Hi, Probably a surprising title, but stick with me since I know how clutches work and my ask is deep than that. I'm a new F355 owner and just starting on an engine out journey which I'm doing myself. The engine, gearbox, clutch arrangement on these cars mystifies me though. On a traditional car the engine flywheel mates with the clutch friction plates, which then drives the input shaft of the gearbox, so the clutch is in the middle. On the 355 (348) the clutch is at the back, therefore I'm struggling to understand how the main output shaft of the engine passes through the gearbox to drive the flywheel, which in turn drives the clutch and then the gearbox back in the middle? The only explanation I have at the moment is that there is a shaft within a shaft, but that sounds like a weak spot. I've looked at the parts schematics and can't fathom how it works. Many thanks and apologies if this has been asked before. I did look around for the answer first.
Shaft on a shaft flywheel at the rear. Check the parts diagrams out online that will help clear it up when I get home I can post a picture of it for you. Sent using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Well, it's sort of like this. Take a traditional engine-flywheel-clutch-gearbox arrangement, imagine folding 180 degrees at the flywheel ... The key is the propeller shaft is a shaft in a shaft.
Yep, it is a shaft in a shaft, (the famous triple seals are sealing between these two shafts). Additionally (and obviously) the differential is incorporated into the transmission, making it quite a well designed and compact unit
ignore the red arrows.... look at the shaft (shaft inside a shaft) and you will see one for the engine power and the other for the transaxle via the clutch. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Bending aside, hollow shafts have more surface area and can take more torsional load, for transmitting power its perfect. While gear boxes can have problems, that shaft breaking is not one of the problems. Usually broken gears or synchro rings or bearings etc. http://www.ijrar.com/upload_issue/ijrar_issue_1799.pdf
Thanks all for the replies. I'm sure at some stage I'll end up replacing the clutch or looking at the gearbox in more detail, so this has been very insightful.
