F1 gear on 355 blinking

This "could" be the same issue I (my mechanic) chased for months as it got worse.
Eventually it would NOT shift when commanded.

I could just here the naysayers "YA' SEE YOU SHOULD HAVEN'T BOUGHT A FERRARI

Mine had 60,000 miles when it failed .

The answer in the end was the accumulator.Its a small black bulb/ball made out of steel and holds accumulated pressure the of the transmissions F-1 system.It is located on the drivers side engine bay very close proximity to the taillights "but" a little lower.

I was concerned if the symptoms I was getting were something very serious(expensive).We found one @ GT Car parts in AZ something like 175.00.
Screw out the old and screw in the new.

Check that out possibly.

MY355

 

LOL


Great troubleshooting post BTW!!!

 

MY355 @ 58K 1ST TIME.....

 

I have spent more / mile on my wifes Dodge 2500 turbo/diesel 4x4

A LOT MORE!!!



MY355

 

That can't be. There are far too many experts here that say F1 clutches won't last nore than 10k miles.

 

Took me a minute to realize that Rifle's joking. I think this particular 355 has more than 70k miles on it. It looks new. We need more of them up in that mileage range. I think I'm next!

 

My '98 GTS F1 (32Kmi, 1st clutch btw) has had the gear indicator blink in 3rd in rare occasions since 2003 (very warm traffic jam situation, that sort of thing), but now it does it very often in 3rd and 4th.
Very interesting (and reassuring) diagnosis below with his accumulator part.
Question though: does this accumulator failure have a direct cause-to-effect relationship to the blinking, or is it a side effect ? Which sensor and logic (if there is one) makes the indicator blink ?

I always thought that the blinking indicator meant that the box was not "fully in gear".

 

Does it take several tries when you are in third gear to get into fourth?

 

I really like reading this information. Everything I read in the past indicated F1 clutches need replacement well before 58K miles!

 

No, the car never missed a shift in the 8 years I've had it, even when it blinks.

 

I used to own a 355F1 and randomly the gear selector light would blink and the car would drop into N, turn the car off then on again and it would figure it's self out and resume normal operation. I tried for ~9 months and numerous service visits but in the end I gave up and brought a 6spd. The workshop seem to think they have found the problem, being the computer "map" for the selector arms operating range, but I have my doubts about that.

Is your car dropping into N or is it staying the the gear selected or will it not change at all?

I have been told:

Not changing and selector blinking is due to a loss of hydraulic pressure, this sometime requires the replacement of the F1 pump motor.

The other 2 scenarios are a mystery to me...

 

I am not experiencing any failure of any kind of the F1 system, the indicator blinks, that's all.
It could be the precursor to problems, that I will know soon enough I guess.
The only difference is that it used to be exceptional/rare for years, and now it's becoming systematic.

 

If possible depending on your location, I'd recommend finding a true expert who knows the F1 system inside and out (not necessarily a dealer!). The F1 has proven to be very reliable over the years, but if not repaired correctly when there is a problem it really dampens the ownership experience.

My novice thoughts...if the indicator is blinking, maybe not enough pressure to engage the next gear? If the pump is failing there's a few lower cost options before buying a new 355 pump. One is retrofitting a 360 pump, another is rebuilding the 355 pump (links to a rebuilder are on Fchat somewhere, do a search). One way to see if the system is holding pressure is to turn the key on, let it pressurize, and wait to see how long before the pump kicks on again (without starting the car). Do you have any leaks under the solenoid?

Good luck!

 

Made the following test.
Car cold (not run for one hour).
Ignition on: F1 pump turns on for 15 seconds sharp then stops.
Three minutes later, the F1 pump turns on again for 2 seconds.
Is that test relevant and what would a pass/fail criterion on pressure retention be ?

 

I'm afraid that random stabs in the dark about what the cause may be might be doing you more harm than good. Find somebody that PROPERELY knows the system (as mentioned, this might not always be a dealer!!!) and have them look at it for you. I've seen countless bodged or inacurately diagnosed F1 systems on cars driven for months or even years of misery by their owners.

 

I've been told by my dealer that the blinking can be an indicator of clutch wear beyond the recommended change-out point. This may also be accompanied by occasional slipping or missing of gears, so, I'd have a reputable dealer or shop check wear.

 

I love threads where an F1 clutch lasts nearly 60K miles. Keeping my fingers crossed on mine.

Taz
Terry Phillips