355 - Lost my clutch (manual 5.2) | FerrariChat

355 Lost my clutch (manual 5.2)

Discussion in '348/355' started by Klas, Apr 3, 2021.

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  1. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Today on the first real spring trip the clutch was lost all of a sudden when changing gear. The pedal had no resistance pressure at all and I stopped immediately in neutral. Looked then under the car and from the rectangular mesh under the clutch cover it was pouring a lot of hydraulic oil out on the ground. Anyone have the same experience and an idea of what can be wrong and cure?
     
  2. GatedF355GTB

    GatedF355GTB Karting

    Dec 5, 2017
    169
    You need a new slave cylinder. The function of the slave is to disengage the clutch via hydraulic pressure.
     
  3. emac

    emac Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 14, 2014
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    upstate SC
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    ernest
  4. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Thanks for input. Yes maybe it is the slave cylinder as a lot of fluid came out. Could it be maybe the tripple sealing instead?...or both?

    Also, where is the bleeder nipple for the clutch system located in the car? (Manual)

    As the fluid reservoir is the same as for the brakes, is there a risk that it gets air into the brake system when the clutch breaks down?
     
  5. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    That quantity fluid (enough to drip out of the bottom of the pumpkin) is only really going to be coming from the clutch slave. You may also have leaky triple seals, but that is usually more of a seepage. Anyway, it’s good practice to change the triple seals while you’re doing the clutch.


    bottom right hand side of the pumpkin. You see the tube coming down, if you follow the tube back you see where it screws into the top of the gearbox housing.

    Although the reservoir is one unit, it is baffled inside so that you don’t lose fluid to the brakes.
     
  6. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Thank you for inputs. I will change all seals I think. Maybe clutch as well when doing job in that area. Inspect it tomorrow. Disassembeld the rear bumper and exhaust today as a start
     
  7. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    Hill Engineering makes a nice replacement unit. I purchased one from Ricambi and ended up getting viton triple seals as well. Not a bad job, but bleeding the slave can be stubborn. The clutch master piston will go in and not want to return out (pedal stays down) so you must reach in and manually pull it back out. Many people will power bleed it to prevent this from happening.
     
  8. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
  9. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    What affordable tool to use for power bleeding?
     
  10. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Also, what it the thickness of a new clutch plate? Mine is 8mm.
     
  11. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    8mm is plenty thick.
    Use Motive bleeder for clutch bleeding.
     
  12. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
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    ok, just to be super clear. 8mm over both disc.
     
  13. emac

    emac Formula Junior
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    Sep 14, 2014
    851
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    ernest
  14. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

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  15. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
    Full Name:
    Tom
    Amazing your bearing has lasted this long.
     
  16. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    just curious what the production date is for your bearing?

    for example, this one is October 1998 (each dot in the clock represents a month, the number represents the year). I read somewhere that Ferrari beefed up the casting at some point and it would be interesting to know if they still fail after the modifications.

    Best of luck with the repair.

    Bob.
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  17. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    My bearing has the date code 1 plus three dots. Does it mean 1991 or 2001? The gearbox was manufactured 1996 and early 355:s had another bearing type, so it might have been replaced once already by a previous owner. The car has 97.000 km. (60.000 ms)

    Anyhow, I just ordered a new one from Hill Engineering plus all sealing and a clutch disc.

    Interesting to read that this is a common failure. I was a bit afraid that the pressure in the clutch system was too high due to bad return flow or something, but that I don't really want to believe.
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  18. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Maybe it is. The car has 97.000 kms / 60.000 miles
     
  19. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Ok, I thought that sealing was broken too. So this is a common failure? I hope the new one from HE will last better I just ordered.
     
  20. Carmellini

    Carmellini Formula Junior

    Jul 16, 2019
    814
    ^^^^Common failure and the Hill Engineering is extremely well made; you will not be disappointed. Good idea to replace the triple seals. I used the viton seals, which were very easy to install. My old seals were hard and in need of replacing:
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  21. spaghetti_jet

    spaghetti_jet Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2005
    846
    Europa
    Full Name:
    Bob
    Interesting. That would be March 2001, so that would kill the theory that the later bearings had better durability than the early ones. Thanks for sharing.
     
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  22. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    When doing work in this area one can check other parts as well. I checked the play in the gearbox axle. (Outer axle) What is a resonable play? I have a degree or two.
     
  23. 348Jeff

    348Jeff Formula 3

    Oct 25, 2011
    1,496
    UK
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    I've got a 1990 car that been upgraded to the later 355 style unit (from Ferrari) and that failed in the exact same way :-( Got a hills one in there now.

    BTW 348 is the easiest car ever to bleed the clutch on - you can do it even with the car on the floor...




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  24. 348Jeff

    348Jeff Formula 3

    Oct 25, 2011
    1,496
    UK
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    Jeff
    Just get yourself one of these bleeding tubes (or make yourself one) which is basically is a small silicone tube with a seal at one end and a slit cut in it with a sharp blade which makes a one way valve.

    Wouldn't use anything else now and use it for bleeding brakes clutch etc. Works 1st time - each and every time :)

    In the pic above I was doing a fluid change - as you can see I needed it and just had a control sample on the right to make sure it came through clean as new.


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  25. Klas

    Klas Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2014
    327
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Full Name:
    Klas Nilsson
    Great, I will use the same process. Don't you need to pump the clutch pedal to fill the system?I'm concerned that the level in the filler tank gets too low so air might get into the brake system as it's the same tank.
     

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