430 Spider - Clutch not engaging properly in 1st gear (F1 gearbox) | FerrariChat
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430 Spider - Clutch not engaging properly in 1st gear (F1 gearbox)

Discussion in '360/430' started by wunderbar, Oct 29, 2007.

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  1. wunderbar

    wunderbar Rookie

    Apr 28, 2007
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    wunderbar
    #1 wunderbar, Oct 29, 2007
    Hi all,

    Did a search for this, but didn't turn anything useful up.

    I'm not so sure if this is a problem, or just something that is part and parcel with owning a car with a sequential gearbox... but I am hoping someone can explain whether this is a problem, or if I'm just not used to not having a clutch to modulate things.

    Sometimes when I down shift into first while slowing (e.g., slowing for a u-turn, or for a redlight, etc.) the car doesn't blip the throttle to match the (slightly higher) revs, and the car ends up jerking back and forth as if the clutch is bouncing off of the flywheel (i.e., like a novice driving a manual). Each time this happens, I immediately put the car in neutral, come to a halt, then re-engage the gears; however, the last time it happened, I was in the middle of a busy intersection and had to shift back into gear while the car was rolling. I've done this before with this and other sequential gearboxes with no issues, but this time I got a load squealing sound like the dog teeth grinding on a mis-shift.

    I haven't gotten any warning lights, wierd noises or anything after the squealing incident, so I assume all is well, but is the bouncing bit a problem? It has happened to me with the manettino in "slippery" and "sport" modes (rarely drive in the other modes around town).

    Thanks!
     
  2. cwwhk

    cwwhk Formula 3

    Nov 13, 2003
    1,535
    Hong Kong, Tokyo
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    Wayne
    #2 cwwhk, Oct 29, 2007
    Your clutch may not be set properly. You will need a SD2 or SD3 or set it. So go to your dealer to check it out.
     
  3. wunderbar

    wunderbar Rookie

    Apr 28, 2007
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    wunderbar
    #3 wunderbar, Oct 29, 2007
    cwwhk - Thanks for the info, and forgive the ignorance, but what is/are SD2 and SD3?
     
  4. 3604u

    3604u F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Sep 27, 2004
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    #4 3604u, Oct 29, 2007
    a diagnotic tool for your Ferrari ,
    HSM shld be able to rectify any problems.. if there are any.. .
     
  5. E60 M5

    E60 M5 Moderator
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    Jan 2, 2006
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    Robert
    #5 E60 M5, Oct 29, 2007
    Also, no need to down shift to first gear when coming to a red light, the car will do it for you!!


    Robert
     
  6. W. MITTY

    W. MITTY Formula Junior

    Oct 18, 2005
    297
    #6 W. MITTY, Oct 29, 2007
    You may be suffering from what in the airplane world is called "pilot induced oscillation", exept in this case it is driver induced (DIO). Happens to everyone when they are first learning to drive a clutch. It also is REALLY easy to do on an F1. I speak from experience, the first time I shifted the 430 into 1st while rolling in a parking lot it happened to me. My wife laughed at me, but I still looked pretty cool. Seriously. Here is what happens: you are coming down to a low speed, but one where 2nd gear would probably be sufficient to pull the car. (BTW, the F1 will use its brain to select the proper LOWER gear as you slow, if you allow it to. I always think the gear will be too high, but it's not). However, you ask the car for 1st and get it. As you know, 1st in the 430 is very, very low, and the smallest throttle input at moderate RPM (2000+) results in explosive thrust. So, you touch the throttle and the car lurches forward, causing you to release the throttle for an instant, and the car slows. Then your brain instantly says "don't get off the throttle, dummy, you are in an instersection" so you touch the throttle again and repeat the process. Pretty soon, you look like a fifteen year old girl learning to drive a clutch for the first time. "Lurch chugga lurch chugga lurch chugga' while your adoring fans watch from the sidewalk. This does not only happen with the F1; my manual transmission in the FordGT is prone to the same problem in 1st gear while driving in a parking lot. I know this may sound like a bunch of whooey, but lots of experienced race drivers deal with DIO on bumpy or undulating track surfaces and it feels like the engine is on the fritz.

    So, the solution is simple; get off the gas and start over, or if you are rolling, grab second gear and hold steady throttle. It will smooth out right away.

    Now, as far as the noise goes, I have no idea, unleass the DIO has been so severe that something in the clutch/driveline assembly has been tweaked.
     
  7. Racer98

    Racer98 F1 Rookie
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    Aug 7, 2005
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    #7 Racer98, Oct 29, 2007
    have you brought the car into Ferrari service so they can check the data system ?????
     
  8. Dipsomaniac

    Dipsomaniac F1 Veteran

    Mar 23, 2006
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    Derek K
    #8 Dipsomaniac, Oct 29, 2007
    I've experienced the same problem and basically avoid going into 1st now except when I come to a complete stop. Basically, if the car wants 1st it will do it itself. I was planning on asking HSM next time it went in for a service so would be interested to hear what they report back to you on yours.
     
  9. wunderbar

    wunderbar Rookie

    Apr 28, 2007
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    #9 wunderbar, Oct 30, 2007
    3604u - Great, thanks.

    E60 M5 - True... habit, I guess.

    W. MITTY - Good explanation! I'll try out your suggestion, sounds logical. I hope I never get PIO... I'm new to flying (in the process of getting my PPL).

    Racer98 - Not yet.

    Derek K - I haven't sent in the 430 yet, but I'm guessing they'll tell me it's normal... We've had severe issues with our 612's F1 'box (among other things) and the best reply they ever seem to come up with is either "It will cost $x,xxx.xx to repair" or, "It's normal lah!".
     

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