95 F355 gearbox rebuild / syncro change

I may have to rebuild the gearbox of my 95' F355 this winter due to a syncro problem. Shift down from 3rd to 2nd often not possible when oil is hot. From neutral to 1st when car is standing still also very often not possible. If it works from 3rd to 2nd there is as 'squealing' sound from the gearbox (like something is accelerating). Gear up or 6 down to 3rd with not problems.
Is there someone who already did the change of the syncros and has pictures available ? We would like to study the pictures first before starting.

 

Well I haven't changed them in a 355 gear box, but I did change them in my 348. The syncro rings are and easy change but the cups are pressed onto the gears. So you either have to have the old ones pressed off you get a new gear that has them already pressed on. I opted for the latter, the teeth on those particular gears were destroyed and had to get a new gear anyway. The cup was worn pretty bad and you could see grooves in it. Anyway I changed both at the same time.

I don't know that there is a specific thread showing a picture of the syncro rings, but try searching the archive anyway.

 

Wow ernie! You’ve really got some balls to run off Rifledriver (who could really help with stuff like this) but continue hanging around trying to compensate for such a colossal blunder. You destroyed one of the most valuable assets this site had and replaced him with, well, ernie. No worse trade than that.

 

I don't know. RifleDriver would just say "read the owner's manual" or "take it in to a competent shop."

It's not like there is a single Fchat step-by-step help thread by him.

Sure, the guy seems like he knew a lot...but he didn't really share it.

So no great loss.

 

Listen nube, who are you to say anything to me? You only have what 38 posts, and a handful of them are whining to me about rifledriver being gone. You really need to quit following me around and posting antagonizing comments. Especially since it seems that is the only reason for you posting them.

 

I did this already before starting the thread but did not find any specific pictures.

 

Posted by ernie – “Listen nube, who are you to say anything to me? You only have what 38 posts, and a handful of them are whining to me about rifledriver being gone. You really need to quit following me around and posting antagonizing comments. Especially since it seems that is the only reason for you posting them.”

Touched a nerve did we? LOL!

No antagonizing intended. It’s simply a matter of affording you the privilege of dealing with the consequences of your actions.

Enjoy!

 

Like I said I don't remember any being posted. There are some pics of the 348 gear boxes torn down, but nothing as far as a step-by-set procedure.

 

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1828052

 

Rifledriver still posts in other F forums, feel free to seek his advice over there. Really, please move on and stop detracting from technical threads on Ferrarichat.

 

Wow that's kinda rough. I don't think Ernie is to blame solely for Brian not being here anymore. After you read some of the posts here and see some of the bullsh!t blabber that goes on by guys that do not know what they are talking about.. I think Brian just got tired of it. But if this were a few years ago you would have had at least a couple of responses by experienced techs and probably from someone(DIY) who had 1st hand experience(ernie for example) and between those 2 or 3 responses you would get a fairly good idea of what and what not to do. As it stands you see what you got. LOL

With due respect for Ernies short answer it would take hours of time to do a step by step on a gearbox rebuild and doin' it for free. It isn't like changing your oil

Oh and yes it is a GREAT LOSS he and several others are not here anymore.

 

Perhaps I've underestimated him, then. Would you be so kind as to point me a good or great RifleDriver tech help post example here so that I can see if I owe him an apology?

Seriously. If he was actually showing people how to fix things and not just telling them to take their car into a shop (or telling them off), then I've sold him short.

 

You would need to do a search starting back a few years and going backwards in time to find anything. I can't remember an exact topic, but I do remember him trying a few times then getting such crap for the way he doing the procedure he just gave up in the middle. The only time I've wanted some sort of step by step was his opinion on cam timing on a 355 because I curious how he did it vs what I knew. To avoid the BS on this site I called him instead. Also have PM'd a few times on some Ferrari policy of doing things since he has had factory training and got very through answers.

I think a lot of his answers were like the Ferrari shop manuals are written ie; that the person doing the job is already somewhat knowledgeable about the basics of mechanics and engineering theory and just needs a few pointers based on the model you are repairing/servicing. If you need a step by step then maybe you should not attempt the job, these cars are expensive to repair if screw it up trying to learn the basics. Buy something else to learn on.

Seriously. YOU should drop him a PM and thank him for all the times he has corrected you on being wrong about a topic, then used/repeated his thoughts to someone else as if they were your idea or thought.

Wow then there is your smug statement "Perhaps I've underestimated him" You know as well as I do he has forgotten more than you will ever know/understand about engineering or mechanics.

 

Fair enough. I did a search as you asked. In his half dozen years here on Fchat, he's started 15 threads. They are shown below.

None give actual tech help procedures, though one does recommend a shop for getting an F1 display fixed.

See below:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Well, you're probably right about that. I've certainly been wrong on several, no...many... things. And I did at one point have a bad habit of not giving credit where it was due (but made a concerted effort to this very day of correcting that mistake).

...but, RifleDriver has been wrong a fair number of times, too. Here's an example where he misdiagnosed massive head gasket failure as mere water condensation, for instance: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129068

So while I freely admit that I've made errors, I'm nonetheless perplexed at why someone so mean to newbies has 4 or 5 diehard fans even after giving out bad advice.

 

I remember rifle being very condesending to others regularly. Even to new members with snippy responses like "look in the top secret book called the owners manual."...

I am certain he would have garnered more recognition if he kept his derision to a minimum. No one I know wants to ask for help then be insulted in the process. Many members here were apprehensive to contribute because at any given time he would show up with some boorish remarks.

