I have a 355 engine and transaxle which I am installing in a car which will look like this www.the-webbs.com/412p.jpg Today I got the engine back in the chassis, this time with all the gearbox remote linkages in place (gear lever is on the sill, not central, so this is a fairly elaborate setup of sliding stainless rods and rose joints.) The engine/transaxle has never run during my ownership, (it all looks sound though - I've had the heads and sump off the engine and all covers off the gearbox to inspect for any damage) and because I am using a bespoke loom and ECU (to generate more power/ditch the emiossions control & cats/stop the headers melting) its not likely to run soon. However.... I want to check the gears engage, and I am finding that it is near impossible to select a gear. The clutch hydraulics are inoperative at present, so the selectors cannot rotate as tehy ae locked by the static engine, It was my expectation to at least be able to move the lever between the gears. Should I give the crank pulley a twist back and forth? The splined selector inlet shaft on the gearbox control is happy to rotate across the gate, with 4 distinct detents as it should have, but getting a good positive latch into any gear is proving impossible. There is no oil (save for what did not drain out) in the transmission.I also do not have the driveshafts built yet, so rolling the car back and forth is not a possibility. I'm not sure if my linkage setup is unable to provide enough leverage (due to flex in the rods) or if perhaps the F355 box is just a bit reluctant to engage a gear unless Can someone with a manual F355 confirm that with the engine off, all temps cold,and without pressing the clutch it is possible to move the lever 1) into any gear and 2) between any two gears. Thanks
Well I don't see why not? Though not a 355, I can go through all the gears in my 348 box when it's stone cold. What it sounds like is more of the alignment of the linkage being out of wack. I don't know if you are using the shift gate, but if you are try removing the gate and see if you can go through the gears that way. If you can then you need to adjust the shaft. If not then what is more that likely happening is, the teeth on the snychro rings are not lining up with the teeth on the gears when you are trying to get the selector ring inside the box to engage a gear. OR......the selector fork has somehow slipped out of alignment with the rockers inside the box. But I still say it's an alignment issue with your shift shaft, because even if you did have some synchro teeth not lined up you should still be able to grab at least ONE gear. That is unless the fork is completely off. Try removing the shift gate, IF you are using it, and see what that does.
Thanks Ernie, I should add the shift gate is off. My thoughts are the syncro dogs are not lined up, but I am also a bit concerned the change is not more positive on at least one gear. I have slackened the linkage so there is free play, and although I have less leverage, In have tried the selector mech by moving the linkage via the isolation coupling block which is just in front of the box. Its still just as reluctant.
Well it's either the synchros or the fork. Have you tried rotating the axles/wheels by hand to see if it'll engage that way? Not that it will because you have no oil in it, but at this point what the heck it can't hurt to try. If you have access to a lift you may wanna try getting it in the air, and then removing the inspection plate on the bottom of the gear box, have a looksie inside to see what's going while someone is in the car trying to go through the gears??? You may even wanna mic the synchros to see if they are still with in spec.
Ernie, There are no driveshafts in the car (they are bespoke and have not yet been made) hence revolving the wheels is not an option. As I said the oil has been drained about 6m ago, so whilst there is no oil in the gearbox sump/there will still be a coating on the synchro dogs. I don't think any damage will occur unless the transmission is put under load - i.e a running engine. The syncho dogs will only wear loose, hence gear selection will be easier static. I think the issue is just lack of use and synchro dogs which are misaligned. Having now looked at the selector shematic, its far from the least complex design. I'd still like to get a confirmation from an F355 owner though. Thanks.
Fatarnie, i think your P4 repro looks great. Have you any more pictures of it or a link to any more info on it? I am a big fan of them. Regarding the moving of the stick when the engine is of and cold, also without pressing the clutch. Some times the stick will not select first because it feels like its sticking against some thing. But st other times after a firm push it will select the gear. I don't like doing this as a rule because i am sure this is not doing what ever is resisting in the gear box any good. but once the first has been pushed in then the other gears are easier to select.
Sambomydog, thats not a P4, its a 412P which is slightly different. I wish it looked as good as the one in the picture, but actually that's Mr Glickenhaus' 412P 0854. Mine is far from complete, and sadly due to the whole fake Ferrari thing I'm not going to allow pics to get in the public domain now its becoming more recognisable. Earlier I was able to get it in reverse, which has no synchro, so its becoming clear the alignment of the synchro dogs is the issue. I also downloaded the diagrams from Eurospares. The selector mechanism looks very complex - my last sportscar ran a sequential which was mechanicnally less complex. A friend reccomended a big spanner on the crank or use the starter to tickle the driveline a little, so I'll be trying that tonight.
That's a dam shame Mind you have you see how many ferrari owners buy homage/fake/look a like expensive watches? Those without sin and all that But going back to your car, good luck with it and its a shame we will not be able to see it.
