Exhaust Cracking & Banging - is this making me look like an (old) idiot? | FerrariChat

Exhaust Cracking & Banging - is this making me look like an (old) idiot?

Discussion in '308/328' started by Andy 308GTB, Jul 16, 2019.

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  1. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jun 2, 2004
    2,627
    Essex, UK
    Full Name:
    Andy M
    The 3 bolts that attached the rear exhaust manifold to the exhaust box, made a successful bid for freedom (clearly I hadn't tightened them up enough). Even so, the manifold and box didn't separate and the exhaust doughnut stayed in place.

    However, the air getting into the system caused the most spectacular cracking from the exhaust when I lifted off the gas, typically as the revs dropped below 3,000 rpm. Occasional loud bangs randomly occurred, I have no doubt that flames accompanied the bangs.

    I absolutely loved it. I couldn't wait to take the car out. The throttle response was epic, it was a real on/off switch. If I needed the exhaust to be quiet (i.e. passing horses or some poor sods pushing a pram trying to get their child off to sleep), it was necessary to keep the throttle slightly open. But I could then give it some welly, snap my foot off the throttle and it was like being back at Brands Hatch with the A1GP cars! Seriously, the best sounding cars ever, in my opinion: hear what I mean 30 seconds into this clip:



    And here comes the BUT...
    Round my way (Essex, UK) there are loads of young men, in pumped up Ford Focus cars, decked out like rally cars, with ridiculous (and expensive) exhaust system doing exactly what I have been doing. And every time I see one I think 'you attention seeking knob'. But quietly I am envious... I am probably 30 years older than these lads. It's very juvenile.

    Anyway, I have replaced the bolts and the exhaust is now back to normal. It makes the odd dull thud on down shifts and probably sounds like a Ferrari should. But it really isn't much fun. I am thinking of buying another pair of doughnuts and seeing if I can rig up some sort of adjustable breather. This would allow me to regulate the amount of air that leaks into the system - and thereby the amount of noise it makes.

    Opinions and views appreciated, it is all part of my therapy.
     
  2. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
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    Nov 20, 2003
    16,601
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    Matt F
    I’d love to do the same with my 308!

    Matt
     
  3. dwhite

    dwhite F1 Rookie

    Then you will sound like the squids driving late model BMWs with an aftermarket exhaust. So annoying being near them and the kazoo exhaust morons driving Honda's with 12° negative camber while I'm stuck in traffic, on the Belt parkway, in Brooklyn. :)

    But, if you like it go for it. The Tubi on my 308 qv gives a tiny burrble on decel, as does my Bell on my Boxer. But, no big backfires or huge pops.
     
  4. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2012
    3,322
    Tallahassee, FL
    Custom exhaust = nicely tuned, racy sound.
    Leaking/Broken exhaust = rolling eyes in traffic.
     
  5. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
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    Nov 20, 2003
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    Kazoo sound is very different than a nice rattle snap and pop exhaust.

    Matt
     
  6. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
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    Nov 20, 2003
    16,601
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    Matt F
    MyBug for comparison:



    Notice no kazoo.

    Matt
     
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
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    Bubba
    They are spring loaded with clamping hex nuts, google "F40 exhaust spring sets" to see what I mean..That joint takes too much torque movement for any "normal" fasteners to stay there for long.
     
  8. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
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    Jun 2, 2004
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    I think the answer to my question is 'Yes'. :D

    As I said in my original post, the car is currently bolted up correctly and as Thorn said, no longer 'broken'.
    I may investigate a way of letting a tiny bit of air in, to liven things up a bit - but there's no rush.

    For possible future reference, the exhaust box is a PD Gough Sports Exhaust. (Nouvalari in the US?). I was advised not to go for the Super Sports version as it was annoyingly noisy - by posters on here and Gough's themselves!
     
  9. Martin308GTB

    Martin308GTB F1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2003
    4,212
    Black Forest Germany
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    Martin N.
    "
    is this making me look like an (old) idiot?"

    No! But I would not make my symptoms of male climacteric period public :)

    Best from Germany
    Martin
     
  10. dwhite

    dwhite F1 Rookie

    100%. But the BMW boys have some aftermarket exhaust, which upon throttle lift at any rpm, it backfires and is stupid loud.

    I get the screaming rpm sound and a couple pops and crackels at throttle lift, but artificially enduced noise is mostly annoying to me.
     
  11. ferrariowner

    ferrariowner Formula 3

    Feb 21, 2014
    1,109
    Mansfield, TX
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    Ron
    I don’t think it is advisable to leave the exhaust leaking. It doesn’t just let air in, it let’s very hot exhaust leak out. The hot exhaust could burn or damage something important like belts or parts of the car not to mention possible Carbon monoxide poisoning. Don’t be like the kids with a soup can muffler, your driving a Ferrari.
     
  12. GordonC

    GordonC F1 Rookie
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    Aug 28, 2005
    4,119
    Calgary, AB, Canada
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    Gordon
    That's what my Euro QV with Tubi sounds like!

    Is yours a Euro, or do you have the cats? I posted this clip a few years ago when I installed the Tubi "standard" exhaust on my Euro QV - a LOT of burbles, pops, crackles. When I did this video it was slightly lean, I think the Tubi had lower back pressure and changed the mixture slightly. Soon after I set it a bit richer, which reduced the crackles and pops a bit.

     
    climb and bernieb like this.
  13. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
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    This made me laugh (once I had consulted the Dictionary)...
     
    Martin308GTB likes this.
  14. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    I absolutely love the pops on deceleration. I’ve been told it’s bad and that it’s too lean or too rich and have replaced every plug, wire, hose, point, coil, injector, distributor, air fuel mixture, belts and timing and this ground and that fuse and those relays and whatever else and it still does it. At this point I’ve learned to just take in the wonderful sounds it makes. I want them there. Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it.
     
  15. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
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    Stuart K. Hicks
    The thing is screaming for vengeance and sounds like it’s in a battle for the lead on the last lap at Imola or somewhere and then a BMW X5 driven by a housewife with her foot barely on the accelerator not even paying attention to the road breezes right by :). This is par for the course with these nowadays. Sounds wonderful btw!
     

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