348 Clutch - how long should they last?

Julain, Yesterday I was at KHPC and was told the following by the MD:

348 clutches tend to last up to 14,000, depending on how the car has been driven.

Although the dual clutch is more expensive than the single plate clutch, it is easier to put in. So more in costs, but less in labour.

 

If you crank the starter motor with the chassis stationary on level ground, a forward gear selected, the clutch pedal depressed, and no brakes applied, can you detect any slight forward lurching (and have plenty of room in front of you for safety)? Can we also assume that the bleeding is freshly done?

While it's always possible to abuse a clutch (and I believe you when you say that you've been rational in your use) or have a flaw in materials and/or (re)assembly, the vast majority of us have not reported serious problems after only ~5K miles and 1~2 years from a major clutch refreshening. Do you know the "completeness" of the prior clutch work or what necessitated it?

There's also been quite a few threads about shifter linkage adjustments on your engine/gearbox type affecting the perceived shift feel -- might be worth a look too.

Good luck with getting it sorted...

 

Clutch life is directly correlated to how the car is driven. Do you do mostly stop-and-go driving or highway driving? Usually, stop-and-go driving uses more clutch. There are some who can use a clutch for many miles, while others can burn out a clutch in a thousand miles.

If you are absolutely positive that your driving habits aren't to blame, perhaps there's an adjustment that's needed? What did the dealer say when they indicated the car needed another clutch?

348's are known for notchy shifting. My '95 348 Spider was the same way initially. However, you can adjust the shifter linkage at the turnbuckles under the car and get it pretty smooth. It just takes a lot of time to adjust, try it, adjust, try it, etc before you get it right. I think it took me about 6 hours of tinkering with it before I finally decided that it was as good as I was going to get it.

 

Like has been said earlier...

You can melt a clutch in 1000 miles (or much less!) if you want, or it can go 100K miles. My 348 has 40K miles and has the original clutch. No problems whatsoever.

 

There are several threads (some even with pictures) that discuss adjusting the linkage. However, since I hate it when I get told to search the archives when I have a question instead of people just answering the question, here goes:

If you remove the two small panels under the car so that you can get to the front of the engine area, there is a small, rubber box (approximately 3 x 5 inches, with a metal bottom piece. (location guidepoint: It is located under the car towards the rear of the car from the firewall, towards the drivers side, towards the front of the engine. There are two rods that go into it.

If you take the metal piece off of the bottom of the rubber box, the linkage adjustment points are there. (Other people have mentioned that there is another adjustment point under the car, under the shifter. However, I never messed with that one since it would have required taking the main underpanel off). Anyways, take some small wrenches and back off on the retainer nuts, then adjust the linkage. It's easier if someone shifts through the gears while you're looking at the linkage (with the car off, of course) so you can see how each gear pulls & pushes on the linkage to help you determine which to tighten & loosen. It takes some time to get it right. However, it does help once it's done. By the way, safety first, make sure you use jack stands & be careful when working under the car!

 

That's not right. Perhaps the clutch is misadjusted such that it isn't fully releasing. Or perhaps there is a transmission problem (possibly just really bad gear oil).

I'm on 25,000 miles with the original clutch on my 348 Spider. Butter smooth shifts between gears when warm. Easy but occasionally notchy shifts between gears right at startup when cold.

Do you notice any difference in shift feel when shifting through the gears with the engine off as opposed to with the engine running?

 

Is the clutch "slipping" when you accelerate? If yes, then the clutch will soon be dead. If no, then your problem is elsewhere.

Your clutch being good or bad is not going to be what makes it difficult to shift gears. Misadjusted, perhaps, but not bad.

What are your symptoms that make you think your clutch is bad?

 

still original clutch on mine at 35K miles (55K km) no problems so far,

 

btw, what does it costs a clutch change for the 348 ?

 

Sorry if i make a fool of myself now, but can someone please explain why dual-plate clutches is a much easier job to change than single-plate? Thanks

 

I was wondering about that, too. ?????

 

Holy mackeral am I glad to hear that...I was about to tank any thought of getting a 348.

 

Your description of there being a "a smaller window of travel at the base of the clutch" sounds like a dying clutch...EXCEPT that you aren't getting any slipping when you accelerate hard.

Regardless of your problem being your *current* clutch or not, I'd dump ALL of your brake/clutch fluid, replace the master and slave cylinders, fill up with all new DOT 4 synthetic brake fluid, replace the transmission filter and all gear oil in there...because doing all of that will cost less than 500 Pounds...and even if you later have to replace your current clutch, at least your *next* clutch will have a fighting chance.

There is also the strong possibility that the above changes fix your current problem without having to replace your clutch right now.

An $18 shift rod bushing from http://WWW.Durable1.com should be installed while the above fluid changes are being made (your transmission stays in your car for this enhancement)...and while your guys are replacing the shift bushing, they can adjust your shift rod linkage per the Ferrari 348 workshop manual, with *one* change: have them only make the shift adjustments with your gear-shift-lever clamped firmly into Neutral (the 348 workshop manual says perform this adjustment in 2nd gear...don't do it).

Likewise, you should UPGRADE your transmission gear oil. I prefer Red Line's synthetic 70W90 "Superlight Shock Proof Gear Oil" because it lets me shift into 2nd gear even when the car is cold...but other 348 owners have had great luck with Royal Purple's gear oil as well as with Red Line's MTL gear oil.

So let me modify the above...change your transmission filter and gear oil first. If that fixes your problem, then for less than $200 you've got a great driving 348.

If not, then change out your clutch and brake fluid...flush that whole system...consider even installing new master and slave cylinders. Again, if that fixes your problem, then you've spent very little money.

After doing all of that, then I'd consider a new clutch...but I'd do the new clutch as a last step...because you've got something in your system that is prematurely wearing out your clutch...and the above fluid and filter changes would have a good chance of at least fixing what is causing that premature wear...as well as possibly even fixing your shifting problem without having to buy a new clutch at all.

 

Also, what year model is your 348? I wonder if your year model 348 has all steel brake/clutch lines...because...plastic/rubber lines can, over time, with heat, start to give just a little...

...when such things expand just a little, you will get a smaller and smaller clutch window...strikingly similar to how you described your current experience.

Please ask your mechanics to go over your entire clutch/brake fluid lines to see if you have any non-metal lines *anywhere*.

I'd hate for a $4 part to cause you to be replacing $2,000 clutches every few thousand miles!

 

As others said, depends on how you drive the car. But I'm a bit surprised.
I don't know if it helps, but with my Mondial T (I guess same clutch than 348 ?) the clutch has been replaced once in 50K Miles, the current mileage of the car, it was at 40K Miles in fact.

 

I have 21,000 miles on original clutch
94 348 Spider

 

Ding ding ding!!! We have a winner!