Changing 355 gear oil step by step

Well after searching the forum on all the gear oil posts I didnt see one on step by step changing the gear oil. First off I am no expert and will share everything I learned from this little adventure. I posted a similar post on 355 oil change but didnt post pics sorry. I know this might seem easy to most of you, but some of us are a little gun shy of tearing into a $80,000 car!! Hope this helps!

First off you will need a set of large allen type heads that attach to your socket for the drain and fill pug. (Harbor Frieght) $10.

You also will need a long funnel to get the oil into the gear box (any tranny funnel works good!)

Something to collect the gear oil.

And finally the gear oil. I used Redline Lightweight Shockproof $10-$15 per quart (Many other posts on this topic). I talked to the dealer (FOD) and he said to be safe add some limited slip additive. I used the BG additive $10. My car used 5 quarts of the oil and the additive to get the perfect fill mark.

First off drive your car or get it up to temp to get the oil warm.

1. You will need to remove the drivers side air filter box to get access to the filler plug and dip stick (need one of those large allen heads). I would do this first to make sure you can get it off because mine the dealer put on with so tight I had to use my AIR TOOLS to remove. Kinda tight in there and I couldnt get enough leverage to get the damn thing off. THANK GOD the air tool broke it loose! Also, be careful taking off the air box not to loose the washers and the nuts, they are small!!


2. Raise your car to get access to the drain plug. A lift works great but I assume you could jack the car up if the car is level to get all the gear oil out. Let the car drain for a good 10 minutes to get all the old oil out to be safe. Replace the washer on the drain plug also if it looks worn at all.

3. I would replace either of the plugs if they show any wear or stripping. Some trucks I own I change them out every diff change per manual to be safe.

4. You can lower the car now to get better access to the fill area and add at least 4 quarts of oil then check the dip stick. One more quart should be right in the safe area and others might take one more. If you add the limited slip additive I would to that first.

5. Putting on the fill plug was kinda tight and then clean up the overspill. Luckily the mess isnt too bad because the oil leaks straight to the floor.

6. Put the air filter back on and test it out.

My car shifted ok before I changed the gear oil out and I now the car does shift much better and a major difference. I now make the gear oil a anual event with the oil change no matter how much I drive it.

Good luck

First photo is the top fill plug under the air box

Second photo is the drain plug

Third photo is special allen set needed from Harbor Frieght or any auto store

Last photo is the oil and additive I used.
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Great DIY post, thanks! I would add only one suggestion - before you pull the drain plug and drain the old oil, be sure to remove the FILL PLUG FIRST, just in case it's stuck and you can't get it out.

vty,

--Dennis

 

Cool thread Brent.
This is an easy job and good to hear that you get your hands dirty on your 355.

Here is a thread I made for changing gear oil in a 348 a while back.
(Basically the same sh*t )


http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101885&page=7

 

GREAT idea!!

 

Top tip time. Great write up by the way. Butch you said above that the filler plug was a little tight fitting it back. May i suggest you undo it again and use a little copper grease on the thread. In the picture bellow is a gearbox filler plug that took the best part of a day to remove. Not even an air tool could move it and the inner Allen key walls were rounding away. Eventually a nut had to be tack welded onto it and after a great amount of heat from a naked flame. Only then did it move. The thread was completely dry and locked it, all though the car had its gearbox oil changed only two years earlier. A little copper grease could have saved the day, and the cash for a new one.
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I've noticed that on each Ferrari I owned that the fill plug was difficult to remove. I put anti-seize on for the fill plug always now, and am careful not to tighten too much.

 

Just a reminder to replace the drain plug washer, it has a little rubber seal around that washer. DO NOT REUSE IT, because it will fail and leak if you reuse it. I ended up draining all the good fluid shortly to replace that washer after finding the leak around the old washer.

 

Good DIY post, thanks -

Same problem here, couldn't get my fill plug out (glad I tried that before draining!) I gave up and will try again when the engine is out for the major very soon...

 

A very odd phenomenon indeed!
I used the upside-down, inside spark plug socket method... a 3/8'' to 1/2'' adapter to my 1/2'' breaker bar... then a 4' steel pipe over the breaker bar handle. It still took everything I had to break it loose!! When it did break loose, the CRACK sound scared the crap outta me, and sent me flying across the garage!! It sounded like the whole tranny exploded!! Rediculous!!

Its no wonder why my neighbors all camp in front of thier bay windows when my garage door is open! lol

 

Same with my 328, I thought the housing cracked from the noise it made!

 

Raising this one from the dead...thanks to the OP as I just finished doing this myself and the instructions were spot on. I figured I would pay it forward with a few notes and photos of my own.

I also referred to this link: https://www.diyauto.com/manufacturers/ferrari/generations/f355/diys/changing-355-gear-oil-step-by-step-by-butch355

First, used a 1/2" 12mm allen socket with a couple of extensions to get the fill plug loose. Wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it might be. Breaker bar was definitely needed and I had an extension ready in case I needed it but this did the trick.

With that done I followed the jack/lift points document posted elsewhere on this site by Dave Rocks (easy to locate with a search). This was very helpful as this was my first time putting the car up on stands. A few photos of how I did it...I also used a few small pieces of leftover 1x2 at each jack point for the stands which worked great. I used a hockey puck on the jack itself (do yourself a favor and buy 4 of these as they come in really handy for this kind of work). I also put the jack under the pumpkin with just the slightest bit of upward pressure to keep the back end of the car very secure. Unlike my F150...the space between the bottom of the car and the ground is less then the width of my melon so taking every precaution is worth it.

With the car up I loosened the drain plug and of course dropped the damn socket into the oil. I let it drip for about 10 mins.

Back in goes the drain plug...again dropped my wrench into the oil. I actually tightened it with a torque wrench. I started at 20 and worked up to 30 ft/lbs. This seemed like plenty to crush the washer and get it sealed.

In goes the new oil and the fill plug which I simply tightened snug + 1/4 turn.

My initial drive shows some definite improvement in gear changes. I'm sure this will improve over the first 100 or so miles with the fresh fluid.

Hope this helps the next guy..
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Brian, no being critical but a couple points for safety...

The factory jack points are a bit too close together and the car can tip backward.

See this document I created - hope this helps.

Oops - EDIT - I see you had already found my doc...

Use the jack to lift at the factory points - then put the stands further back.

Love the garage, BTW
View attachment Ferrari_1998_355_Lift-Jack-Points_REV000.pdf

 

Thanks Dave! Appreciate you chiming in. I did place the jack under the pumpkin to make sure it didn't tilt backwards but I do see your point and will take your advice next time she needs to go up.

Thanks on the garage too.

 

My pleasure. The rear jack point is just a few inches back from the center of gravity so that's a scary spot for sure. It is however, convenient to pick up the whole side of the car from that one point

 

Is it safe using those aluminium jackstands? They look nice, I have some, but I recall they have half the rating of steel ones. With the centre of gravity near the rear, most of the weight will be on the rear jack stands.

Just a reminder .... Redline no longer recommend Redline Shockproof for the F355. Redline 75W90NS is ok (but may need a small quantity of Redline friction modifier).

 

As long as they are rated properly, nothing wrong with aluminum jack stands.

 

I think I was having a senior moment, Dave... I just rechecked mine and they're rated at 2 metric tonnes (so basically each one could support the whole car)