360 - Fabspeed Header Blankets Ongoing Smell and Burning Throat | FerrariChat

360 Fabspeed Header Blankets Ongoing Smell and Burning Throat

Discussion in '360/430' started by fronin, Feb 14, 2020.

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  1. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Have had Fabspeed headers on the 360 for a couple of years and two melted brake cables since as a result.

    Recently put some Fabspeed header blankets on and finding the distinct smell from the blankets isn't going away.

    Have had about 9 drives and 400km on car (about 15 hours of drive time) since installing these however the smell remains. Further the smell results in a burning throat for a few days after each drive. Got to wonder about the toxicity of what you're breathing in. Not the way to enjoy one's Ferrari.

    Being a spider, this smell is more noticeable (roof up not as noticeable but that's not how I drive the car).

    Discussing this issue with Fabspeed, I'm being told smell should go after a hour of driving and to check for leaks. Headers aren't leaking (installed a long time ago, no issues prior to blankets going on) and nothing else was installed at the same time. Blankets installed as per instructions by an experienced Ferrari mechanic.

    Anyone with a spider and these blankets comment on this issue?
     
  2. one4torque

    one4torque F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    May 20, 2018
    5,088
    Houston
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    One4torque
    I've had my fabspeed header blankets on my 360 modena for a total of 20 mins drive time..... and smoke is gone, smell was there 1st 10 mins... and now gone.

    Can you take a vid of the engine after a spirited drive to show the smoke?
     
  3. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Didn't say anything about smoke (apparently it did smoke when mechanic first cycled the car after install). Smell is the ongoing issue.
     
  4. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 20, 2009
    8,960
    St. Louis, MO
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    Eric
    That should have stopped by now. Did you happen to get anything on your blankets? Oil or fluid? That will take a bit to burn off.
     
  5. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Blankets were clean.
     
  6. one4torque

    one4torque F1 Veteran
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    May 20, 2018
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    One4torque
    Smell will be hard to diagnose via internet. I'll watch mine over the next few weeks and report back on smell.
     
    fronin likes this.
  7. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
    322
    Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dom
    When I installed mine, and started the car for the first time, my car was still up on my Quickjack, garage doors open and the smoke coming off was like I was BBQing in the garage. It dissipated after about 20 minutes. The smell was quite intense for the first 3 or 4 drives about 20 km each time, then slowly dissipated. Probabaly 6 or 7 drives at least. I kept the roof up as well. I do open the engine hood after each drive when I park my car to help dissipate the heat so may be that helped.
     
    fronin likes this.
  8. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Useful feedback from a spider owner, thanks (and a fellow '01 manual owner at that).

    So you're saying about 7 drives and the smell went away completely with the top down?
     
  9. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
    322
    Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dom
    I would say about 7 drives give or take. Maybe the next few after that you might smell it a bit if you are really trying to, however the strong smell, the irritating smell was gone. I know what you mean though, the smell hits you right in the back of the nose. I would almost give you a headache like you were exposed to carbon monoxide.
    I did drive a mix of top up and down. It was early August when I completed my install. The first few were top up.
    One more thought. Before each drive I also warm my car up for the 5 to 10 minutes it takes to get the coolant temp up before driving , so that may have also added up as well.
     
  10. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    So now you get zero smell?
     
  11. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
    322
    Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dom
    Yes zero smell now.
    I drove it 2-3 times per week the month of August, then went to Italy for 3 weeks , then returned to work and was lucky to maybe drive it once per week until late October weather permitting.
     
  12. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
    322
    Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dom
    I just upload this.
    This was taken after about the first 15 minutes after initial start up. If you look you can see a fan I had to put in my boat to blow the smoke out of my garage

     
    fronin likes this.
  13. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    If it does not clear after an hour then you must have an oil leak onto the insulation.
     
  14. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Thanks, but no.
     
  15. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 15, 2012
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    George Pepper
    I just bought a Fabspeed system; headers, cats and blankets (valved CS can). I read a lot about them and never heard of the odor persisting like this.
     
  16. fronin

    fronin Rookie

    Nov 13, 2010
    38
    Australia
    Not noticeable with the roof up and therefore would be the same on a coupe. Roof down on a spider and a different story.
     
  17. Mimmo Blue

    Mimmo Blue Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2018
    322
    Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Dom
    Well another year has passed and on very hot days with the roof down I can still notice the smell after about an hour of driving
     
    Hawaii Brit likes this.
  18. Hawaii Brit

    Hawaii Brit Karting
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 16, 2018
    142
    Honolulu
    I’m 6 weeks and around 15 drives post installation. And I still get the fabspeed blanket burning aroma when The tops down. Significantly reduced but still somewhat there.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  19. one4torque

    one4torque F1 Veteran
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    May 20, 2018
    5,088
    Houston
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    One4torque
    It goes away….. you need to put some miles down to cook off the smoke.

    mine are smoke free after 1 yr… but I drive my car quite a bit.

    they should sell some pre cooked blankets
     
  20. EastMemphis

    EastMemphis Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 25, 2019
    1,718
    Memphis, TN
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    John
    Or... you could delight your wife by baking them in the oven at 500 for six hours before installing them.
     
  21. CoreyNJ

    CoreyNJ Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 17, 2006
    2,003
    New Jersey Shore
    I'm guessing that initially when they are "cooked" they also start hardening a little into the shape or form around the headers, so pre-cooking would actually not be good.

    FYI: I was told one thing to be very carful of with the blankets is not to get any oil on them as it will smell forever.
     
  22. one4torque

    one4torque F1 Veteran
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    May 20, 2018
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    One4torque
    Mine are still pliable. I had to change the retainer spring config… they were still pliable. But perhaps you are right after enough heat cycles and if they get wet.

    I love mine.
     

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