360 shifter bushing repair

I have no idea why some dealers are missing this... If they would just wiggle the shifter left to right it tells them- yes to the problem or not. Wiggle = bad bushing. No play=problem elsewhere.

Glas this helped, I made the post after not really finding any other references online to this issue. Figured there were more frustrated owners out there like me wanting a cure instead of shift issues!

 

Great thread had this problem for a year or so, and thanks to you I have sorted it.

Thanks for taking the time to write it up, your right garages do not pick up on these things hence I saved myself alot of cash..

Cheers Steve.

 

Hi,
Glad I could help, was frustrating when I could find no help in resolving issue so decided to make post.

I went to a Ferrari Club event this past weekend- I got a chance to see 2 other 6 speed 360's.. BOTH had the same exact issue. This will also become a issue in the 430 6 speeds I believe its the same shift box.

Best thing for all 6 speed owners to do, any shifting irregularities - wiggle your shifter side to side... if you have any play (wiggle) change the bushing & get back that new shifter feeling. She will shift perfectly once replaced (as long as no other issues).
This seems to be a very very very common problem. Daniel at Ricambi (site sponsor) has the Hill part in stock. It really is a easy do it yourself fix. If anyone feels you do not want to attempt yourself- take to a local F-car mechanic & tell him you wish the bushing changed... If he says he has never done that before, well there ya go.. this is why everyone deals with screwed up shifting issues. Tell him to amuse you & change it (if you have shifter side to side play).

Chris

 

Chris, my first port of call whilst testing the results was my Ferrari service centre, spoke to the mechanic, and was looking at all the 360's he had in his place, I said I bet half of them need this bush doing, he laughed and said it depends on how they get driven. However he was well impressed and thanked me for the info, So I took all the credit... No I jest told him about yourself and post so well done mate..

BTW I did the job in car, didn't take out the whole box easy enough only I have replaced it with a Ferrari plastic one ..just so I could get it quick. Can't believe the difference though.

Oh mine had a hairline crack in the top of the bush this was all it took to be a problem!!!

 

Yes, one other f-chatter on the post also did in car- I pulled out the box because I had no idea where the problem was going to be & figured on the bench was an easier way for me to open her up & see what was the issue.

Mine had the hairline crack also- you can see in the pictures...

In the UK you can get the Hill Engineering bushing also- Hill Engineering is based in the UK (also a site sponsor)

Only thing about replacing with original is- it will happen again- however, probably be a few years & you now know how easy it is to change

 

This is a reverse gear bushing...?! Is this the correct part?

 

We call it a reverse gear bushing, but the name isn't completely accurate. It is indeed the proper part, as described in Chris' repair shown above.

 

I changed another one of these in a friends 360 this past weekend. His mileage on the car was mid teens. His bushing was also hairline cracked. With this I really think mileage may not be a factor. The plastic ones are hairline cracking - if anyone has shift issues and play side to side in shifter - replace it. Do not try to use odometer low miles talk you out of this part failing.
Chris

 

what is the procedure if I want to do it without removing the whole box? Is it even faster?

 

Yes, that is how I did it this past weekend/

1. Remove shifter ball & nut below it.
2. Remove 4 screws on shift gate plate.
3. Remove leather flat insert behind e-brake- Remove the bolt & seperate the electrical block you see in the hole
4. Remove ashtray & screw under it, remove 2 electrical plugs to cig lighter
5. Lift out center console (flipper plate under e-brake aids in lifting out & remember to hold it down when re-installing console to clear e-brake) grab the spacing block thats rests between console & shifter box to place aside for reinstall time.
6. Remove the cable end under shifter (wrap shifter base with thick tape or something so u do not scratch chrome & hold with vise grips using shifter box as a wedge to stop shifter from pushing down- use 2 screwdrivers to pry down & SNAP the socket from shifter ball) will make loud pop - will be seperated- when you reinstall after procedure you can put it back on with your fingers, downforce removal is what is tough.
7. remove the other cable - use a thin knife & remove the push pin by wiiggling out with blade.
8. Remove the snap ring on side of shifter box, remove disc, remove spring, pop off the little square block on end of pin that runs through shifter, slide out pin.
9. remove shift handle. Now just replace the bushing- you will need to tap out that little split pin that holds the spring reverse assembly in place.

remember to use good synthetic grease upon reassembly.

Pretty easy & not a difficult fix other than the courage to pop off that lower socket when removing the shift cable.

Obviously dropcloths or towels all over your work area & wash hands offen to keep grease off your interior

You will be more than please with the results... Its a repair for $80 + or - that will transform the shifting to as new.

