Cool it....

Nice job. I would humbly suggest that you consider wrapping your exposed headers in thermal exhaust tape. It's the quick/cheap version of external ceramic coating.

 

Have heard it hastens rust/corrosion as it traps moisture.

 

Hot gasses tend to flow faster. Fewer external things (your hands!) suffer heat damage...so longer life for your non-exhaust components.

As for reduced life of the headers; yes. Especially if you hose down the exhaust wrap while washing your car or live in a high humidity region.

 

I am not certain that this is the intent of the hose. On mine, this hose is aimed squarely at the side of the catalytic converters.

Seems that there was some paranoia at work over the heat given off by these guys, thus the external air directed towards them.

Cheers - DM

P.S. - Since my cats are long gone, I rerouted this hose to blow cold air onto the alternator since this is tucked in beneath the front header.

 

That hose predates cats. It is for the CV joint + boot.

Yours is installed wrong.

 

If your headers are stainless, then you can wrap them with no long term consequences.

 

I don't know if there is one specific item that it is supposed to cool. I've heard CV joint, diff, or cat. I have mine blowing in that area, but directed at the cat since that is the heat source.

 

Well, not to belabor this trivial detail point, but my copy of the 1980 USA spec 308 GTSi factory parts manual shows the use of dual catalytic converters along with this cooling hose. Conversely, my similar copy of the 1980 Euro spec 308 GTSi factory parts manual shows neither the cat converters nor this hose.

Further, recall that the USA spec headers were completely encased in an aluminum heat shield cladding with internal (asbestos?) thermal insulation. Yet the Euro headers were manufactured bare, without this insulation.

My point is that, if the factory concern was excessive differential or CV joint temperature ( .. and, speaking personally, I've never heard of this being a problem on any other street driven car), the rearmost Euro header would radiate far more local heat into the differential and CV joint area than would the thermally insulated USA counterpart. Yet the "hotter header" Euro versions apparently needed no such cooling tube.

However, it's clearly not the headers which create the most heat back there - it's the relatively restrictive USA market catalytic converters which were fitted at the time.

As I mentioned, it is very apparent that the factory was concerned about excessive heat radiating from these converters. How else to justify those always entertaining "Slow Down" cat converter overheating dash lights and related sophisticated electronic cat thermal sensing components fitted to USA spec only cars? Or how about the numerous additional layers of thermal insulation in the floor of the far shallower USA spec rear boot? Or that pair of USA spec only sheet metal air scoops fitted behind each rear wheel which forces wheel well air onto the cats? Far better to attempt to cool the source of this heat, rather than the recipient ... thus my theory about the intent of the hose being to direct cool outside air onto the cat converters.

However, at the end of the day ( ... and once again, not that this point really matters that much one way or the other), this is one of those "who knows for sure" philosophical questions. But, since it has come up for discussion, the idea put forth of the factories intent to blow external air onto the cats makes far more sense to me, for the reasons stated, than the idea of trying to aim this cold air onto a CV joint.

This issue is all rendered moot in my case anyways. I am currently cat-less, I am running a more compact and less restrictive Stebro aftermarket muffler, and I have removed the clunky thermal insulation from the headers and had these bare header tubes ceramic coated. The overall combination of this lot has resulted in dramatically cooler running temperatures back there, so this "mystery hose" is now redundant for me. Using new aluminum tubing (which I feel looks more appropriate than silicone hose), I have therefore rerouted the end of this hose forward to now direct outside air upon the face of the alternator fan - which clearly has the potential to fail should it become overheated and which otherwise has very little outside cooling air available.

Cheers - DM

 

Have it your way but the people that built the car say you are wrong.

 

I doubt that you can show such a source in print.

 

Man, I wish I had a set like No Doubt!

I note two facts:
1) The most common CV boot I see people saying they need to replace is inner right (the one the hose would cool if that's it's purpose). That's also the one that was failed on my 308 (with cats) when I got it.
2) The hose is called "Tubo da presa aria Dx al differenziale" makes me think it's supposed to be pointed to the right side of the differntial. Call me crazy!

Now I don't see where it predated cats, but have a hard time disagreeing with Rifledriver about where it's supposed to go.

I'm getting my popcorn to set on top of the computer, I'm sure you guys will generate enough heat to pop it!

P.S.-No Doubt, I will not engage in endless debate with you on the value of sacrificing your headers to keep the rest of the engine bay cool, fluid dynamics, or how to maintain any Ferrari, much less a 308, so enjoy your thread hijacking with Rifledriver. I'm content to leave it to the individual reader to determine who to believe .

 

Don't get too worked up about him, he's an idiot.

 

And I thought maybe I was mis-interpeting the F-car "gunslingers" responses to my inquiries and questions in previous posts here at FerrariChat. Hell, I now know that my earlier recieved "pistol-whippings" were just as I imagined...........Bullying!

When I think I know everything I will ?.......?.....
I'll think................. I ............ know everything!!

 

The same 3 or 4 on-line bullies can really raise the blood pressure on Fchat. It's unnecessary.

Nor are the on-line bullies always right, though I've yet to see any of them admit to a single error.

 

YES! I was the first to mention the diff (patting self on the back).

What prize did I win?

 

Then your reading is selective. I do it regularly.

If I am such a problem get me banned, see if I care.

 

I tried to help you but you consistantly and routinely ignored my instructions to help you find your problem. You failed to listen on several occasions and it turned into a waste of my time. I fire employees for the same.


You don't have to listen and I don't have to help.


Like I've said before how many of the professionals come here any more? We do this for a living and we do it here for free and we have to put up with this B U L L S H I T too? ******* Y O U.

 

I don't want you banned, I just want you to be civil. Calling me an idiot and mocking me (in error, the irony appears lost on you, however) in your tagline in every post that you make is hardly civil.

You may have talent, but you act like Terrence Owens and countless other NFL prima donnas who think that the world can't live without them.

I'd prefer for your talents to be enjoyed without such attitude/controversy.

But if you can't be civil, then expect to be called out when you bully newcomers or make technical errors rather than to have the benefit of the doubt given to you.

 

Is the corn popping yet?

Hi Michael, I'm gonna go check my Swiss spec Euro. Interesting.....

edit: mine has no outlet or hose, and my parts manual lists a CH only part (another Swiss difference!)

 

Dont hold back anything now Rifledriver