Aftermarket manifolds on but still not happy

Congrats on finding a good solution. It sounds like the Capristo headers with race exhaust combo sounds great. If you could take some video with your phone, that would be excellent so the rest of us could hear how it sounds.

 

I may get around to doing that but honestly I don't know how well it will turn out.
If you YouTube search "f430 capristo race" and click the vid of the white car posted by capristo automotive, skip to the end past the Dyno footage.
Another good one is the yellow car posted by Leonef430. That one has in car footage.
Finally the one of the grey spyder being followed is good.
These helped me with my decision and I feel they are accurate for the sound.

 

Due to the well known F430 header problem, I also changed my broken OEM headers with AP units ceramic coated. I did it with no great joy, because I am a big fan of 'everything stock', especially on a Ferrari. I did it only of necessity (or insurance), in order to avoid costly damages. Now, after having them on my car for a year and 12000 miles after (yes, I drive my car a lot and hard) and after comparing my car with other F430s, I can say the following:

- car is louder at idle, a little bit louder than OEM during cruising (valves closed) and aprx. 20% louder at full throttle (valves open)
- car becomes more quite when the exhaust system becomes really hot
- car is as loud as other cars with aftermarket headers and OEM muffler,cats etc.
- the tone is heavier, especially between 3000 and 4000rpm. I try to pass this range fast.

Now, am I happy with the new setup? No in terms of sound, Yes in terms of piece of mind and performance. As I already mentioned, I drive my car really hard and a lot, so having such worries in my mind is no option for me. The sound is loud, but not so bad. Surely you can live with it. And the majority of the people loves this sound. IMO, after spending money to buy aftermarket headers, the only solution for stock sound is going back to OEM headers (not experimenting with different muffler combinations etc - it is throwing good money after bad). I really don't like the Capristo mounts solution, as I think that the system will vibrate on different frequencies (engine/gearbox and chassis). If this was the solution, then maybe Ferrari would have campaigned it... I am afraid that it could put more strain on the system plus disturbing resonances. My mechanic (who's opinion I appreciate a lot) has tried many times to weld broken OEM headers with different type of welds. They broke apart again after some miles on the same spot. He also said to me, that the composition of the OEM steel is weird and weld does not last on it. And there is also the danger of small bits of weld to be sucked in the motor during gas reversal (especially due to the upside-down design of the header).

For synopsis:

- I try to live with the AP headers. After all, spirited drive takes place on deserted roads on the hills, on your favourite route, or on the highway sometimes, so antisocializing is not a matter.
- Driving the car a lot means getting used to the new setup faster.
- During cruising the sound is ok, almost stock.
- Peace of mind guaranteed, no more money spending/experimenting.
- For the most of the people the extra sound is welcome.
- Some extra hp and torque. I believe the car is now above the 500hp mark.
- I would like to know, if the welds on a repaired OEM header last. (I am afraid of the small bits of metal, if the new weld fails)
- I prefer the OEM sound versus aftermarket, but...

 

@c4sdriver: I've got the AP headers, stock cats and Capristo Race. Everything is perfect except below 3000rpm still very drone. Does your setup sound ok below 3000rpm?

I'm trying to find out the sound difference in sound between AP and Capristo.

Cheers


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I just bought some AP headers but after reading some of these posts im beginning to wander if its going to be obnoxiously loud. I hope im not making a mistake here

 

Man im thinking of sending these back if i can. I didnt realize so many think they r really loud with just the headers and the rest of exhaust stock. I like the idea of the cat not being there anymore. I wander if theres a way to quiet it alittle.

 

I guess I'm in the minority in this thread. I live in Texas where it's not uncommon to see modded diesel trucks black smoking everybody and making all kinds of loud ugly noises so the sound of my f430 with headers doesn't attract as much attention maybe as other places. Regardless I love the sound and don't really feel like a ******-bag for having a Ferrari that sounds like a Ferrari! Most people I run into love the sound as much as I do.

 

AP headers + stock exhaust

https://youtu.be/Q9fJ_YUOSXI

https://youtu.be/OLrQKdbl4GI

Compared to totally stock exhaust its not that much louder at idle/valves closed. In race mode you can get some fun pops and more volume ramping in throttle quickly into a 4500rpm shift

 

Did you end up repairing/welding your stock manifolds? Do the repairs seem to be holding up well so far?

