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Illusive First Gear

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by DANCER308, Apr 24, 2013.

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  1. DANCER308

    DANCER308 Formula Junior

    Oct 24, 2009
    935
    KY
    Full Name:
    Dan
    #1 DANCER308, Apr 24, 2013
    '79 308 GTS. Went for a drive 2 weeks ago, everything was good. Stopped for a red light, light turned green, clutch, shift into first, let out on the clutch and nothing, the car did not move. PANIC! Shifted into second and drove off. Several stop lights came and no problems. The next time it happened, I shifted into reverse and back to first, everything fine. This does not happen every time but I am starting to experience this a little more often. Sometimes when this happens, I can shift back to neutral, move the stick all the way to the right and back to the left put it in first and all is well. I searched for similar problems and it seems that a linkage adjustment is needed. Don't know why sometimes first works and sometimes it doesn't. All other gears work fine.
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,310
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #2 tazandjan, Apr 25, 2013
    Dan- Not that hard to do, just fiddly. Did it on my 78 GTS decades ago.
     
  3. Drew Altemara

    Drew Altemara Formula 3

    Feb 11, 2002
    1,537
    Tuscaloosa, AL
    Full Name:
    Drew Altemara
    #3 Drew Altemara, Apr 25, 2013
    Be sure to start off with the car in gear (second perhaps) when you make the adjustment. With a little fiddeling you should be able to figure it out.

    Just put in gear each time you make the adjustment so you do not lose your place as it can be hard to sort out then.

    Good luck.

    Drew
     
  4. DANCER308

    DANCER308 Formula Junior

    Oct 24, 2009
    935
    KY
    Full Name:
    Dan
    #4 DANCER308, Apr 25, 2013
    Thanks for the words of encouragement. I will work on this next winter. I took the car for a ride today, first gear was always there. Go figure! Must be a Ferrari thing.
     
  5. 2dinos

    2dinos F1 Rookie

    Jan 13, 2007
    3,060
    #5 2dinos, Apr 27, 2013
    It's not a Ferrari thing, it's a shift shaft bushing. It's a little $50 bushing (looks like $5, but that's besides the point) that's in the shifting shaft bottom forward side of trans. It sees heat and leaking oil drops, and plenty of road filth. The rubber within is minimal, and the throw on the Ferrari is pretty precise, so when this bushing ages, you experience exactly what you've described.
     

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