F430 Header Failure (it CAN happen to you!)

I too am waiting for this answer. My 2002 360 headers are stock with test pipes, O2 extenders and Tubi exhaust. Should I just remove support brackets or plan on replacing the headers? Or, just smoke test annually and change headers when they fail? I have ~27K on car.

 

Yes many of us have just removed the lower brackets.

 

Your 360 does not have any lower brackets hence why the 430 doesn't need them. 360 also does not have anywhere near the same incidence of header failure as the 430. Why? because they don't have the lower brackets that hold the system rigid stressing the headers.

 

Do you replace them with the Fabspeed Mounts or other aftermarket mounts, or just no replacement at all? Is there any risk to having no mounts at all?

 

Just remove them. The 360 does not have them and it has a much bigger heavier muffler. I think you meant capristo mounts which some like and some don't.

 

replacing them with the Fabspeed mounts recreates the same problem x2, no gearbox mounts at all, so the exhaust can expand

 

I know your not a big Fabspeed fan, but the Fabspeed mounts do allow play. They support in the vertical and bend in the horizontal and have are mounted with a wave washer. The stock don’t flex they just crack.

The Fabspeed just don’t flex as much as the capristo retrofit, FYI the ones with their own exhaust are different. The capristo retrofit attaches your exhaust to the rear body of your car and don’t seem to offer as much vertical support. Personally I don’t know if I want them connected that way. If your engine mounts ever start going it will put a lot of strain on your headers when you shift and the engine moves until it’s fixed. That movement would be very abnormal to the headers.

I also think there is some flex relief on the headers/manifold when you have stock cats as I remember my mechanic showing me there are some springs in those mounts.


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well as long as you dont tighten up at all the U bolt clamps you will be fine, but they are called U bolt clamps, not supports. Why dont you message Fabspeed and ask them if they recommend that you leave the U bolts loose, which will then rattle. The moment you tighten them up and restrict the exhaust from expanding, it will break, just like the factory brackets. No rocket science here

 

How can you tell if you have the sports exhaust? I thought all f430s had a “sports exhaust.”

 

The stock exhaust is a single muffler in the middle of the car. The dealer optioned factory sport exhaust has two mufflers and looks like this:
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It's the same as the Tubi exhaust (since it's made by them), just with heat shields. It has a much better suspension mount that allows for sliding back and forth.

I will also be selling mine in the near future so keep an eye out the for sale section if you want one.

 

So is the sports exhaust sportier or less sporty than the “race exhaust?” Lol… if it’s an “option” I would assume it’s an upgrade and louder or something, but the “stock” exhaust is called “race exhaust” which was the better exhaust from the 360 generation… isn’t “race” generally considered the more extreme than “sport?”

this is very confusing lol

 

i did not like the sound of the sport exhaust fwiw, the oem one sounds just as good if not better. the sport exhaust does NOT get you a high pitch at all

 

Interesting. I wonder if they got sick of all the exhaust/header/bracket issues and just decided to have Tubi make it…
Or my confusion is right, and the “sport” exhaust was an option to tone things down and be less race-y as the race exhaust.
A lot of sports car/ super car manufacturers have options like this…

Only the prancing horse knows the truth.

 

Yes the sport exhaust is tubi and sounds bassy….

 

It sounds more rumbly if that makes sense. Definitely not as high pitched. The open valved sounds great though, it definitely screams like the stock one. The biggest benefits are that it's sooo much lighter than the stock unit and that the mounting system is night and day better for the expansion/contraction of the complete system with headers. It moves upwards of an inch so goes to show you how much pressure is on the stock setup with all the brackets. Not sure if there was an HP gain with it or no.

 

on F430 i heard if you stay out of RACE mode it eliminates the chance of pre-cat debris entering engine is this true?

 

The issue is not the Driving Mode selection. It's crappy headers.

You can either risk it and wait till it fails or approach it proactively and replace it with a better set of headers.

 

I have a 2009 16M Scuderia Spider original owner from new. I assume with MK2. Had right side replaced in 2017 (22,000 mi). Now, in 2025, need to replace left side at 38,000 miles. So, I guess, this issue still exists, just takes longer.

 

The 430 Scuderia has a different version of the exhaust manifold. What failed on yours? On my 430 Scuderia, each side had an exhaust leak at the flange, as it warps. I had mine removed, the flanges ground flat, then reinstalled. They have been fine since. My shop says they have never had a 430 Scuderia return with the problem. The shop said it is very common to all 430 Scuderias.

F430s have a different failure mode.

 

just get some good known aftermarket headers ...tons to choose from... takes 3 hours to install.. end of thread .

 

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https://www.fabspeed.com/fabspeed-ferrari-f430-sport-headers/

 

Don't ever install the fabspeed trash can crap. Its junk and doesn't fit worth a turd in a toilet.

 

Not sure why you say that.. mine fitted perfectly... I like them.

 

If you are an Fchat subscriber, this legendary thread may be worth a read. I know the Scuderia owner and the Ferrari shop master technician involved. Their integrity are above reproach. BTW, the owner never did get his oem Scuderia manifolds returned.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/my-horrible-experience-with-fabspeed.421005/

 

That is 12 years ago... let sleeping dogs lie.... it's easy to dig out sh*t on someone. My personal opinion, why spread venom on the forums...