F355 2.7 Test Pipe Install Questions | FerrariChat

F355 2.7 Test Pipe Install Questions

Discussion in '348/355' started by PaulK, Aug 7, 2018.

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  1. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    Hi Guys,

    Soon it will be time for me to install the fabled Tubi Test Pipes in the 355. I will also be inspecting the headers just to be safe (when I had the car in to the dealer over the winter they did look at them and say my cats and headers were in good shape). Before I do this, I do have a few questions:

    1) I can't seem to find any guide on here to walk through the install. Does anyone have a link to one?

    2) Are there any negatives to installing these test pipes? My concerns center around this changing the back pressure of the system and also it shooting flames causing damage to the paint. Will it damage the paint? The car is all original paint and I'd like to keep it that way.

    3) Do I need to buy anything besides the test pipes (pictured), such as new exhaust gaskets? When I bought the car I had these thrown in as part of a package deal, but this is all I got.

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    Thanks guys!
     
  2. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
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    Install:
    a) disassemble the cats, thermo couples, and O2 sensors.
    b) assemble the test pipes--be sure to put anti-seize on the threads,

    Issues: sound level goes up by about 6 dB
    I took them off except for track events due to noise.

    If the gaskets stay in 1 piece you need nothing.
     
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  3. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Paul, simple installation. Negative - the people in cars behind you will be gasping for air as their eyes water. Aside from that, it's all good. ;)
     
  4. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    Thank you both so much! I love the responses.

    I will be installing them in the next few weeks I hope... Once the lift becomes available. :D:D:D
     
  5. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
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    One thing I'll mention is the flanges that clamp onto the back of the cats (for muffler connection) can get a bit -squished-.

    Use a screwdriver/chisel to spread them back open before trying to slide them on the test pipes.

    Yes there will be some exhaust smell at times but I haven't found it to be bad at all. Maybe would be worse on an open top car.

    I'll take it any day over the smell of the diesel trucks around here :)
     
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  6. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    It's never too bad as the driver of the car - it's the car behind you that gets "the bad" :D
     
  7. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
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    Still, no way my 355 is as bad as the diesel trucks. Not putting converters on my 59 Cadillac either :D
     
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  8. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

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    #8 Drock28, Aug 8, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2018
    in regards to sound.. its a significant improvement.. are you running a stock exhaust..? also 2.7 cars sound different then 5.2

    in regards to smell, at least my car 5.2, is not that bad. I may get a whiff if at a light and wind blowing from behind.
    in regards to cars behind smelling it.. ive asked people who were behind me after a drive and they said didn't really smell anything.

    in regards to flames.. I don't think you have much to worry about.. you have to be on the throttle very aggressive to maybe get a puff.. so I don't think there will be any issues for the paint.

    as a 2.7 you shouldn't have any issues with CEL.
    but if you are at idle for extended period, the SDL's may start to flash.. but once you get moving again they go out.

    I have successfully ran test pipes on my 5.2 car for 2 season without a single CEL. using the Fabspeed mini-cat spacers. and yes my CEL has a functioning bulb.
     
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  9. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    I was on a drive a few years ago with a local car group. I was behind a Porsche with not cats. It was brutal.

    I had a 95 GTB that I sold - it came with test pipes and I left them on. Yes, as the driver, no issues. Regarding sound (it had a Capristo), it sounded great but still not as loud as my 98 with no muffler :)
     
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  10. 275GTB

    275GTB Formula 3

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  11. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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  12. Drock28

    Drock28 Formula 3

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    my next exhaust project is to finish my setup with a catless ypipe.. its the only stock piece left in there..

    my suspicion on a 5.2 car.. is that the stock ypipe holds back a lot of pitch/sound when bypass opens..

    Larini is by far the best priced aftermarket piece..these prices of $2500USD for a ypipe, with other vendors is absolutely ridiculous...
     
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  13. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    I had them bypass pipes on my 95 Berlinetta. The sound was too much for my ears. The exhaust was bad for the people behind me. But the clincher was the error code it continues to throw when I laid into the gas. In the end, I took them off, it was more trouble than it's worth.
     
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  14. F355Bob

    F355Bob Formula 3

    I had test pipes years ago on my 95. Got tired of my eyes watering from the exhaust and took them off. 95s run rich.
     
  15. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
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    I keep hearing 95's run rich, mine is the exception I guess. Monitoring air/fuel on the dyno it's perfect 14.7 at idle/part throttle and about 13.0 at WOT. Doesn't get much better.

    Never had an error code with the test pipes.
     
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  16. Mmckee

    Mmckee Formula 3
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    I have a spyder and have loved mine for years. I love over passes. I’ll only gotten compliments on how it sounds, not one complaint on noise level or smell. One F chatter thought it smelled lean, but it isn’t. You will love them.
     
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  17. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    I'll keep my eyes peeled for those flanges. Thanks for the heads up. :)

    There is a Tubi on the car right now. Not sure if its an Evo or just a normal Tubi. It sounds good, but some day I would like to put a Capristo Stage 3 on it. But I want to tackle the headers and guides first. And the Challenge wheels.

    I must be the only one that does not mind the smell of the exhaust on a car? Every year we have the Dream Cruise... It smells like old muscle cars. I guess this car must throw out a lot of 'gas.' ;)

    That is one FINE looking 355. Stunner!

    Damn, that is an awful lot of money for two pipes welded together. However, the Tubi manifolds that I want are $8k. WTF is going on here?!

    I know mine runs rich- the previous owner fouled the plugs by starting the car up and backing it out of the garage and then turning it off. But I think that is normal. Personally I think its kind of cool- like an old-school carbed car.
     
  18. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Time to look at fuel trims. Jim - how do you go about that on a 95 OBDI car? SD1/SD2?
     
  19. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
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    Dave, yes I believe only SD1 or SD2? I have not found an aftermarket solution.

    Still, may not tell you much if it fouls plugs from several cold starts with no warm up.

    I would just avoid doing that as it isn't good for the car anyway.
     
  20. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    I'll play around with the SD2. I'm not sure if the pages can be viewed when not connected. At first I thought no but I think I did get that to work once. Right now, no OBDI running car near me to check.

    I'll have the SD2 on a friends 575 tonight as we are diagnosing a suspension fault.

    BTW - how do you avoid cold starts - especially living in the north :D
     
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  21. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    I am pretty sure this is normal? The only reason why I hesitate is because both of you know what you are talking about so I guess I need to look into it. Wouldn't it through a CEL? Could it be the headers causing it to run rich? Are you guys saying that I should be able to start and stop the car without needed to bring the car to temp? I am now pretty concerned. I do not want to wear off the cylinder wall coating.

    For the record, I have never had a problem but that is because I know to let the car warm up before shutting it off.

    This reminds me... Is there any scan tool out there that is reasonably priced and will work with the 2.7 Motronic? Or do I have to go with the SD tools?
     
  22. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
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    Haha, can't avoid cold starts but you can avoid cold starts and shutting down without letting it warm up.

    If I start my car it doesn't get shut off until the oil is up to temp.

    Paul I don't know of anything outside the factory tools that will scan a 2.7 car.

    I'm just going to take the easy way out and go to a modern ecu.
     
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  23. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    No necessarily. I'm not fuel trim expert and have only been learning about what applies to OBDII but the Motronic will make corrections for certain conditions.

    For OBDI, right now the only options are SD1/SD2/SDX or Leonardo
     
  24. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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  25. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Leonardo makes the Galileo tool which is $5K. Not cheap but not crazy if you want to work on your own car.
     

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