No one person knows everything..... and its nice to see so much dialog between the members now. When someone has a problem I see alot of people try and help. As far as I know this is "the online ferrari community" not a dictatorship.

For a fact he helped lots of people, no one ever had a problem with that.

He also left in a fit knowing this type of bickering would start up. So I for one would thank him for any of his positive contributions but could easily do without his acerbic remarks.

 

Ah come on you say he has been wrong a few times? maybe that is true I don't know I have not read every post he has made but you can't compare the few with the many of yours I've read, you would have to say they are consistent. Crap just the other day you were touting neoprene head gaskets on a 355.
I am using Brian as an example of good people we have lost because of people and their constant BS on this site.

I'm sorry to say I wouldn't come close to taking any of your advice if I was asking a question on a topic I don't know anything about for fear I would ruin whatever I was trying fix, adjust, modify. You portray knowledge in computer chips, from the comments on other subjects I have read over the past couple of years here I wouldn't be very confident in taking your advice on that subject. Now Brian I would trust even though as you say he has been wrong a few times.

Sorry guys for getting off topic.

 

Oz, I'm not defending a rough response to any question BUT, the owners manual is almost never read by owners of any car. Ferraris book on their cars is so very important to read and fairly thorough that it frustrates me also when there are soooo many questions asked that can be answered by just opening the book and reading. You have been here a while how many times has the infamous oil level question been asked? If all else fails read the instructions, hahaha, Regards, Vern

 

Fair enough.... but sometimes new people just want a reason to fraternize. Alot of new owners are just excited they even have an f-car (I know I was ). They don't know how many times a given subject has been asked..... So to be smacked down on their third or fourth post is very disenchanting and rude to say the least.

I believe we should be as welcoming as we can... everyone makes mistakes..... its not like new owners ask those simple questions just to be annoying....

 

I totally agree on your comments except about the owners manual. There is no reason to be rude to someone about it but and I mean but you have to read the manual on these cars there is absolutely no excuse if they are that excited you think it would be a priority, whew...sorry for the rant hahaha

 

I know...... I had the 355 manual on my nightstand for at least the first week . I don't read very many "instuctions" as is the case with most guys... ... I never read the manual on my 993TT, but then I had porsches my whole driving life. I also had and read books to the cieling about them.

So of course that changed when I 'finally' got my 355...... this was something special.... I even took the manual to work with me...

 

Based on the squealing sound, you should have your clutch/throw out bearing examined. I had the same noise come and go for over two years (never persisted for more than a couple weeks, then silent for 10 or more months). But on the last time, it came back everytime I pressed in the clutch...a couple weeks later the throw out bearing failed. Time for new clutch. That maybe your problem, though I never had shifting issues. Also, Rifledriver recommended Redline MTL for gearboxes with poor shifting. I would have someone look over your shifter adjustments as well. You may have two seperate issues, throw out bearing and shifting issues.

 

He may have been abrupt on occasion, but all in all, I almost always found him to be genuinely helpful, and generous with his time, even offline.

I found these posts enlightening:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rifledriver
My shop is right down the road from Redline and we use their products in the race cars. I have had many long conversations with them about their products and their recomendations.

Ferrari specs GL5 gear oils for the transmissions. Due to Ferraris specs Redline will not officially suggest anything other than GL5 gear oils.

GL5 basically means an oil that is designed for medium to high offset hypoid differentials. MTL is a GL4 lubricant which means it is designed for medium to low offset hypoid gears. In the 308, 328, 348, 355 transaxles there are NO hypoid gears of any type, hi, low, or medium, offset.

I am not ordinarily an experimenter with others cars except in circumstances where the official way is obviously not working but I have seen MTL used with great success and zero problems in 308 transmissions since the product was introduced many years ago. It was also the oil of choice in the transaxles of the 355 and 348 Challenge race cars with zero problems. Those transmissions were subjected to greater stresses and heat in one weekend than most of our transmissions are in a lifetime. I cannot say that however of the AGIP oil spec'd by Ferrari at the time. One session at the track finished off several transaxles and we were told unofficially by Ferrari to quit using it in cars that would see track service. That garbage did remain the official oil.

I have been using MTL in customer cars that had cronic shifting complaints for several years including one 85 308 in daily service with over 115,000 miles on it and the owner is pleased to this day how his transmission performs.

It's great oil. If you have a shifting problem use it.

I would not use it in any transaxle in a 275, 330, 365, BB, BBi, TR, 288, F40, 550, 456, 360, 430, 612, or 599. Those are all medium offset hypoid gear differentials and should have GL5 oil.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rifledriver
For shifting complaints on those I always use Redline MTL.

If the working surface of the syncro has become glazed no oil will make it work. Removal and lapping or replacement is the only thing that will.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rifledriver
The lubricants available then were garbage. We no longer live with Typhoid or Polio either, times have changed.

Also the syncros are so hard they took a long time to seat to the shape of the gear. Many when driven in their break in years were abused by impatient drivers and few if any of the people that worked on those transmissions ever lapped the syncros to fit. All of those reasons have contributed to the reputation of poor shifting.

Wrong/garbage lubricants and forcing the shift glazes the syncros.

They can shift very well when everything is right.

 

Thanks for getting us back on track, I have used Redline stuff for years best there is IMO

And Oz shame on you for not reading the Porsche manuals hahaha

 

BTW.... there are tons of great helpful posts by ND as well.....