has decades of Ferrari experience since well before the 348 and owns his own respected shop in Tx. Now he's a pain in the arse yes but he 100% knows and has probably rebuilt dozens of 348 GB over the decades. Deep and I mean DEEEEEEEP knowledge.

Bedside manor is a bit gruff yes but the positive intent is always there usually dosed with back handed insults which is all some see unfortunately.

 

I just don't put up with stupidity.