Hi Everyone...few questions I thought you might be able to help me with on a 98 550 which I purchased about a month ago. 1. There is a cable that appears to be hanging down in the middle of the underbody that I can see. I will try taking a picture of it and posting it. Any idea what this is? 2. It seems that I hear a "clicking" sound with the steering with steering turns to locking during parking. No problems are noted related to this and I believe that steering linkage has been updated on this car. Any ideas? 3. Do you guys usually avoid using 2nd while the car is cold? seems quite sticky until everything warms up. Thanks in advance. Omar
It always made that clicking sound. As far as the cable goes, it is probably the 02 sensor you see. I lived at the top of a hill so I just babied it down at idle for a mile or so. Once she warms up, she's ok!
Thanks Darth.....so seems nothing I should worry about then? Shoulld I have that O2 sensor tacked up or secured? (by the way...she is amazing to dry as you well know....haha)
Sway bar bushings and sway bar links are both known to cause a steering noise like you describe. A different gear oil should also make an improvement in the cold second gear shift. I use Redline and in the cars and do not have that problem.
I've also found the lower shock ball joint (not the lower suspension ball joint, but the ball joint within the shock body at the bottom) to get tight and make a clicking noise. Lube with teflon spray while lifting the rubber boot with a pick. And you can diagnose it easily by just loosening off the lower shock bolt a turn or two, and trying again... if the joint is tight, it will simply turn on the bolt on it's inner surface and become silent, rather than turn the sticky ball in it's socket. Of course.... don't leave the bolt loose.... fix the ball joint!
I also have the clicking noise on my low-mileage 2000 Maranello when "cold" or starting off with some steering lock applied. But I was never sure of the source since 3 changes were made - steering rack leak fixed (rack was removed), sway bar removed to enable rack to come out, steering/suspension alignment redone. Then I had the clicking noise, rather a "cracking" noise. Can away offfer more advice - how to check the sway bar bushings, how to replace, etc.?? I tried a judicious spray of synthetic lubricant on bushings, not much help. Regards, Ron
Sorry for typo line 6: Can anyone offer more advice - how to check the sway bar bushings, how to replace, etc.?? Ron
It's abit fiddly Ron, but you need to get inside the rubber boots that cover the little ball joints on the drop links. One is easy, but the other is trapped in the wishbone. Lubing them usually works for a while, but it's just delaying the inevitable I think.
Try to stay out of 2nd until the car warms up. I've talked to a couple of very knowledgeable Ferrari guys about this and they each told me, unprompted when we got to discussing my 550, to stay out of 2nd until it had warmed., Not a real problem; the engine has so much torque you could start from a fully stopped position in 3rd if you had to.
That's how many I counted also. I thought this was going to be a contestant in the longest post category. BT
There you all go again, skip first gear, now skip second gear, see also the thread on manual shifting a 360. And I guess you will also say 6th gear is for greater than 80 mph. That leaves me with just 3 gears (3rd, 4th and 5th) for most of my driving in Houston. I bought a 6-speed for the fun of shifting, maybe Ferrari of Houston will give me a refund on the unused cogs? Ron
Interesting, on both of mine I never had to avoid 2nd the way everyone else does. Concur with Brian - redline for tranny and get the links looked at. There was a TSB for the update. Also, just get your alignment specs checked out. --Dan
Having to avoid second gear when we have 21st century lubricants available is just crazy. It is the excuse we were given by Ferrari for decades so they could continue to use the low quality products that they are paid big money by second rate companies to pimp. It gets a lot colder where you are in winter so I have no experience with that, but I will say that in coastal Ca we were suffering the same problems with the trash Ferrari had us using and there is simply no reason for it.
There someone finally said it! I have Amsoil Severe Gear 70W90 in my 550 and its never shifted better. No problems at all with second gear. One size does not fit all.however, if you have an old F-car then you probably don't want the slippery new stuff, then Redline NS is probably the right choice, but the newer cars with different materials for the syncros can bennefit from the newer synthetics with limited slip additives already in the blend. Neo 75W90 RHD super speedway gear oil is said to be used by some formula one teams. This is a good one for newer Ferrari's, its all about syncro compatability. I have the Neo in my 246 because its so-o-o- slippery and gives this nice gear whine but it shifted better into second with the Redline NS.
Good points on the gear lube, guys. I use an independent mechanic and he'll put in anything I ask so I'll make a point of showing him this thread. I should have noted that I don't store my car for the winter and it does get damn cold up here although this winter has been warmer than usual. That being said, when it gets down near 10 degrees F, the box is awfully balky about going into second during the first 5 minutes of running- so I just avoid it. I'll see what the mechanic put in last year and have him change it out as suggested. More worrisome are the tires; they're like blocks of concrete-zero traction until they're warmed up and I still haven't found a good winter tire that will fit front and back on the 550.
