360 Considering Fabspeed Headers – Avoiding CELs & Pre-Cat Concerns

I recently labored over exhaust choices and decided on keeping the OEM headers with precats. I'm relying on the hope that the precat failure rate is blown out of proportion due to the usual reporting bias on any forum. @Rifledriver noted in another thread that he's never seen precat failure in a properly tuned/maintained car. I just couldn't justify the cost of headers (I personally would only go Tubi which are $8k a pair. Yeesh) for the main purpose of avoiding a problem that likely has a very low incidence of occurring.

As for the CEL, I think the only reliable way of avoiding it when deleting the primary cats is getting a ECU flash (which should also provide other performance benefits). @360trev is your best bet here.

 

Oh youll know when if fails
However will u know before it fails nope?

im in same boat

Kept stock

 

They rattle. No one hears it because either the stereo, or exhaust is too loud or people are so disconnected from their car they never hear it but I have pretty compromised hearing and I still hear it pretty distinctly in early stages long before damage is done..

 

Get the trev tune w the aftermarket headers.

 

DM @sammyf

 

@KnightSolaire someone posted a video on YT of the precat death rattle. I don’t have the link but search the forum for threads on precat failure

 

When you know the headers fail/crack you will hear a loud ticking sound upon start up after a minute. This then goes away after 3 minutes or so when the exhaust gets hot and the headers expand. The factory headers with the cat material inside creates a risk for that material or even small metal fragments from the cracked header getting sucked into the engine due to how they sit pointing upwards on the engine. I personally went with Tubi headers / manifolds on my f430 as i did not want to deal with a CEL. You can leave the stock cats on the car as they are further back so there is no failure in that area. Any other header like Capristo or Fabspeed are not heat shield protected like Tubi, so there is the risk now of burning up all the wiring in that area of the engine with no heat shields on the headers. Heat blankets just don't really do it as they burn up and fall apart anyway. Go with what Ferrari recommends and that is Tubi. $6,200 was last price I checked last year. No issues what so ever so. Other header / manifold brands may be cheaper, but you run the rick on these constant CEL's that pop up and then have to mess with all sorts of 02 extenders to try and trick the ECU.

 

From what I gather from owners here, 360 headers don't crack like on the 430. The precat material, however, can break up and potentially cause issues. I got a quote recently for Tubi headers and it was around $8000 now.

 

Before doing business with fabspeed do a comprehensive search on quality and fitment.

 

I agree the 360 headers are not as prone to cracking like the F430, but i would still go with Tubi. I did my research for a while and even called Tubi in Italy and was advised there would be no CEL issues. For the sake of being safe with such an expensive car, I would never go a cheaper option aftermarket with Ferrari. It really sucks the headers are now $8,000, but i suggest you install them yourself if you can. Try calling Ferrparts in California or Scuderia Car Parts in UK and see if about their pricing. I saw somewhere they were $7,200, but still shop around.

 

There is nothing magical about Tubi headers. They will throw an CEL without precats unless you have a tune to take care of it. Anything claimed otherwise is BS

 

You can opt to go with something like this: https://headershield.com/
Of course, Tubi have the shields built in.
I think Larini does as well.
Fabspeed sells separate blankets

Also, Kline will sell you an option to have the add similar shielding (a few of us have gone that route).

Lastly, there's a company that makes custom blankets if you want something more unique: https://funkmotorsport.com/

 

This was the video I was referencing earlier regarding the precats failing:

 

Holy crap! That's the sound coming out of my car. I only hear it when the car is warming up and when the RPM's are between 1700 and 2300. Once the car is warmed up, the sound goes away.

I have it scheduled to have the headers and exhaust replaced next month because I eliminated every other possible source of rattling except the headers. With mine, I only heard it when I did the major and had the back panel off. I'm replacing the stock headers with Tubi shielded ones and a Ferrari branded Tubi exhaust.

 

Did header sheild on my Supersprints.
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My $0.02. If you are so concerned, there is another option with little cost and almost keep the car OE.
Why not remove the pre-cat materials. been down and documented here