And that just proves once and for all that the F1 system in the 355 is glorious and just a electromechanical hydraulic selector system, as the transmissions are identical!! Thank you so much for sharing. I have owned both and find the F1 fantastic to drive, especially in urban environments. Yes, Gated are the kings, but F1 in the 355 is an epic achievement for the time period. Cheers! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I don't own an F1 but found it very interesting. Awesome that the guy did this setup and made a video of it.
Was it the chunk of 4x4 wood that you like the best? Haha, I made that video. Initially I was going to make a circuit board with switches so I can engage each solenoid. But then it said, screw it I'll just use a chunk of wood lol. Anyway, I had not been able to find any videos showing how these actuators operated. I know it's quite crude, but I'm hoping that it may help somebody either understand or build their own testing rig if they're ever having F1 issues.
I think it's 100% "mega" The chunk of wood was a great idea as I think it helps people to see and understand whats going on. Granted you could have created a prancing horse on the block of wood, with your wood-burning set, to add some legitimacy. Certainly think keeping it "crude" or simple takes out some of the fear factor for some folks and makes what you did more relatable. Kudos to you. As an aside, had you machined a metal gear lever in a metal gate and attached it to the actuator.... well, that would have been legendary!
Seems odd to me that EV5 is reverse lockout. It must get pretty warm being almost constantly activated. Or are the solenoids de-energised once the gear has been selected?
I was thinking about that as well. My assumption is that they are de-energized after the gear has been selected. The actuator seems pretty solid, meaning you cannot move it between gears by hand. I would imagine that an improperly bled system with air bubbles would wreak havoc as then It allow for movement
GTE Engineering has built a bench test platform. I remember seeing a photo of it on their website maybe. They're the guys that can take your full system and rebuild/reseal it for a fraction of the cost of buying new parts from Ferrari.
Apparently they also have some way of making the shifts faster too. Just noticed it on their website. Surprised they're not a sponsor on here to be honest. But seems they're busy enough without it.
He still comes around and posts an update here and there. Personally I don't think there is much to be gained but if the TCU can be recreated cheap then it's a worthwhile cause.
Isn’t the TCU already available as a rebuilt unit? They are listed on eBay. It’s not cheap but it’s available and that’s a plus.
Yes, this company: http://ferrarioc.com/ They sell the reproduced units. They also can help diagnose TCU issues. I found them very helpful with it.
@kenneyd I love the video...and kinda had a feeling it was you based on the color of the car in you YT avatar. The video is epic and thanks for doing that. The red 4x4 is the key. It looks like you put in new solenoids in the hydraulic unit...yes? If so what did you use?
These are the original solenoids and parts removed from my 99. I had a failed TCU. I thought about buying a new one from FAI when he diagnosed it, but I just love banging gears in that gated shifter I've been toying with the idea of just selling the parts
I'd keep them. The F1's time will come IMO. Next decade they'll be more sought after than the manuals I think. They're misunderstood and the aftermarket support is only getting better with time.