I believe on page 1 or 2, there was a long post which contained this advice: 7) Gears selection should be heavy when oil cold (miss 2nd out to save the synchros) once hot the shift should be quick and smooth for all gears. Can anyone elaborate? Do i read this to mean when the gearbox is still cold, skip 2nd gear?
Ian, to answer your question, basically yes. When the gearbox is cold it doesn't really like to shift very easily. If you try to go from 1st to 2nd, you usually have to somewhat force it. It is much easier to go from 1st to 3rd to 5th until the box is up to temp. Easier for you to shift and easier on the box. This gives the syncros an easier life. Darrell.
A couple people have mentioned about a sticky 2nd gear. I have never experienced this, warm, or cold. Making an effort to pay attention to it, i feel a little resistance going into the gear. I am not sure if it is relavent, but the previous owner put some sort of performance clutch into it, and it is relatively new, apparently quite a lot within the transmission was changed. Apparently it is an oem upgrade, but better than the stock original 355. I dont know any more than this... anyone know what i am talking about?
The shift from 1st to 2nd in virtually all manual cars is "easier" once the gear oil is hot (thinner) compared with cold. Even my 1.4TDi Audi crunches a little bit when cold, its just that the gearbox internals are larger and more beefy in something with 380bhp and the Ferrari components are MUCH more expensive. Just as you dont rev the engine too much until the engine oil is upto temperature you should also skip 2nd until the 'box is upto temp. In earlier Ferrari's you virtually HAD to skip 2nd (wouldnt go in) the 355 will go in but the crunch just adds wear that isnt really neccesary in my opinion. My original posts warning of this was meant to emphasise that when testing a potential purchase once the oil had heated up the shift through 2nd should be perfectly smooth.
Thats all it is, the synchro's should be almost pulling the thing into the next gear, the slight resistance = slight synchro wear (until oil hot).
