Your cars, your choice. Not happening on any of mine.
Ditto. In my younger years I used K&N on 2 of my BMWs, both had premature replacement of their MAPs....and those have been the only MAPs I replaced on any of my nearly dozen BMWs an multiple other cars over the years. It was several months after installing and I cant think what else changed. My friend had a map that was 'rescued' after a liberal wash with I think was brake fluid, suggesting it was the oil or some other gunk after their filter was swapped. No there was no clear leak in the intake manifold or secondary source I could think of Honestly its an easy dino check....try oiled vs OEM and if you like the results great. I have only ever seen gains on built cars needing much more air flow due to either a turbo or supercharger.
My full exhaust system being built as we speak, I've asked Fabio for different tail pipes so very curious about the result, CAD desgin looking good imv !! It will go on my manual 575, can't wait !! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great, I (v12superleggera) told you it was a good idea - now go and see AV Engineering @360trev for the rest of the upgrades!
Yes, it's definitely thanks to you (and few others who suggested it!!) that I became curious about Fabio's work !! Being in Italy everything is easier so will send the car to him once the exhaust is ready to get it installed !
Joe, @Qksilver do we have a current count? I wonder if Nifty’s” 550 is the only one in the US with Fabios headers? There are a handful of 575’s but I wonder if his is the only 550? His car being for sale on BaT has me thinking about it maybe being the only 550 in the states…”.headers no cats”……? wait….EDIT Dave’s 550 @Dm993tt ….has…. headers, cats, center H & tubi mufllers….maybe only 2 sets of headers on 550’s in the US?
When I was talking with Fabio before COVID I recall him telling me that installing his headers, keeping the stock CATs and installing the rest of his system downstream from the CATs would not trigger CEL or throw any code. I thought keeping the stock CATs would be a reasonable compromise as his headers, double H-Pipes and mufflers would provide reduced exhaust restriction and the desired sound tone and loudness. Eliminating the CATs would just make the now loud sound even louder and reduce flow restriction a little more. Not enough advantage for me to warrant a CEL and difficulty passing smog. Wonder if @niftyfivefifty's car can be made to pass CA smog test simply by reinstalling the stock CATs.
Hi Installing stock cats with Fabio's header is not possible. They do not fit, never ! Stockcats are like a Y, 2 inlet tubes, 1 outlet tube. Perhaps you misunderstood something ? Daniel
Cats are certainly the most restrictive components in the system. Has Fabio ever made 200 cell cats that fit in place of the factory units with the rest of the stock exhaust?
Just as Daniel mentioned, the cats are integrated into the collectors and cannot be mixed and matched between 6 to 1 and 3 to 2 to 1 systems. However, a typical exhaust shop can weld sport cats into Fabio's catless collectors and it will then pass emissions. The CELs my car throws today are only for secondary air not present (which we think only affects 2000-2001 cars with more emissions programming in the ECUs), and secondary O2 sensor low temperatures at startup. Both can be corrected with ECU updates by Rod Drew at Francorchamps of America. Thankfully the lack of cats does not affect the secondary O2 sensors' job of helping self-tune the A/F ratios, though these cars leave a lot of power on the table due to erring on the side of safety with a factory rich fuel map. Hence why Ferrari rewarded catless 550 owners with the Go-Flo tune in ~2004-2005 to optimize the fuel maps for higher flowing exhaust designs and our much safer modern high octane fuels.
Probably and wouldn’t be the first time. Wife tells me the same thing a lot Thanks for your and @niftyfivefifty’s clarification.
Quick update today from Fabio ! Slowly becoming pornographic !! Central part has been made: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Headers are back from welders, not he will put then in the correct position and back to welding again: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Nifty. Are you saying that Ferrari was making a tuned map for cat-less exhaust for the 550 after it was discontinued? In the parts diagram, they offer a de-cat pipe in place of the catalyzers. I have always wondered why, as there seem to be need for other map sensors. I raised the matter in an email to Tubi who I believe is the manufacturer of the original de-cat pipes in the parts diagram. Can you clarify this if you know more about it? I drove my 550 the other day, and I really wish it could have better throttle response. From our friend here who is a specialist with the mapping, I read that the original map and system has a build in "delay" to make the car easier to drive gently and not hyper responsive on the throttle... I want instant throttle reaponse and I don't want the programmed delay!! Maybe the newer map from Ferrari is without. I will remove the cats on my 550 befire this season. The car can sound much better without the cats.
Hi Erik, yes exactly that, the tune was released after production ended. When I switched to catless and Fabio's headers the throttle response was one of the biggest improvements. Downshift rev matching became much easier, and acceleration became instantaneous. I am not sure about the throttle delay or if this is addressed by the updated tune, but I could not sense a delay after the exhaust upgrade. I am sure the tune only improves this, especially with the more efficient air/fuel mixture.
Ok. So you put the new ECUs in at the same time as you put on the Fabio exhaust? Where did you get the upgraded ECUs from? Congrats on the sale. Over 130.000 dollars is not bad for that car in my opinion. I feel that the 550s are seeing a new climb in value.