Procedure to cure a 355 Spider roof that does not close properly due to old fluid

I'd love to see this also.. I'm really scratching my head!

 

I've fitted a new fabric top, it lined up perfectly.. Driven it a few miles went to open it, it's gone all crooked! The bow at the right hand side seems bent.. What's happened, can anyone advise?

Many thanks,
Shaun

 

Anyone?

 

Might want to toss this into the 348 / 355 section as it gets a wider readership.

My guess is one of the hydraulic cylinders shifted. But it could be one, or a combo, of many things.

My new top is on the shelf and a project for next month...

 

Slightly off topic... I'm having an indy shop disconnect mine this week using the DIY I found on ferrchat so I dont have to mess with all of this. (I have some of the issues talked about here) its faster more convenient and when and if...big if I sell this car. I will hook it back up... Honestly of all the possible problems of owning a 355 spider I feel this is one I can bypass until I sell it..why dont you do that?

 

High quality hydraulic fluid typically doesn't become excessively gummy if the temperature remains below about 250F, even after many years. However, fluid contamination can very definitely make the fluid gummy.

Is there any possibility that someone or some shop may have topped off your system with a different and possibly incorrect fluid?

 

I was just at a tech session at Ferrari of Seattle and they said they see it all the time, and said it is related to simply old fluid. They said that the systems do have a small fluid loss past the seals on the rams, so top ups every three or four years is necessary. The reservoir always looks fresh, since it gets the new fluid...but the lines and rams have the old, gummy, thick stuff. A fluid flush/fill can restore slow, or poor operation. Seems logical to me. Remember, the newest 355 is now 15 years old, the oldest is 19 years (that is a long time). I believe they said the factory fluid is a Pentosin mineral based fluid...not synthetic.

 

Why? If it's set up correctly, it works fine, new or 15 years old. Problems compound because they aren't corrected properly.

 

What do you mean by "bypass it" buddy I live in the UK, it may be sunny one minute, and pouring down the next..!

 

Hi wonder if anyone has any suggestions.

I am working on a 355 with the following issue.

a) The fork would not lock into the stub when being closed on the passenger side (In a right hand drive car). Managed to get that sorted by the suggestions of adjusting the 3 mounting bolts.
b) Roof did not close all the way and I therefore tried to bleed the system .Followed all instructions as per the above post.

I got stuck at item 18 in the above post which says PULL the Piston of the RIGHT RAM OUT Manually to release oil from the LEFT RAM. . The RIGHT RAM is almost seized and can not be pulled open to release the oil from the left RAM. (strange as the roof did open and close with the motor even though it was slow).

The Left RAM is spewing out GUNK but just trickles of a few drops.

Followed the path of the path and opened a Pipe at the T junction where the Pipe T comes from the Right Ram and that too dropped out GUNK. Its possible that all pipes have this gunk.

Would someone know of a process of removing one pipe at a TIME and cleaning the guts of these tubes . Has anyone tried an air pressure gun to simply open 2 ends of each pipe , clean it and then refill with this fluid.

Is there a system of self priming if I were to release the oils one Ram at a time.

The owner keeps blowing the fuses and replacing them and I feel the motor could just die as its under too much pressure.

Finally What is the bleed screw No 7 referred to in item 23. Where is the location of this compensation valve . Is this the brass connector with about 8 pipes joining on the sides with an electric cable.

Right now its impossible to pull the fork of the RIGHT RAM and its just come out by about 2 inches.

 

My 1989 355 Spider roof stopped working so checked the hydraulic fluid level and found it low.
Fillede it and decided to go about the bleeding process as posted by Florida355 back in 2011
Quite a job and some of the bolts etc., are in very inaccessible places!!
Anyway did as was instructed button putting it all back together the roof does not cycle even by the emergency switch! What have I done ,before I take it apart again does anybody have an idea what to look at, I assume it is not the hydraulics but a linkage somewhere I have got out of sink, any help welcomed.
best regards from the U.K
Mick

 

I suggest you repost your question in the 355 section with a reference paste of the link tonthis thread. This section of the forum does not get the eyeballs that the 355 section gets for trchnical threads.

I have a spider and read thus thread with interest but my top works fine and I have no experience messing with it other than adding fluid. I wish I had one to work on in order to understand it better but there may be someone in the 355 forum who can help you .

 

Just thought I would let you know I solved the problem.
After going through the procedure again to no avail I bit the bullet and took it to a professional.
At first even they were stumped but in the end it was the second cross bar not moving to the right place which is due to the pieces of elastic being too weak I just need to replace it or shorten the existing.
Anyway I can now retract my roof
regards Mick
By the way my car is 1998 not 1989!!

 

Thats a relief ;-), i was already pitty you, but then again i thought, no way, there are no 355 from that year. Anyway, just want to add - since my top had some history as well )) - that the ECU is quite sensitive to battery condition. If you had it not running for a while and yr battery level drops to much, it starts doing crazy things . had to had mine recalibrated/programmed two times coz of this. Last time even dealer forgot to connect dropcharger ((( - go figure. ..

 

Yes, the elastic does get worn with age. When I was having the major service done at Ferrari of Seattle, they recommended replacing the straps. They sublet that to a local convertible top specialty shop in town. Only $125 or so. Very reasonable.

 

I have made up elastic sets for the Spider tops. One end has a heavy duty snap on it so there is no need to take apart anything to look the strap around the cross member.

Here's a link to the post in the classifieds for them.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ferrari-parts-collectibles/492984-f355-spider-elastics-converticle-top.html

 

Bob do these work on the 360 also i.e. same dimensions?
Thanks

 

Fred, I don't know. My friend locally has a 360 spider. I will try and have a look myself this weekend.

These are 8.5" long, unstretched. When they are installed and the top up, they are stretched, so you can't measure them that way. If I know for sure what the 360 lengths are I can make them up if they are indeed a different length.

 

Different elastic lengths between the hoops of a 360 roof. Just add another two inches, and pull as much tension in them before they are sown in..

 

Any 360 owner that would send me his originals, I will make up replacements and send them no charge. It's ok if you cut them off. I just need the original dimensions.

Pm please if you want this. I just need one.

 

I would definitely purchase a pair that would work on my car. My top works great NOW but then it is also 11 years old so I would do some preventative maint an change them.

Bob please PM me whenever you make any for the 360.
Thanks

 

I went and looked at my friends but he wasn't home and I didn't know there's a headliner. I didn't want to take his car apart without him there.

I'll go back when he's home and see if he'll let me remove the headliner to measure them

 

Gents
i am very new to this chat - just joined
am really pretty desperate to find a ecu unit for a 1996 355 spider both seats and roof.
mine packed up 2 yeras ago and cannot find replacement part .
it is part no 64660200 5.2 ECU
Can anybody pls assist - or to suggest an alternative?

 

i sold one to MPI Ferrari, new old stock, not long ago.

Don't know if they still have it.

 

My 355 roof secondary rams go all the way up and down. my issue is that when the roof does the first stage fold it does not fold back far enough before the rams start to decent the roof and so it gets blaocked on the back of the seats even though they have moved forwards? - any ideas?