Another damn cat story.......(long)

[riverflyer]

When I swapped the 355 for a 360 i liked everything about the new car except the sound. Even with Fuchs sport exhaust, which is deep and aggressive, it just did not have the same quality of sound the tubi/test pipes 355 had. I know the whole test pipe thing is a buzzsaw here, but for me just dealing with the fumes for the first 20 minutes was enough to convince me that I wanted the cats cleaning my air, to say nothing of the air quality I was affecting. So I knew I wanted cats, just less restrictive ones than stock.

OK, what does it take to change the cats? Can't be that hard, right??

Well, unlike most "normal" cars, Ferraris designers consider performance and aesthetics but seemed to ignore practicality completely. Maybe a turn of the nose to their northern engineering type neighbors!
Jack the car up, take off the wheels, the mudflaps and then (of course) the bumper). To remove and refit the cats, I had to remove the Gruppe M intake totally, one of the drip panels, the deck lift etc etc.
Three days later, interspersed with a few business emergencies and several trips to the auto parts store (19 mile rt) I had learned the ins and outs of my car thoroughly.
Like many projects undertaken on this board, it was a bit of a "phone tree" group effort. I want to thank and acknowledge some of the board members that leant an ear to help in my maiden voyage. Chris(GTO84) went out of his way to help and to share his considerable Ferrari knowledge, Rich(Redhead) spent the time to look up some parts info even though he is swamped with Monterey tasks, Warren(warrent) who made a very nicely detailed post with pics about installing a Tubi(see the archives), Rob from Indiana, Brian(rifledriver) and Jeffrey(as himself) also pitched in. Oh yes, and Phil(ferrarifixer) even threw down a couple of pms from down under!!

I have never been so deep into dismanteling a car this expensive before and it was so cool to be able to call the chatters above who could lend a virtual hand by email or phone and I thank you one and all. That willingness is what makes this community work so well.

After I got the cats I saw an ad for a good deal on a lightly used Capistro 3 and sent away thinking I could try it out and resell if I did not like it.
Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Since I had to remove the exhaust to get to the cats, my plan of "sampling" the two exhausts went out the window. I committed to trying the Capistro.
So Larini sport cats, see the following from their website,

Ferrari 360 (all), Larini 'Sports’ Cats:

· Deliver an extra 32 bhp.

· Deliver an extra 47 lb-ft of torque.

· 200 cells per square inch for maximum flow with minimal backpressure.

· No adverse legal, environmental or technical implications

· Guarantee a more free-revving engine with improved throttle response

· Significant horsepower gains and a huge increase in torque.

· Engineered for maximum flow efficiency, using complex internal Cat ‘cores’ (Larini Metalith).

· Parabolic megaphone inlet cone design guarantees even flow distribution across the Metalith core - whilst minimizing packaging length.

· Reversion pulse outlet cone activates catalytic material for full length of the Metalith.

· Ultra durable T.316 Austenitic stainless steel heat casing protects components from heat distortion.

· Each 'individual' Cat is rated up to 300 bhp.

· Mandrel bent pipe work allows a constant internal diameter, maintaining a smooth, constant gas flow.

· Vastly freer flowing in comparison to the standard ceramic cats.

· Pipework, bosses and Cats are fully 'Mirror Finish' Polished.

· 100% Tig welding construction.

· Correctly positioned, heat-distortion resistant, CNC-machined stainless steel Lambda bosses and heat probe connections.

· Precision engineered for accurate fit.

· The original lambda probes are retained in their correct positions for the proper operation of the OBD II (On Board Diagnostics II) system.





The stock Ferrari 360 catalytic converters have 600 cells per square inch (cpsi). These original cats are restrictive in their flow, only allowing an open area of approximately 55%. A Larini Systems ‘GT’ Sports Cat, alternatively, has only 200 cpsi, an open area of 92%, and offers near unopposed gas flow. The resulting increase in flow rates - with a virtual elimination of backpressure, allowing the engine to 'breathe' and perform better. Due to the removal of the 'sound - deadening' stock cats you're Ferrari will now sound as it should - ferocious.

So, Larini sports cats and capistro 3 combined with Gruppe M intake. There were parts all over, (always contain fasteners from each segment separately!), tools all over and what fun I had. Several tense moments but all in all a very enlightening project.

Anyway, cutting directly to the meat of it, the sound is completely off the hook. Very deep and urgent, but with that spine tingling howl that builds up into an alto shriek, punctuated by the heavy breathing of the cf intake chambers, the off throttle burbles and blaps like a good race car and a truly beautiful high end song.
Good news, the car pulls like a freight train all the way through the gears, and the low end stumble is gone, just gets up and goes. I wish there was a dyno in the area because the power gains are very very perceptible and the torque is improved through the range.(I am not saying it is 47 ft-lbs but it is very real)
I am so stoked with the process and the results.

Bad news is ( and I am deferring final judgement until after driving to and fro to Monterey this week) I think the Capistro 3 would be perfect with stock cats but COMBINED with the Larini cats the car is like a junkyard pit bull just waiting to tear your leg off!! I don't feel I can drive as I want to because the sound is just SO big and as much as I appreciate race car sounds, there is a "community" limit and I may have exceeded it, if you know what I mean.

