Cracked headers on F430's

I have - just out of warranty, too, both sides. I had mine repaired.

I believe it will probably happen again - it's far too common, speaking to the service agent.

I considered aftermarket headers of higher quality, but to be honest, the repair was not very expensive - I could get them repaired five times for the price of a new set of headers

c

 

Did you get them repaired in the car, or had to be removed? Curious.

Hey, do any of you have pictures WHERE they cracked? Still trying to get an answer on this, to know where to check.

And what were your symptoms? I'm afraid I might not hear the leak, and that's dangerous for the valves, as they can burn if severe enough. Without the darn exhaust vacuum valves, the engine makes enough racket that a leak might be hard to detect when driving the car. Or when it's just idling. Thanks.

 

Who makes the headers for Ferrari? I doubt Ferrari make them in house.

In any event, enough is enough.

The factory headers cost a fortune and are short-lived lasting maybe a few years. The F430 seem to have even more header problems than 360 which are pretty bad. But Ive heard 355 had header issues as well.

If you are out of the warranty, then I think aftermarket is the way to go. Cheaper and better.

Wonder if the 458 are going down the same path? The California already have a recall.
Ferrari should wise up and fix this problem.

 

Common problem on earlier F430s. Ferrari went with a different manufacturer to solve the problem (? in 2008). Don't know if the new ones suffer from the same problem. It may be too early to tell, but I have not heard of anyone with the new ones cracking.

You may be able to hear a difference when they leak, or you may notice an exhaust smell in the cabin. Ask your dealer to have a listen. They should be covered under an 8 year warranty so get them done before that is up, otherwise, be prepared to lighten your wallet quite a bit.

 

Car went in for a regular service, and when I went to pick it up I was told that both headers needed repair. I couldn't tell any difference, although it did sound a little different to another 430 that was there. Took the car elsewhere for another opinion, just to confirm. My options were 1) buy new Ferrari parts, 2) go aftermarket, or 3) repair. The repair option was significantly cheaper, although I was very tempted by the Fabspeed options. In the end, it was jus easier to get them repaired. I have no idea if they were taken out - I assumed so, but don't know.

No pictures, I'm afraid. Not of the cracked headers, anyway

c

 

The first sign of leaking exhaust headers is the presence of white dust in the engine bay especially on the rear window and on the intake air boxes where it can be seen easily. The white material is the header isolation material which starts blowing around in the engine bay. The noise comes next while the leak is getting bigger and then its really time to react. Any header, older or newer will potentially leak as the problem is not always related to the headers themselves but must of all due to the backpressure generated by the way the exhaust muffler and cats are attached too the gearbox. The only way out I can see is to move for aftermarket headers AND most of all, upgrade the exhaust line suspension so that they can extend freely. Capristo for instance, when they install their headers, will oblige you to also install their exhaust brackets (brackets having springs integrated and are no more fixed on the gearbox).

 

Time for a set of Fabspeed Headers.
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The headers on my 05 failed at about 3 years/12K miles. Thet were replaced under warranty and I now have the new stle/manufacturer. I haven't heard of any of these failing yet so they are probably at least better. We have an 8 year waranty on these in the US.

Dave

 

Yes, I just wanted to highlight this for the OP. Exhaust systems generally have a regulatory-mandated longer warranty period. I believe all 430s are still covered and can be repaired/replaced under warranty? (don't take my word though, I'm no expert, but this has been discussed many times...do a search).

 

If you are going to change your headers - go for the Capristo 4-2-1 system. Properly insulated.
Will give you more tourqe and hp than any other system. Excellent engineered.

//A.

 

You know, this depresses me. Several years ago, I wrote an article with Dave Helms in the FML about this problem in F355s. Long story short, Ferrari did its testing with double-wall Tubis. They did the production with single-wall knock offs.

Sad that Ferrari really doesn't give a s*** about its customers.

Dale

 

My 2007 just had the headers (manifolds) replaced by Ferrari of Atlanta. The cost was 100% covered by Ferrari N.A.

The manifolds are covered by emissions warranties. My car is out of regular warranty.

The dealer can listen to them and see if they are cracked. I was having a service and asked if they could check to make sure they were OK and they said they needed to be replaced.

Bill

 

Hi stef,

If you have white dust in the engine bay it's not neccessarily from the headers, i had my muffler replaced last year due to white dust coming out of it, you could actually see the dust coming out of the welds and at the pipes if you had someone rev the car with engine cover open, my replacement silencer is now doing the same again, under hard acceleration you can actually see a little ploom of dust coming from the back of the engine bay in the rear view mirror. Check the pipes coming out of the muffler, see if there's any white powder there that may be your problem.

John.

 

Thanks very much John for the good tip. I agree that the source can be also the muffler or even the main cats.

But white dust + strong smell of non-catalyzed exhaust gases at cold start are I'm afraid the first signs of headers that start leaking even if the noise hasn't changed yet. I will know exactly what the situation is in less than 2 weeks as I will replace them in Germany at the Capristo factory with their headers.

 

How do the cats produce white dust? Do they leak like the headers?

John.

 

I never seen that on an F430 as the stock cats are of great quality. But on my previous 355, the cats were a problem and always started with blowing white dust. BTW, I didn't know that the stock F430 muffler has insulation material.

 

I see white dust in my 430's engine compartment, too. It's visible on the grey side panels and intake housings. I looked around and I can see white dust coming out of the joint where the curved pipes attach to the muffler. I'm no metal expert, but it doesn't look like the pipes are welded to the muffler, just pressed in. Maybe they're welded (tack?) on the other side.

 

I want to do nothing, "nothing", but replace the defective headers. I'm assuming to operate properly, I'll need some sort of reflash. Do you have an EVOM or other reflash that does nothing more than adjust for the higher flow rate? I don't want a high rev limit, adjusted power/torque curves, etc.

 

Yep, it comes out where you described and also at the middle weld at the rear of the muffler. Next time you accelerate hard upto 7k rpm or more try and take a look in the rearview mirror and see if you see a little ploom of dust come out.

John.

 

Yes, I do occasionally see some dust shoot up when I first get on it. After that, I don't see it again. I though it was coming from the front of the motor, but I could be wrong. I figured it was dust or something shooting up from the belts when they really started spinning up.

 

I have a lot of dust, in the engine bay, not sure if it's from the headers, can any one tell, I will take a photo later and let you see.

 

I had the same problem with the silencer and white dust while acceleration was visible.

Later on I did both headers, there was slight noise change and the dealer said the car sounded perfect, but I insisted on having the manifolds checked and they found one side leaking, so both were replaced. There was no white dust with the problematic manifold.

 

Hi Stef,
My late 07 430 has had a Tubi fitted from day 1 of its' life.....would this new exhaust flow help to eliminate the header problem?
I've never experienced it with mine and I have travelled 8,000kms now.
Regards,

Rob.

 

Hi Rob,
I will write much more about this subject once back home,I have lots of photos to explain everything. Just be aware that the main source of all the header issues is the stock exhaust brackets. ALL headers will eventually crack or leak sooner or later! Even the Mk2 stock headers. We worked on this subject and if the exhaust line cannot extend at least 2cm, the headers will finish by cracking as they have to support the highest level of heat and exhaust gaz pressure. The white dust is fiber glass insulation material used in the exhaust mAnifold. The will get sucked into the engine as vacuum is created between each cylinder révolution.These fibres Will damage the liners. The first thing to do in priority IS to install the Capristo brackets...