 

well i have to say that listening to the second video it doesnt sound to loud with normal driving

 

And I was even tipping into the throttle pretty hard, so that's probably the louder side of normal driving. It's much quieter if not trying to trigger the exhaust valves opening to get the pop on shifting.

 

yea its the first part of the second video. didnt seem all that obnoxious to me. seemed like some normal riving and not all that crazy loud

 

Good to hear that you got your stock ones repaired and they seem to be working well. That is great that repairing the stock 430 manifolds has become common in the UK. In the US it seems to be the opposite as I haven't heard any reports of people repairing stock, everyone seems to go with aftermarket headers. I have heard some reasons for lack of repair such as concerns that the welds are prone to re-cracking and that the stock steel is challenging to weld.

Sounds like we could learn some things from you. Can you give us some info on what the repair/welding process involves, cost, and level of expertise needed to do the work? Thanks!

 

The headers is really loud when the exhaust valve ope, basically bypassing your exhaust. This happens above 3500rpm. Below 3500 rpm it is not that loud. Yes louder than stock, but not crazy loud if you keep the valve closed. I went from stock to header and back to stock so I got to hear it back to back. To me when the valve open it is obnoxiously loud which is great some of the time but not most.

Me too searching for a good exhaust. I've ran into Kline innovations exhaust upon my research. It looks to be the best of both worlds. It has a similar design x-pipe with S-line, but also a valvetronic through an exhaust. The best thing is the valvetronic when open it only goes through the x-pipe which should be quiter than the way the stock valvetronic run which is essentially a straight pipe. When the valvetronic close, it went through both, the x-pipe and exhaust, which in theory should be a lot quieter. Of course it depends on the baffling of the exhaust as well.

I'm currently exploring on making my own system based on Kline design but to source the muffler to be quietest possible. However, I'm stuck in researching a reputable valvetronic. I'm weary of its reliability.

The reason I want the option to run quiet or loud without loosing a lot of hp. If you guys see I dynoed before and with the valve close the lost of power is very significant. I suspect because of the small pipe they use. The pipe going through the exhaust is 50mm compare to 60mm on the pipe for the open valve.

 

I put my Mk II headers back on after a thorough examination. Also installed the Captisto muffler brackets just in case. Much happier now! Anyone want to buy my AP headers??

 

I thought you said you disconnected the actuators and it was not obnoxiously loud anymore. What happened

 

How much?


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Yeah, that got the volume to come down but it sounded terrible.

 

I'm in SoCal.
Thinking about buying a 2007 F430 with original manifolds and 14,000 miles.
Car is now out of emissions warranty so either seller of buyer pays.

Ok, I'm getting the point that these stock manifolds are not getting the job done.
I'm worried about buying a car and installing aftermarket manifolds and having problems
with getting the car through SMOG. CEL's, etc.

Will the Capristo manifolds without pre-cats get through California emissions without problems?
Is the sound level of the aftermarket stuff to obnoxious? After reading info here I might just want to pass on this car?

Thanks.

 

Did you have to repair/weld your MKII manifolds, or had you just switched them to AP as a proactive measure?

Were the AP's just too loud for your taste? Curious if it was simply the volume that was the issue, or if it had to do with tone or quality of sound?

 

We switched to be proactive. After taking the factory headers off they appeared to be in great shape.

The volume at WOT was just too loud for every day use and I'm sure my neighbors cringed every time I started the car from cold. I drive my 430 a lot so every day usability is key for me. If I drove the car once a month the loudness would have been less of a consideration. I didn't much care for the tone either. It was more baritone and less Ferrari.

 

Thanks for the feedback on your experience with aftermarket headers. Very interesting that we are now seeing some owners going back in the other direction (back to stock). Now that you have your OEM manifolds back on, are you taking any precautions to check them routinely to insure they remain free of cracks/issues? Do the Capristo brackets seem to help?

Also, about how many miles do you have on your OEM manifolds?

 

Rick, im also wandering did you take off the steel blankets to inspect the header before you put them back on,,Thanks