Options to improve 812 GTS sound?

Hey Jeff. There are a few turnkey solutions out there to get you the sound you're after and handle any CELs. Above is an 812 we recently fitted with the Full Novitec system.​

 

Please do some basic research. There is NO solution to CEL due to emissions (P0420 and P0430 are the codes). What Novitec sells (and some other brands do the same),i.e the dongle you plug to your car that blinks by your foot is a hack that continuously clears the CEL before the car can run the emission tests (and subsequently fail the test that results in yellow CEL symbol to be lit).

I dont mean to offend but there is a tremendous amount of lack of understanding as to how these things work. Those monitors that are in each car (i.e tests) are mandated by federal laws and no tuner, no shop, no person in their right mind will “cheat” them (cheat in a sense that they “pass” the test instead of failing by tweaking the passing criteria) because this is a federal felony with proper prison time.

Thats fact 1.

Fact 2 is GPF/OPF based cars have far too many electronics that are more sophisticated than standard catalytic converter cars. While in practice, US doesnt monitor the effectiveness of these filters, there is no way to disable them because their functionality is directly integrated with how the ECU controls the fueling of the car among other things. The back pressure with GPF cars is completely different. Removing those bricks will immediately throw the car into chaos. I dont care what some tuner shop says, I wouldnt do it without a proper ECU tune that properly calibrate all ECU tables.

With the above, one can conclude that there is no way to get around a CEL in the way one would naively think. You may as well take a black plastic tape and tape over the CEL symbol on your dash because that Novitec dongle does exactly that.

Lastly, if you plan to keep the car beyond the initial emission test coverage (each state is different) and that you will take your car to a state emission facility, your car will NOT pass the emission test.

This is not a Ferrari thing. Its a car with a catalytic converter thing and applies to every car. With some cars you get lucky and the car by itself passes the emission tests using 200 CEL cats but some dont.

 

Then you are probably fine. But even with no emission tests in Florida, I'd say you have to tune your 812 GTS if you are touching the particulate filters and catalytic converters. The change will absolutely impact back pressure causing the car to run too lean. N/A engine like the V12 with such high compression ratios may not like running that lean for that long.

If it were me, I'd change the xpipe and the rear mufflers but leave the rest alone.

 

And such is the problem with all new Ferraris. And this chaos is not even required in the US for gas cars. Such a pity. The GPF cars have no sound that is synonymous with the shrieking NA V12. Instead, a coffee can muffled sound with low decibels and and an alien low groaning sound.

 

Best solution is get an F12 or 812 without it and enjoy the beast.

 

It would be nice to find a way to remove the GPF, but what @MaranelloAllTheWay says above is exactly as I am told as well. If you want to do it, you will need an ECU tune. There are shops doing it, but now we’re playing with a very expensive car…..

With all that said, I am surprised to be saying this, I think they did a good job with the sound of the 812 GTS. It’s actually more in keeping with the GT nature of the car. If you get up in the revs and really get on it, you will still get the high pitch sound. You’ll also be going very fast! Try driving the car with the top up and you will hear the engine sound, which has a very similar roar to the old school Ferraris. The nature of the sound is really that good. Top down, you hear the exhaust, and it’s a good sound. It’s not the TDF nor the SF, but it’s very good.

FWIW, I think the 812 GTS is one of the best Ferraris they ever made.

 

First fit an remote exhaust Valve opener, this will not void warrantee and it does make a difference, when the car get warms it seems to burble more on lift off, and makes the exhaust generally louder at speeds where the valves would normally be closed.

You can always leavethe remote at home when it comes to service time, if you fit a Capristo remote, the car behaves as normal when it is off so it would be hard for Ferrari to tell it has one. NO codes.

When your warrantee expires it’s up to you.

 

So I went through this exact issue. I have an 812 GTS and the sound was unbelievably muted. Almost made me sell an exceptional car that I was obsessed with because the sound was non existent on a car where the sound is the driver. Pun intended. I was persuaded to install fabspeed sport cats and an X Pipe versus novitec and use the OBD to clear check engine lights. Huge mistake. Within 24 hours(With the OBD) Cat warnings, check engine warnings and the car would go into limp mode repeatedly where you can't drive over 15 MPH. I spent the next month trying to fix the issues with fabspeed. Multiple OBDs. Tried 20 "solutions". Nothing worked. Went back to OEM and Fabspeed refunded my money 100%.

I spent a few more months driving it OEM and was miserable. Began thinking about trading for the F12 which is the better looking car esthetically IMO but you lose the drop top element, and losing that in Los Angeles is a huge problem. Read every post on here regarding "812 sound" and "solutions" etc and even though everyone said changing the exhaust and adding an X pipe wouldn't effect volume, I took a shot and added a Capristo exhaust and X pipe. And what do you know? Everyone on here who said it wouldn't do much was 100% right. 0 change.

I was reluctant to try cats again due to my previous experience but in a last ditch effort to save myself from selling, I put Capristo 250 Cel cats on. Capristo was adamant they never had an issue with this setup, but of course couldn't guarantee it. I was unbelievably skeptical and in fact, every single person I spoke with told me I'd need a tune or it wouldn't work. Had the cats installed last month and forgot to purchase the OBD so I took delivery without one installed. It's been a month and I have yet to have a single code or limp mode. Knock on wood, No cat light, CEL or any issue whatsoever and the car sounds like a _____ing symphony. I have pushed it extensively well over 100 MPH for extended periods at 5 AM on empty freeways and nothing thus far. Car is now a 10/10 in every way and driving it makes my day every day. No OBD ever installed....

Not discounting what anyone is saying and everyone's experience is probably a bit different, but this one is mine.

PS- Tag Motorsports was incredibly helpful on my journey and unbelievably knowledgable. Never bought anything from them and have yet to ever buy anything from them, but they still took a lot of time to help me and I will def be using them in the future.

 

Funny but I found the car was quieter when I opened the valves with the remote versus when I left it alone and it opened and closed on its own

 

So just the Capristo cats? That's a win especially for your pocket book.

 

2021. Still under warranty and haven’t had any issues with my service dept and it’s one of the most renowned in the country.

 

No. Full setup. Capristo exhaust/X pipe/250 Cel cats.

Got an amazing deal on setup. Paid about 10k all in

 

my advice would be to build a relationship with your service department and just feel them out. Tell them you’re thinking about this and see if they will void your warranty based on these mods. They deal with this all day every day. This isn’t uncommon to do to these cars. My guys had 0 issue but I would bet based on what I’ve read here that every service dept is different.

fired my 812 up again this morning and still no codes whatsoever….

 

Interesting. I’ve had work done with no issue.