Fchat has good info but half the threads are about depreciation and value per mile. I quit going there.

 

This is why you buy any older Ferrari in a manual..

 

Mark, you're right Fchat has a wealth of information and it really lets you understand the car.. however the f1 system in the 355 is the most disputed topic that i have come across in my research

the fact is: ferrari made a huge mistake in having the unit in the 355 be a single one which you cannot get parts for and rather must buy the whole thing (at least 16k!)
this has been addressed in the 360, and later in the 430. but still, trying to diagnose the f1 online is a lot of trouble.
my biggest mistake is being WAY too nice with this shop that my car spent 4months at. it is the first time i deal with them, and there is no other independent that has the equipment (skilltester console shown at least) to work on 355s. trust me when i say i knocked on EVERYBODY's door

Green, true!

allan, the f1 in the 355 is just too italian. i agree a manual 355 would be so much easier to maintain but i would have never owned one so i don't like THAT prospect

 

at the AD shop now
needs: tranny oil change + gearbox rpm sensor (electromagnetic sensor)

$243 part at ricambi

dealer quoted me $1.55k (inc tranny oil change) inc labour obviously

lol <- all i can say

waiting for the mechanic to come back from a road test and see what this will do.. sure, this will get the car to engage 1st on the new pump, but what then? about the flashing when car heats up?

we shall wait and see. no option but to go with AD at this point. approve the 1.5k and hope for the best.
if it does the deed, i will have no regrets

updates to come

 

part referred to is no. 81 on attached pic

 

AD's SD3 shows pump is giving 54 bar pressure.
but back in the engine bay, releasing the valve opening does not yield shooting f1 oil.

i give up on italian engineering - if there was ever such a thing

told him i will get him the 355's pump tomorrow, in the meantime they will check all piping and installation

going into the 5th month since all this started. and a year before that since i actually "drove" the car.

 

Cool thread! I don't understand more than half of the mechanical things you describe, but it's great to see that you are determined to fix your F355.
Good luck with everything bro and keep us posted!

 

thanks Mietek, the mechanical thing is not that complicated really. allow me to sum it up very quickly

- f1 used to shift just fine. however, when the car heats up, the light that reads which gear you are in flashes/blinks.
- only ONCE did it go to Neutral, and only ONCE did it refuse to shift up to 5th. both times, shut down car, restart, and it would be fine. mind you, this happened OVER 18 months ago but i don't drive the car much anyway.
- the owner's manual says the flashing/blinking of the light is caused by not 100% clutch engaging, while the lead mechanic at the AD said this is due to loss in pressure. to me, that is one and the same thing: tear and wear stuff
- i installed a new clutch, clutch sensor, throwout bearing, as well as getting a Modena 360 pump because it is stronger + installed it using an adapter to fit on the 355 F1 unit

now, on the SD (official computer for and from Ferrari), the mechanic at the AD showed me that the reading on the computer is exactly where it should be at.

however, when we "physically" check the oil pressure, by releasing the valve that the oil enters the accumulator from, the oil does not shoot as if the pressure is indeed high (like when you shake a coke ) so he will be checking all piping and installation of this pump.
i have my old 355 pump, and i will try and take it to him this week to see if it works or what happens (mind you, no one confirmed 100% that my 355 pump is getting weak. i just changed it to the 360 pump. long story)

i HOPE this helps + it was a nice summary since i am nearing 50 posts

the good thing i can take away from all this is that the AD's inspection of the car did not yield anything except a faulty sensor for the gearbox (old one off, new one on) and recommended an F1 cover change + told me to change engine mounts (which i did not approve)
car is otherwise in perfect condition, and i hope to enjoy it once it's back before i take it for a major service + tires so it's completely good until 2017 god willing

 

Now it's a lot easier to understand Also, it's great that you update this thread all the time. Someone might have a similar problem in the future, and I'm sure this will help. Best of luck with the project!

 

AD tells me my brand new 360 pump does NOT work.
the mechanic confirms that on a tester-pump from them, the car is shifting (i did not completely understand what he meant when he said they are using the computer to shift the car).

i bought the 360 pump as was discussed here brand new from ricambi, $800 before shipping.
i seriously am not sure whether or not i want to go 'have a word' with the shop my car was at because i know myself too well to realize that i will not let my mouth do the talking

14 months ago, before being a married man and a father, i would've went and kicked the mechanic's face in and forced him from his fvcking head to an atm to withdraw those $800 just to put it in his mouth

i DO believe that the idiots shorted the brand new pump and pissed away, not the $800, but 4 months of my life

a bit infuriated right now, and will wait it out and think like the family man i am now "supposed" to think like before taking any action

apologies for the rant