Feel free to email me if you get stuck or need a question answered. Be glad to help.
Chris

 

the dealer just agreeded to replace my friend's 430 bushing...only with the oem plastic one. They think that the ferrari engineer might have purposely put a weak bushing there just to protect other parts of the transmission. The metal bushing will void the warrantee on the tranny.

 

Any thoughts on this?

What could the metal bushing possibly damage in relation to other parts of the tranny? Doesn't seem to make much sense imo

 

It will crack again.

If you took the box apart, you would see tight fitting metal pieces throughout. It indeed is a weak link, making it a purposely designed to fail part is ridiculous.

They are blowing smoke up your @ss is my opinion.

Least it will be fixed for a short period of time, when the problem re-occurs you will now know the part that has failed. Once out of warranty you can fix it permantly

Ask them if the headers failing on the 355 & 360's as well as the gooey black interior pieces are also "designed to fail" pieces to save something else... (the dealers service department accounts receivable, maybe? .....

Least you will be pleased to have proper shifting back, thats all that matters.

 

Thanks to the contributors for the write up and detailed description for this job. I set about the repair today and was able to assemble pretty much all the tools I needed in advance such was the level of detail provided.

I had about 3mm of play in the gear lever and found engaging second gear next to impossible from time to time and also had higher gear selection problems at higher revs.

Job now done and all cables greased up at both ends. Slick shifting now - very worthwhile and cheap bit of maintenance.

See below a photo of the OEM bushing I replaced. If you look very closely you might just be able to discern a hairline crack ........

I installed the Hill Engineering version so hopefully will get long life and happiness out of it!

Thanks again to the contributors for taking the time to let us know about this.
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Congrats on being able to shift her as she was made to!!

 

I did this repair today also. Chris, thanks for your insights.
Old bushing was cracked almost all the way through. Now shifting is much more precise and more pleasurable!

 

I installed the bushing today. The 1 cm play has gone completely, the shift feel has improved.

 

must let me try raywong

 

I am telling you- this part originally was a BAD design out of inferior material. Age/Miles etc.. seem to have no bearing on fail time.. it WILL fail.

Anyone with a 6 speed needs to remove the stock garbage piece & replace with the Hill Engineered piece from Ricambi... ANY wiggle side to side is the part failing (easy way to check)- not you screwing up on shifts....

Should have been a voluntary recall item there is so many failures on it...

 

My car drives fine, but 2nd gear can be very difficult to get into gear.
I spoke to a leading independant who noted it as notchy on the last service and they said that these cars are all different.

I didn't think much more about it until I read this last night.

Checked side to side play and moves about 5-8mm at base of shaft, 1/2" at the gear knob.

I guess I need to do this as well ... Thanks to OP, looks like you've helped quite a few people enjoy their cars more. Just hope mine is as simple a fix!

 

I replaced the bush a couple of weeks ago.

The new Hill bush removed the slack in the gear change as everyone else has observed. However, it also made the shift very difficult into second and other gears at times depending on revs and speed of change.

I adjusted the linkages and everything was sweet.

The only other "challenge" was that there was some slack in the front/back movement and no adjustment left at the gear lever end. Need to adjust at the gearbox end which is a little more difficult from above.

 

Thanks for posting. Just did the gearbox oil change recently myself and access to the linkage at the gearbox end is relatively free from under the car. You might just be able to get to it by removing the gravel guards rather than the whole centre floor pan. Good luck.

 

I just ordered the part from Ricambi, can't wait to change it.

 

The reason I would bet was because a garage tried to "fix" the problem by assuming it was cable adjustment issues prior... I would bet they mis-diagnosed (never replaced the bushing) and tried to compensate for the shift issues by "tweaking" the shift cables under the car by the tranny... That was the route I first took BEFORE writing this post a few months back & assuming as others it was the shift cable adjustments due to "stretching" cables... I realized that did not solve it, instead of leaving it half-assed corrected- I kept searching for the true fault which ended up being the bushing & when I decided to make this post- as it seemed very common for many of us to have this mis-daignosed & never corrected due to mechanics that false diagnosed/false repaired... You need to get the car on a lift - remove the rear undertray- the cables have two adjustments at the rear- one does side to side other is forward back... SMALL & I MEAN SMALL adjustments yield big results at the shifter... do small changes- road test, repeat, patience will yield perfection.. As said prior I would bet someone messed with those cable adjustments prior- had they left alone & you just did bushing.. you would be back as new most likely..

Chris

 

Reply back when you do it, you will be smiling ear to ear that a simple low money fix can have such huge results!!

Good luck!
Chris