I am 90% certain I am going back to the Fuchs as I know with the cats it will be super aggressive but now quite loud. (If anyone wants a Capistro 3 with under 1k on it, price is my cost of $2027, just pm me)

Besides, I am now practically an expert on the change over!!!

[bumboola]

Hey John, great post. With a little more driving time you may change your opinion about the Capristo - you make it sound perfect as is!

Where did you get the Larini cats from, and in your opinion, are they a better product than the Hyper-Flows?

Thanks, Paul

[bobafett]

John - you have one of the few 360s that make me want one. The car must sound absolutely AMAZING. You have to let me hear it down in monterey. Gimme a shout on your way down.

--Dan

[RichardCH]

& somebody else who can see the enormous benefits of just changing the cats.

I would agree with Ferrari's not being constructed in a logical manner, the amount of work I had to do just to strip the Challenge rear grill was just silly but then thats probably why Ferrari doesn't actually make any money ....

I'm just in the garage for an hour dear ......

[SrfCity]

I wonder how they would sound with a Tubi? Or, is it just too over the top with the new cats?

[riverflyer]

Hey Paul, mind you I am just doing all this work to tide me over until you decide to sell your CS to me!!
I don't know about how the cats compare but do know the Larini cats deliver the performance. I can imagine what they would do to the sound of the cs. I have an arrangement with Larini and can get a 20% discount if there are 4 or more buyers and 15% if 2 or more.
Dan, we will see you in Monterey, we will be cruising right through and plannning on going down the coast. Are you going to the dinner Friday night?
Richard, exactly, only in this case I kept calling her out to help me refit the bumper!!
Srfcity, I can let you know if I go back to the Fuchs. Not sure where the tubi lies in the capistro sound levels but I think it is similar to the fuchs and should be perfect. At least thats what I am hoping.

[scycle2020]

my 360 spider sounded just perfect with just tubi and standard ferrari cats..great throaty sound down, high striek up high and loud but not too loud...could still hear the stereo unless over 7000 prm....it was simple and easy, but if you like to tinker, playing with different cats could be neat...i just nervous tinkering around with high end ferraris...too much expensive and quarky equipment involved...

[lawwdog]

John,

looks like you missed a nut and bolt on the bumper...



Kidding of course. Maybe I can hear it in Monterey. See you there.

Nice write up..maybe you can get some part time work with Brian.

Mario

[bobafett]

John,

So you ordered test pipes or the sport cats? I am considering switching to test pipes just for analysis purposes, although that might be too loud (not to mention less than legal if I were to drive it on the road, not that I would) - so the sport cats option seems very interesting.

Also curious why you went with Larini instead of QS or hyperflow?

--Dan

[riverflyer]

Dan, well we didn't read very carefully did we!!?
Cats. And I chose Larini from some reccomendations they got in the euro section, their website info and talking with one of the techs about the product.
PM'ed you

[Gershwin]

John,

Why not the Hyper-Flow? What was the recommendation that sold you on the Larini? Any probs w/ sensors and such?


Stephen

[RossoCorsaItaly]

Originally Posted by Gershwin

John,

Why not the Hyper-Flow? What was the recommendation that sold you on the Larini? Any probs w/ sensors and such?


Stephen

Probably the price, not sure how much Larini's run for but $3k for cats is deep for some.

[thecarreaper]

John, this is a great thread! i love seeing the new cars with folks who are not afraid to work on them at home, good for you!

as for too loud..... how can a 360 "BE" .... "TOO LOUD " ....

[bumboola]

Originally Posted by riverflyer

I have an arrangement with Larini and can get a 20% discount if there are 4 or more buyers and 15% if 2 or more.

John, count me in.

I really like the heat shielding feature and from the photos and description they appear to be very well made. Can you contact me with the details?

Thanks, Paul

[riverflyer]

Paul, I could not find your email address any longer. I sent you mine in a pm.

Michael, thanks for the encouragement. Part of my decision was by choice, but the other prod was necessity. Its a long 3 hours each way to a shop or about 400 miles roundtrip, so its a real hassle, requiring two cars or hotels etc etc. Much more fun doing it at home and with all the great help on the board, even a novice like myself can make it happen. I have a good local mechanic, but since mine is the only 360 he has worked on, this job would have been all new to him anyway, so figured it would be fun to just do it myself. I've done lots of building and I am finding there is a lot of correlation between mechanics and woodworking. I used to disdain working on all things metal but am now embracing the dark side!!!

[riverflyer]

Originally Posted by Gershwin

John,

Why not the Hyper-Flow? What was the recommendation that sold you on the Larini? Any probs w/ sensors and such?


Stephen

I spoke with a euro member and he raved about the sound. Torque and sound were the carrots so that seemed reason enough to try them. I have added hi flow cats to several other cars including my present porsche and it has always been productive. I am really impressed with the response of the 360 though, really opened her up.
The cats are made beautifully but in small numbers. I had to redrill the thermal probe bung as the fitting was slightly off center the body hole. Fit and finish of the units is beautiful though, and when I mentioned the minor fitment issue, they were very responsive, offered a shipping rebate for my time and handled the issue very professionally. This alone was very refreshing. I have had a lot of sports cars and added stuff from many vendors that were not nearly as attentive.