we go to Sacramento every weekend, just about, and the weather difference south of HW50 makes a big diff. No huge, as about only 10-15 degrees, but a bit better. The 2nd gear is not as much a problem for us there, unless really cold. rik
When you shift into a higher gear the revs will need to decrease. I try to match the lower revs by not taking the pressure off the accelerator completely. This allows the revs to fall some but are matched to the revs required for the higher gear. I found after the engine is up to temperature, taking the rpm between 4000 and 5000 before shifting up into the higher gears up to third I am able to match the revs easier. When it is cold I go from first to third.
Have you adjusted the shifter for length? I had shift problems and finally lifted the car and a small tweek and voilla it shifts like it should.
What most CA folks don't know is what cold weather is. I could not figure out why my 348 took so long to slip into second gear until the weather warmed up here. In the now Summer type weather we are having it goes in almost immediately. In the late Fall and Winter when I brought it back to DC it would take 10 minutes of driving before 2nd would play ball. Temp has a lot to do with it me thinks. MB
I was talking to someone yesterday about this problem ferraris have with 2nd gear. There is no other brand in the world where you can tell a potential buyer that the transmission will not go into second for a while and people accept this! If I was selling a late model mustang and told someone to skip 2nd for X number of miles but really, honest sir the transmission is fine, its just the way they are they would walk away from the deal. Im glad this is the case in some ways, my boxer is cranky going into second and if I decide to sell it no matter how bad 2nd is, they will accept this as normal. If I replace the syncro and it grabs second right way then my car is odd, unusual and there must be something wrong lol! Its funny how ferrari owners can be the most particular and anal owners but a buggered gearbox is acceptable.
Not being able to use 2nd for 10 or 15 mins is a good reminder for the driver. Dont start thrashing the bejesus out of the car until 2nd is working OK. I don't mind it at all, it's better than the alfetta Gboxes where you could always upshift into 2nd but downshifting was an aquired skill. When I had my engine out for rebuild recenlty I couldn't justify trying to fix 2nd.
Well, "acceptable" isn't really an accurate term...I would more say it is something that we "live with" because we don't have a choice. Every time I climb into my M3 and snick through the gearbox I realize why the Germans have trains that leave on time and the Italians have trains that leave "whenever"... Don't get me wrong, I would still prefer the Italian car and the wine, but if you need to get from A to B without a hassle, then "Gasuntheit".
Doc T, I wasn't able to find the file, but I found a print of the original article. Looks like its from page 45 of issue 127 of "Prancing Horse". Maybe someone still has the original magazine laying around and can post a better scan. Image Unavailable, Please Login
It's a great article and thanks for posting--various Ferrari mechanics on here have said that the rationale is BS.
