My '89 Spyder

I attempted to replace my leaking rear seal over Memorial Day weekend. Turned out to be much harder than I anticipated!

I also discovered some problems I did not know I had... Hoping to get it back together and running in two weeks.

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Seal was removed and cleaned up.
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Driveshaft support bearing is fine but the rubber surround has disintegrated after 35 years.
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Getting the flywheel resurfaced. Replacing the clutch disk and TO bearing "while I am there."
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Next was to install the rear transmission mount. However, you will probably have to grind some of the exhaust mont away to make the puller usable.
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Made a tool to install the rear seal.
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Getting the transmission ready to go back in with fresh MTL.
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The throwout bearings are ridiculously sloppy! This is perhaps one of the sources of rattle when idling hot. As well as loose and warn clutch springs. My father made a bronze insert for the throwout bearing.
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New hoses installed.
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I am really amazed at how clean valves are with modern fuel injection and Top Tier fuel!
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The car started up and ran well. Just one problem, it would not go into gear!

 

Assessing the situation... Check the pedal adjustment - nothing.

It appeared that the transmission would have to come out again. However, my father came up with a brilliant solution! It would be possible to put some shims between the pressure plate and flywheel. The rack needs to be slightly slipped out of the way such that the plastic cover can be removed. Shims could then be installed.

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We can now say, that there was nothing to be gained by removing the transmission again. The only solution would be to put shims between the pressure plate and the flywheel.

The new clutch was 9.4mm thick, and the one removed was 8.0mm. Along with the resurfacing, the tolerance stack-up was simply not enough to release the clutch when the pedal was fully depressed.

M8 ID x 14mm OD x 1mm hardened steel shims were installed between the pressure plate and flywheel. Installing the shims took about 1/2 hour. Dispacing the rack-and-pinion took about 2 hours... .5mm shims would have also probably worked.

So far, everything seems to be working great.

In addition to the rear seal leaking, about half the oil pan screws were loose! It's really a miracle they did not fall out or that the pan didn't separate from the block. So far no drips following a test drive.

 

Our shop had a customer with one of these with a manual box. We ended up buying it from him. The manual box completely transforms the car. If you've driven the auto box you would understand. Manual spiders are very rare and only in 89 models. The importer also brought in Jags at the time and he said all of them were autos so he ordered them from Maserati that way.

Unfortunately ours was hit from behind and the insurance company totaled it. Another Maser found its way to the recycler.

So I would keep this car as long as you can. Its quite special.

 

Are you sure about that?

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-maserati-bi-turbo/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-maserati-biturbo-spyder-5/

Joe

 

The production numbers are anyone's guess! I would love to see some breakdown.

Technically, TheMayor, is correct:
Maserati introduced fuel-injected cars to the US market as 1987 models with 2.5l engines (coups and spyders). There does not appear to be a 1988 model (similar to a 2007 Cayenne). The 1989 fuel-injected cars had 2.8l (2800cc) engines with manual transmissions. The 1990 models appear to all have automatics. They stopped selling cars in the US and I have not seen anything designated 1991.

My car was produced as a 1989 model in September 1988 which is why I use model years instead of calendar years. I wasn't following Maserati closely at the time.

 

Not to be a contrarian, as I think your spyder is spectacular. But the two cars that I included in the link were both US market bi-turbo fuel injected spyder's with a 5-speed manual transmission.

Kind regards,

Joe

 

1987, 2.5l (2500cc) cars. They are slightly different from what he was talking about.

There were many slight differences, in the body styling, the obvious ones were 2.5l vs 2.8l engines, 4-bolt 14" wheels vs 5 bolt 15" wheels, etc.

 

I joined the Maserati Club and through another member, got invited to the Greenwich Concours de Sport.

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More photos of the event here:
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/149568120/


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