UPDATES: well, the manual did say that the light will flash when the clutch is not fully/properly engaged (cannot remember exact term), and i think we were 80% on the correct path.
even if i am an now questioning the initial diagnosis that the original 355 f1 pump was low-pressurized, and that it was only the matter of the clutch; i tell myself that since the car is at the shop dismantled, fvck the price and do everything all at once

turns out the clutch-release bearing leaked, so i just put in an order with Ricambi (i am amazed by how good Daniel Pass' customer service is) for a Hill Engineering throw-out and it will ship TODAY
i also threw in a new sensor kit, and that way, i would have:
installed a new clutch, new pump (of a Modena + adapter for 355), a new clutch release bearing, and a new sensor

thus, i am guessing and hoping that this will get the clutch/f1 system back to tip-top AND improved shape (stronger pump, tougher bearing)

in the first pic below, you can see the adapter installed at the top of the unit

in the second, you can see the OEM bearing; at first i thought the flange was an issue but thankfully and hopefully it is not

finally, the 3rd and 4th are of the clutch
unfortunately the 355 is my only "manual" car so i have no idea what to look at to see what 'damage' the bearing/pressure of pump did to the clutch.
any pointers?

 

Love the F355!!!
I know you probably cannot pass by the shop everyday to take pix... so maybe you should give the guy working on your car a camera so he can document everything for you...

 

bo yosif, elmotar o ra3eeh ta7t amrik yal3oud thanks for helping out with the thread title

that is a cool idea, let me see what i can do.
i will be taking the next 3 days off from work, so i will make sure to pass by every day after gym to check up on the car.
as i have mentioned above, i have new parts coming in anyway so the car should be staying for longer than i expected

is there anything you can tell me about the clutch condition just by those 2 pics?
is there something i should be looking at to showcase slippage and loss of grip from the bearing?

 

still pending arrival of the throw-out + sensor
they are in dubai currently and hopefully will be forwarded tonight

meanwhile, time to toughen this pretty boy up
i am in the process of ordering a challenge grill; a predominantly aesthetic motive, but i'm hoping it really does make a difference cooling the engine bay a bit with the extra ventilation it offers

the original Ferrari part goes for $2,255 (before shipping)
and i am working now on paying for a new one (not OEM) for $900 shipped to Kuwait
you can find it here , if anyone is interested. i have read many excellent reviews over at fchat

a bit of a process awaits, with bank transfers and all and mismatching weekends, since they do not take visa online. but i need the drama to keep my mind off missing the car already

below is a pic of a friendly fchatter's car with the grill

 

Good luck with the project, challenge grille is a must! Looking forward to seeing it all polished & waxed with everything in order!

 

modena pump is in
new clutch and sensor as well
god willing we will install the metal bracket tomorrow once it is ready for the pump, and it should be ready for the bleeding process

unfortunately the Hill Engineering bearing was installed before i could go and snap a photo or two

i am hoping i can test it tomorrow
and i am waiting on the guys in the UK to email me back regarding my challenge grill (the wire should be completed this tuesday)

question

do you think i should paint the brake calipers in red, yellow, or keep as black?

 

Great thread!! The F355 is the car I dreamed of as a kid. The challenge grille totally changes the car for the better.

 

Keep the calipers as is.

 

me too! ever since i saw The Rock, i think i was 11, i KNEW a yellow F355 was my dream car

i think i will be going with yellow

update: unfortunately the bracket is not ready yet
but i took this pic of the adapter and the wiring for a before/after shot when the pump is aligned

 

bracket finished, and installed
started the car, pump pressurizes a LOT quicker so that's good
still need to bleed it though and take it to 1st/2nd while idle.

1st pic: you can see the bracket and the screws
2nd pic: bracket from top, and the adapter that the wires are feeding through to the solenoids
3rd pic: assembly as it is now

and the 599 is wrapped actually, not its colour. which is funny because i was kinda playing with the thought of wrapping mine to be black. but i already decided against it, and now after seeing the 599, i am even more against it than ever

anyway so i think my 1st trip will be to clean the engine bay. it is getting on my nerves, and it was dusty today so it made it even worse!!
i am guessing steam cleaning would be best, right?