My 348 Clutch pedal is still limp - need some ferrari viagra | Page 2 | FerrariChat

My 348 Clutch pedal is still limp - need some ferrari viagra

Discussion in '348/355' started by crashwilliams, Nov 8, 2006.

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  1. crashwilliams

    crashwilliams Rookie

    Nov 24, 2005
    39
    Oklahoma City
    Full Name:
    Robert Williams
    After replacing the triple seals on the output shaft ($48 which were leaking), opening the flywheel and replacing the Kluber grease ($52 which had turned to soup from the leaking gear oil), replacing the two seals in the throwout bearing ($16 which were also leaking), having a machine shop fabricate the tool to remove the pumpkin nut ($70), and by the grace of Enzo my clutch was not damaged and well within tollerance to avoid replacement......

    Turns out the limp pedal was a totally different problem....... Inside of the clutch slave cylinder is a 5" long return spring which assists the plunger return to the neutral position which had snapped in half causing the plunger to stick...... and result in the dead pedal.

    Unfortunately I don't have the time to spend searching for a replacement spring (which might cost $10) and two new seals (another $10) to rebuild the otherwise perfectly good slave cylinder....... Now I must part with $375 for the complete assembly.

    The good news is Ricambia has the part and I shall be back on the road and for under $500 I have a totally renewed clutch assembly from pedal to output shaft. Plus I learned a little more about the mastery behind the dancing horse
     
  2. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,234
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Good to hear you found the problem. Do you mean clutch master cylinder?? There isnt a return spring in the clutch slave cylinder/slave body.
     
  3. crashwilliams

    crashwilliams Rookie

    Nov 24, 2005
    39
    Oklahoma City
    Full Name:
    Robert Williams
    some say slave,
    some say master,
    and ricambia says clutch pump.
    It is the 6" long devise attached to the clutch pedal on the firewall that for several weeks now has kept me from scarring small children and old ladies as I pass by them in my fine red stallion ........at 7,200 rpm's that is.
     
  4. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,234
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    :p:p
    I like to call them master cylinders. ;)
    Hopefully you will be on the road soon. I was off the road for nearly 3 months when my clutch failed. I feel your pain. :cool:
     
  5. davey_jones

    davey_jones Formula Junior

    Sep 28, 2002
    781
    wherever it's sunny
    Full Name:
    Dave
    On my recent clutch work I pushed the fluid in through the rear with excellent results.
    If I did it this way originally I would have saved a couple hours of frustration..
    I agree with the others that there may be another issue.
     
  6. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 19, 2001
    22,620
    The Brickyard
    Full Name:
    The Bad Guy
    I can tell you that the 348 clutch is a big time PAIN IN THE ASS to bleed. The bleed nipple is in a convenient place, but as Brian said, the way the lines are routed make the problem.

    What I did was to attatch a long clear bleed tube to the end of the nipple. This way you can push the air bubbles out further. I noticed when I was bleeding mine that, before I was able to close the nipple some air would go back up. So by attaching the clear tube I could see when the air stopped coming out and could close the nipple before it had a chance to go back in. I was also able to hold the tube up at an angle so that the air that did come out didn't run back up into the clutch line.

    You just have to keep at it, and use a person inside the car to push on the pedel while you are working the bleed nipple at the back. It is frustrating but just keep at it.

    The other thing is, did you get that spring you are missing yet? If not, I would wait to bleed it until you have the spring in there.
     
  7. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
    5,559
    TX
    Full Name:
    Sameer
    Jeff ... where is the master clutch bleed nipple in your diagram?
     
  8. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
    5,966
    Milton, Wash.
    Full Name:
    Jeff B.
    The diagram that I attached way back in post #8 in this thread is Tav 34 from the parts manual . In that diagram, hose #35 runs from the fluid tank to the clutch master cylinder (which is shown in Tav 25). There is no bleed nipple for the clutch up there at the front of the car. The only nipple is at the back, on the left side of the clutch housing.

    Are you having a problem?
     
  9. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,234
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    #34 PAP 348, Nov 10, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017

    Here ya go Sameer. Only clutch bleed nipple. :):)
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    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  10. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
    5,559
    TX
    Full Name:
    Sameer
    Okay, I have used the bleed nipple near the bell housing to bleed the clutch. This worked fine for me in the past.

    I remember rifledriver's post in another thread stating that it is good to also bleed the master cylinder. I wanted to know how to do this. Thanks :)
     
  11. cscott67

    cscott67 Formula Junior

    May 13, 2007
    418
    Milwaukee
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Start with the clutch master first, and then go to the back. You will have to pull up the carpet in the front a little to get to the master, but it is not too bad. I tried all the crazy crap mentioned in this thread and none of it was useful except Rifledrivers suggestion to bleed the clutch master first. If you are getting a good clean squirt from it you do not need to jack up the car or anything else. From my experience, Scott
     
  12. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
    5,559
    TX
    Full Name:
    Sameer
    I am a total noob here - I need more detailed instructions for bleeding the master.
     
  13. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,234
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap

    If you replace the brake/clutch master cylinder then you have to bleed it 1st. :D:D

    There should be a pipe up there that you can crack to let air out. Once you do that, then you bleed it down the back. :):)

    Are you replacing the master clyinder mate? :):)
     
  14. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
    5,559
    TX
    Full Name:
    Sameer
    No PAP.

    No issues with the master cylinder. Just wanted to see if there was any air locked in the master cylinder. The slave seems to be perfect. :)
     
  15. 348_Spiderman

    348_Spiderman Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    1,416
    Cumming, GA
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Shoot, my pedal went limp tonight, and yes I do have fluid leaking out of the grill under the housing. Was just approaching a corner, pushed in the clutch to downshift, pedal felt suspiciously soft, and could not engage the gear. No clutch pedal pressure at all. Limped the car home in first gear, got it in the garage and noticed the fluid leaking out of the grill under the housing. I searched other threads, this was the closest to my symptoms but since. What would the leaking fluid indicate?
     
  16. 348_Spiderman

    348_Spiderman Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    1,416
    Cumming, GA
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Just had the wife pump the clutch a little while I was looking at the grill under the housing and it definately made it leak faster, and you can hear the fluid sloshing as she pumped it. I suspect this means the tripple seals need replacing?
     
  17. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    That or the slave cylinder.
     
  18. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

    Dec 11, 2002
    5,966
    Milton, Wash.
    Full Name:
    Jeff B.
    The triple seals are for keeping the transmission fluid from leaking out around the output shaft.

    It sounds like your clutch slave cylinder / bearing has burst open, which seems to be a fairly common occurence. You need one of the Hill Engineering replacements.
     
  19. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,234
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    #44 PAP 348, Feb 16, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  20. 348_Spiderman

    348_Spiderman Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    1,416
    Cumming, GA
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Miltonian, PAP, thanks for the info. I'll search to see if someone has a write up on the procedure to replace.
     

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