355 F1 ATF bleeding

I noticed rough shifting first 3mins of driving and air bubbles in the F1 expansion tank. Then everything is fine and no bubbles in the expansion tank. Some days I noticed the actuator leaked leaving a small spot on a parking place while other times no any oil leaks.

How much they charge to bleed F1 with SD2?

I tried to bleed it with the bleeding procedure I found on YouTube for 360F1 but I learned the 355 F1 dosn't work like 360F1 on the video.

Is it any way to bleed the air bubbles on 355 F1 without SD2?

 

1. That is correct. We had few days recently below 32F and I saw some oil on the pavement on these days.

2. I did not overfill the expansion tank. There is no overflow from the drain hole in the cap.

3. That's is a very interesting point I never see other people mentioning. I had once earlier in November a significant temperature drop led a half oil to drop from the expansion tank so I filled it with NAPA Dextron III reading the label in the engine compartment that it takes Dextron III ATF. Then I learned the shifting got more rough so then I changed a half of the fluid and added the OEM Shell ATF drained it from the lower bleeding valve next to the back of the transmission. The shifting improved but I got this issues when the car starting cold and driving first like 3mins. So maybe some NAPA Dextron that is left in the system causing these bubbles?

4. I mentioned I tried to follow a post on how to bleed 360F1 that points to a video on a YouTube and it is the only mentioning I found how to bleed F1 on a Ferrari out there to the moment. I had learned the 355 F1 system is a bit different. Like the guy was bleeding his 360 F1 via the upper bleeding valve which is a return from the clutch and in his case the fluid was flowing when the pump was working while in 355 the fluid was not flowing on a working pump and when changing the gear it had shoot oil and the plastic hose attached jumped out from the expansion tank and the oil was all over

 

You wrong. Did you actually ever do it?

 

Here is my 8-year to day experience with this:

• A drain plug next to a gearbox is linked to the F1 expansion tank.
• There is another drain plug on the pump also linked to the F1 expansion tank.
• The owner's manual and the label on the RH shelf in the engine compartment says the F1 oil needs to be DEXTRON III. Shell Is not making Donax TX no more. A while ago I went by the Shell specs and got Spirax S4 ATF HDX (gray bottle) which exceeds Donax TX. In reality it turned out that kind of oil is more liquid so the F1 pump was not holding the pressure when the car was off. Same experience I had with NAPA ATF (black bottle) which is DEXTRON III. I.e. those fluids will work just not holding the pressure. It's not a problem just the pump will run more often when you drive.
• I also tried Valvoline DEX/MERC ATF (blue bottle) recommended on this forum some time ago - it does hold the pressure but the best is Shell ATF 134 (white bottle) - it's a match for the Donax TX and also was recently recommended on this forum and the F1 holds the pressure perfectly like a brand new.
• I've read on this forum also some time ago people were recommending the Red Line ATF. Never tried it. Don't know if it's good or there will be issues if using it?
• The F1 ATF needs to be changed annually. I was impressed by the specs of Spirax S4 ATF HDX so I wasn't changing it for 3 years just topping off after a winter nap but it turned out after many-many heating ups/cooling offs it looses its' whatever quality required by the 355 F1 and I got to disengaging a gear until the car cools down for a few so I flushed it off and it was all good.
• I mentioned in another thread the best is to do it w/ SD1 or SD2 or Leonardo whatever (seen this year Chenese came up with some analog of Leonardo) - but it $$$$$ costly. The SD1 opens up one valve after another letting the oil to drain from each hose.
• The way without SD1 changes 75% of oil or 750ml of 1L of the full capacity:

1. Drain all oil from the drain plug by the gearbox (0.5L and it will take 5mins to drain let it stay another 30-60mins to dry off all oil from the hose walls.
2. Drain all oil from the drain plug on the pump. (0.25L and it will take 3-5mins to drain let it stay another 30-60mins to dry off all oil from the hose walls.
3. Take off LH Shield, disconnect the LH tail lights plug and the pump.
4. Disconnect LH air channel and hung it up by a thick cable is in there to free up a room for yourself to work in there.
5. Take off the accumulator bulb.
6. Use wrench 7mm loose the pump clamp. Just loose it off so the clamp is hanging freely. Don't take it off.
7. Gently pry the pump cap off.
8. Get 4-5 Q-tips. Gently suck out oil from the pump filter until it is dry. Use clean Q-tip to wipe the dirt from the filter: VERY GENTLY. Cleaning the pump filter is not needed to do every year. Every 5-7 years I would say unless nobody ever cleaned it up and it's super-dirty so when it's super-dirty it's not able to pick dirt in oil no more so you would need to do it again next year.
9. Put the pump cap back and tie it up.
10. Use a straw and fill the oil to the top of thread of the pump for the accumulator bulb
11. Use the straw to fill up the oil on the hole on the accumulator pump.
12. Put a piece of a small tape on the accumulator tip where you added oil. That is to not to let air in when you turn the accumulator bulb upside-down to screw it in. I used Scotch Magic Tape you can get from an office supply store.
13. Put the accumulator ball to the thread so the oil will be from both sides of the tape - from the accumulator ball and from the pump connector thread and pull the tape by another hand (very gently).
14. Scew the accumulator ball in. To tight it up just use both hands and tie it firmly. No tools. The pump body is alluminum and if God forbid you overtight the ball damaging the pump thread will be a very-very costly mistake.
15. Connect back the plugs and the air channel.
16. Put back the LH shelf.
17. This will spit a few drops of oil to in there. The best is to use a hose and wash it off. You can use a paper-towel but applying pressure to the fiber-plastic screen will scratch a paint off from it and/or it tied by a 10mm nut you can push the screen off and securing it back in place you would need to disassemble many pieces off
18. Turn the ignition to position II see the pump sucking up the oil.
19. Turn engine up for 15 mins. Thus will heat up the oil.
20. Measure the stick and top it off to the max.
21. Ta-da. You changed 75% of oil.
22. Drive the pup for a few weekends/a month then repeat the procedure. With having 75%new - 25%old oil from the first flush doing another 75% of the change will do about 90% of the F1 oil change on the 2nd change after the oil mixes up for some dime of driving the 355.

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Within the pressurized portion of the system the only little oil will come out when you take off the accumulator bulb if the power unit keeps the pressure. After changing the 75% of oil outside of the pressurized portion of the F1 the oil will mix after a few drives. After a few drives you change again the 75% of that oil that mixed and you will get 90% of the change. Because you can't flush that 250mL inside of the hoses and the actuator you will never get 100% of oil flush without SD1. If you do it x3 times you'll get 97% of oil change which to me is pretty good comparing $35 for oil to a SD1 service $$.